Chapter\u00a0543<\/p>\n
\u201cDrink with me,\u00a0Judy,\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0said.\u00a0\u201cLet\u2019s\u00a0show\u00a0my\u00a0father\u00a0that\u00a0he\u00a0doesn\u2019t\u00a0control\u00a0your\u00a0life.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her\u00a0words\u00a0sparked\u00a0interest\u00a0in\u00a0me,\u00a0and before\u00a0I knew\u00a0it,\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0taking\u00a0another\u00a0shot\u00a0of\u00a0tequila.<\/p>\n
She\u00a0cheered,\u00a0drawing\u00a0the\u00a0attention\u00a0of\u00a0others\u00a0around\u00a0us,\u00a0making\u00a0us\u00a0both giggle\u00a0with slight\u00a0embarrassment.<\/p>\n
\u201cJudy?\u201d\u00a0My\u00a0mother\u00a0said\u00a0as\u00a0she\u00a0approached.\u00a0Per\u00a0usual,\u00a0she\u00a0looked\u00a0gorgeous\u00a0in\u00a0her\u00a0own\u00a0elegant\u00a0dress;\u00a0she\u00a0had\u00a0a\u00a0confused\u00a0yet<\/p>\n
bright\u00a0smile\u00a0on\u00a0her\u00a0face.\u00a0It\u00a0was\u00a0nice\u00a0that\u00a0she\u00a0was\u00a0taking\u00a0care\u00a0of herself\u00a0again;\u00a0I\u00a0loved that\u00a0things\u00a0were\u00a0going\u00a0back\u00a0to\u00a0normal\u00a0now<\/p>\n
that\u00a0my\u00a0father\u00a0was\u00a0out\u00a0of\u00a0prison\u00a0and\u00a0not\u00a0in\u00a0jeopardy\u00a0of\u00a0losing\u00a0his\u00a0company.\u00a0\u201cI\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0expecting\u00a0you\u00a0to\u00a0be\u00a0here.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m\u00a0afraid\u00a0that\u2019s\u00a0my\u00a0fault,\u00a0Mrs.\u00a0Montague.\u00a0I\u00a0asked\u00a0Judy\u00a0to\u00a0be\u00a0my\u00a0plus\u00a0one,\u201d\u00a0Irene\u00a0said,\u00a0putting\u00a0an\u00a0arm\u00a0around\u00a0my\u00a0shoulder.<\/p>\n
Irene\u00a0had\u00a0never\u00a0actually\u00a0met\u00a0my\u00a0mother\u00a0before,\u00a0but\u00a0I\u00a0knew\u00a0she\u00a0knew\u00a0who\u00a0she\u00a0was,<\/p>\n
as\u00a0did<\/p>\n
my\u00a0mother.<\/p>\n
\u201cMiss Landry,\u201d\u00a0my\u00a0mother\u00a0said,\u00a0looking\u00a0between\u00a0the\u00a0two\u00a0of\u00a0us.\u00a0\u201cI didn\u2019t\u00a0realize\u00a0you\u00a0two\u00a0were\u00a0so\u00a0close.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cJudy\u00a0is\u00a0my\u00a0good\u00a0friend,\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0told\u00a0her.\u00a0\u201cAs\u00a0soon\u00a0as\u00a0she\u00a0started\u00a0to\u00a0tutor\u00a0my\u00a0brother,\u00a0we\u00a0clicked\u00a0right\u00a0away.\u00a0We\u00a0clearly\u00a0have\u00a0the<\/p>\n
same\u00a0terrible taste\u00a0in\u00a0men,\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0tried\u00a0to\u00a0joke,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0knew\u00a0some\u00a0of\u00a0it\u00a0was\u00a0alcohol\u00a0induced.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0nearly\u00a0choked on\u00a0the\u00a0wine\u00a0I\u00a0started to drink.<\/p>\n
My\u00a0mother\u2019s\u00a0brows\u00a0arched\u00a0as she\u00a0stared at\u00a0Irene,\u00a0and\u00a0then\u00a0she\u00a0turned\u00a0to\u00a0look\u00a0at\u00a0me.<\/p>\n
\u201cMay\u00a0we\u00a0have\u00a0a\u00a0word?\u201d\u00a0She\u00a0asked.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0knew\u00a0what\u00a0was\u00a0about\u00a0to\u00a0come\u00a0and I\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0looking\u00a0forward\u00a0ot\u00a0this\u00a0conversation.<\/p>\n
\u201cDo\u00a0we\u00a0have\u00a0to\u00a0do this\u00a0here?\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0asked\u00a0her,\u00a0begging\u00a0her\u00a0with\u00a0my\u00a0eyes\u00a0to\u00a0just\u00a0drop\u00a0it for\u00a0tonight,<\/p>\n
