What the hell did that mean?
Mom turned back to Elspeth and me. “We’re going to head out. Let us know if you need anything, Elspeth.”
Elspeth nodded, and Mom pulled me aside as William shook hands with my dad. “Let us know if you need help moving back in. You should let Elspeth’s brother take care of her now that he’s here.”
I reluctantly nodded to avoid a confrontation at the funeral. I hadn’t told my parents about not wanting to move back, and I dreaded their reaction.
William caught the exchange between us and lifted an inquisitive brow, but I avoided him to help Elspeth serve drinks.
The wake went smoothly, with only a few cucumber sandwiches left over and the sun waning in the far-off distance. After everyone left, William locked the doors to the pub and joined us at the bar. Elspeth started pouring tequila shots into three small glasses.
I groaned. “You know I don’t do shots.”
Elspeth looked at me in shock. “You’re going to deny me on the day of my mother’s funeral?”
“Jesus, okay.”
Elspeth raised her glass. “To, Mom. Thank you for my excellent rack, the fond memories, and leaving me the pub.”
I laughed and William shook his head as we downed the drinks.
Elspeth poured another round, and I cleared my throat. “Lindsey, you were like a second mom to me. Thank you for creating my best friend and for always sending me home with an extra slice of your black forest cake whenever it was your birthday.”
We clinked glasses and drank. Elspeth poured another round for William’s toast.
He gripped the shot glass with his large hand as he raised it. “Lindsey, thank you for treating me like a son, for raising the best sister a brother could ask for, and for always pairing me with Nairie on board game nights.”
Elspeth and William shot their drinks back, but I paused. “I thought you hated being my partner.”
“I hated losing, but watching you get angry was kind of worth it.” He smiled mischievously.
“What do you mean I’d get angry?”
“You’d scrunch your face and storm off in a fury. It was cute in an angry bunny sort of way.” William winked and licked the alcohol from his lips.
“There’s that wink again! You keep winking at me.”
“It’s involuntary. Just a twitch.”
I squinted at him and finished my shot. The tequila burned a line down my throat, and I hacked until my throat was clear.
Elspeth snorted and poured more shots for us, but I lifted my hands in protest. “Elle, you drink. I’ll stay sober so I can drive us back.”
William snorted. “That’s right, you’re a good girl.”
I swiveled to face him. “What’s that?”
William threw back his shot, and I did the same out of annoyance.
He lifted his hands and laughed. “I just meant that you always do the right thing.”
I drank another shot.Wait, how many had I had?“That’s not true.”
He raised his eyebrows and sipped the whisky Elspeth put in front of him.
“I...” It took a minute to muddle through my fuzzy thoughts. “I don’t live with my parents anymore.”
“But you’re moving back in with them now, right? And you’re still over there twice a week,” he quipped.
