Total pages in book: 43
Estimated words: 41933 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 210(@200wpm)___ 168(@250wpm)___ 140(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 41933 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 210(@200wpm)___ 168(@250wpm)___ 140(@300wpm)
Nico grunted. “Put her on the phone.”
Bronagh heard him and shook her head.
“She said no.”
“She’ll be the death of me,” he grumbled. “Lana, you see how pregnant she is, right?”
“Yeah … but she also threatened to eat me if I don’t bring ‘er for breakfast, so she’s kind of winnin’ ‘ere, Nico.”
“Alannah.”
“She’s hangry.”
He paused. “What?”
“Hangry is when a person becomes an entitled arsehole because they neglected to feed themselves.”
“Bronagh,” Nico answered instantly. “What you just described is Bronagh.”
“I know, so that’s why I need to feed ‘er.”
He sighed. “Where are you guys going?”
“The village,” I answered. “Hardly any walkin’ is involved for ‘er. I’ll have ‘er and the princess back home before ye’ know it.”
“You’ll text me when you get them home?”
“I promise.”
He caved. “Take care of my girls, Alannah.”
“With me life, bro.”
I could hear the smile in his voice when he said, “Bye.”
It took fifteen minutes for us to reach the village, and when we parked and walked towards the café, we were delighted to find it was virtually empty, which meant we got to pick any table we wanted to sit at. Georgie babbled away to herself as I got her strapped into a high chair while Bronagh’s eyes flew over the menu like it was her last supper.
“I know you’re big and close to havin’ this baby, but ye’ definitely haven’t put on half of the weight ye’ did when ye’ were pregnant with Georgie.”
Bronagh beamed. “I know. I’ve been eatin’ real good this time around and exercisin’ with Dominic a few times a week. This week, I’m indulgin’ because I’m close to the end so I don’t mind.”
“Your tits are huge,” I added in a whisper. “Like, seriously. Huge.”
Bronagh looked down at her chest.
“Me milk has come back in,” she explained. “After Georgie stopped breastfeedin’, they went back to their normal size, but now they’re like mangos all over again. Dominic loves them.”
“I feckin’ bet he does.”
Bronagh snickered. “Tell me about Damien.”
“Nothin’ to tell.” I shrugged. “He wants to get married right now, and I wanna wait a while.”
“How long do you wanna wait?”
“I don’t know. I just don’t wanna rush it, that’s all.”
“I’m sure Damien knows that. He is just … impatient.”
“I know he loves me, Bronagh.” I frowned. “I love ‘im too. I just wanna relax a little.”
“You’re not askin’ for much, Lana.”
“Damien thinks I am.”
“He’ll realise how demandin’ he is bein’. Just wait and see.”
At the thought of Damien, I remembered our agreement over my assistant job.
“I have somethin’ to ask ye’,” I said to Bronagh. “If ye’ want to say no, then say it. Don’t just agree just because you’re me friend.”
Bronagh blinked. “You’re not gonna ask me to do somethin’ illegal, are ye’?”
I giggled. “No.”
“Oh, fire away then.”
“Before we argued this mornin’, I was talkin’ to Damien about me assistant job … and … and I wanted to offer it to you.”
“Me?”
Her eyes were as wide as saucers.
“Yeah.” I chuckled. “You.”
“Ye’ want me to be your assistant?”
“Why not?” I quizzed. “Ye’ve been doin’ the job the past few months anyway.”
“Yeah, but that was just helpin’. I told ye’ I don’t mind helpin’ ye’.”
“I mind,” I said. “You’re doin’ a job, so I want to pay ye’ for it. There is no one I trust more to fill this position, and Damien agrees with me.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“Ye’ can talk to Nico about it before ye’ decide.”
“No way,” Bronagh beamed. “I’ll take the job. He will be delighted. I can do your emails, calendar, and other stuff when Georgie is nappin’. Even with a new baby, it’ll be easy ‘cause I do so much of it on me phone. When I need to use a desktop, I can just come around to yours.”
“So you’re me assistant?”
“I’m your assistant!”
I laughed. “Ye’ don’t even know how much you’re gonna be paid.”
“It’ll be more than enough, knowin’ you. I can’t believe we’re gonna work together.”
Together, we chatted about Bronagh’s new job, then the new baby, and everyone else in our lives. I wished I could slip my nightmares into the conversation, but I didn’t want to worry her. An hour and a half and four phone calls from Nico later, I was leaving the café with Georgie on my hip and Bronagh waddling behind me. I sensed when she stopped walking, and when I turned to see what she was doing, I groaned out loud.
“Don’t do it,” I said as my best friend stared at the chocolate goodness displayed in the bakery window. “If Harry Potter can go from bein’ a lonely boy livin’ in a cupboard under the stairs to defeatin’ the most evil wizard of all time while pullin’ his best mate’s sister in the process, then you can walk past this bakery with your head held high.”
“Harry had a magical wand, though.” Bronagh groaned. “I don’t even have willpower.”