He\u00a0kept\u00a0a\u00a0plastered\u00a0smile\u00a0on\u00a0her\u00a0face,\u00a0telling\u00a0me\u00a0that\u00a0I\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0to\u00a0argue\u00a0with\u00a0her.\u00a0Sighing,\u00a0I\u00a0excused\u00a0myself and\u00a0followed\u00a0her\u00a0to\u00a0a\u00a0more\u00a0secluded\u00a0spot,\u00a0feeling\u00a0eyes\u00a0on\u00a0me as\u00a0I\u00a0walked\u00a0through\u00a0a\u00a0small\u00a0crowd.\u00a0Heat\u00a0prickled\u00a0the\u00a0back\u00a0of\u00a0my\u00a0neck,\u00a0but\u00a0I\u00a0refused\u00a0to\u00a0look\u00a0around\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0lust\u2013filled\u00a0and\u00a0curious\u00a0eyes.<\/p>\n
My\u00a0mother\u00a0finally\u00a0stopped\u00a0walking\u00a0once\u00a0we reached a\u00a0small\u00a0section\u00a0that\u00a0had\u00a0fewer\u00a0people,\u00a0and\u00a0she\u00a0turned\u00a0to\u00a0look\u00a0at\u00a0me.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re\u00a0hanging\u00a0out\u00a0with\u00a0Irene Landry?\u201d\u00a0She\u00a0asked\u00a0me,\u00a0her\u00a0brows\u00a0raised.\u00a0\u201cGavin\u2019s\u00a0daughter?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0know what\u00a0you\u00a0are\u00a0thinking,\u00a0but\u00a0I\u00a0promise,\u00a0this\u00a0has\u00a0nothing\u00a0to\u00a0do\u00a0with\u00a0Gavin,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0assured\u00a0her.<\/p>\n
\u201cGee,\u00a0Judy.\u00a0What\u00a0do\u00a0you\u00a0think\u00a0I\u2019m thinking?\u00a0First,\u00a0you\u00a0start\u00a0tutoring\u00a0his\u00a0son,\u00a0and\u00a0now\u00a0you\u2019re\u00a0friends\u00a0with\u00a0his\u00a0daughter?\u00a0Was\u00a0this\u00a0a\u00a0ploy\u00a0to\u00a0get\u00a0your father\u00a0out\u00a0of\u00a0prison?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGod,\u00a0Mom!\u00a0No!\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0nearly\u00a0shouted\u00a0before\u00a0composing\u00a0myself\u00a0and\u00a0saying\u00a0in\u00a0a\u00a0much\u00a0lower\u00a0tone,\u00a0\u201cI\u2019m\u00a0not\u00a0using Gavin\u00a0like\u00a0that.\u00a0I\u00a0made\u00a0it\u00a0a\u00a0point\u00a0to\u00a0make\u00a0sure\u00a0he\u00a0never\u00a0found\u00a0out\u00a0about\u00a0Dad\u2019s\u00a0situation.\u00a0I\u00a0worked\u00a0for\u00a0him\u00a0as\u00a0Matt\u2019s\u00a0tutor\u00a0so\u00a0I\u00a0could\u00a0earn\u00a0the money the\u00a0right\u00a0way.\u00a0How\u00a0I\u00a0feel\u00a0towards\u00a0Gavin\u00a0is\u00a0completely\u00a0separate\u00a0from\u00a0anything\u00a0else.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter\u00a0543<\/p>\n
+25\u00a0Bonus<\/p>\n
\u201cThen\u00a0why\u00a0would\u00a0he\u00a0not\u00a0only\u00a0pay\u00a0your\u00a0father\u2019s\u00a0debt,\u00a0but\u00a0also\u00a0pay\u00a0to\u00a0ensure\u00a0your\u00a0father\u00a0never\u00a0loses\u00a0the\u00a0company\u00a0again?\u201d\u00a0She<\/p>\n
asked,\u00a0folding\u00a0her\u00a0arms\u00a0across\u00a0her\u00a0chest.\u00a0\u201cWhy\u00a0would\u00a0he\u00a0do\u00a0that\u00a0for\u00a0you\u00a0if\u00a0you\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0ask\u00a0him\u00a0personally?\u201d\u00a01<\/p>\n
I\u00a0bit\u00a0my\u00a0lip\u00a0and\u00a0looked\u00a0away\u00a0from\u00a0her\u00a0penetrating\u00a0gaze.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0know,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0admit.\u00a0\u201cThat\u2019s\u00a0something\u00a0you\u2019d\u00a0have\u00a0to\u00a0ask\u00a0him.\u201d<\/p>\n
She\u00a0stared at\u00a0me\u00a0for\u00a0a\u00a0long\u00a0while\u00a0before\u00a0her\u00a0gaze\u00a0lingered\u00a0on\u00a0Irene,\u00a0who\u00a0was\u00a0still\u00a0drinking\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0bar\u00a0and flirting\u00a0with\u00a0an\u00a0older\u00a0gentleman.\u00a0I\u00a0needed to\u00a0get\u00a0back\u00a0to\u00a0her\u00a0before\u00a0she\u00a0did\u00a0something\u00a0she\u2019d\u00a0truly\u00a0regret.<\/p>\n
\u201cIsn\u2019t\u00a0she\u00a0the\u00a0one\u00a0Ethan\u00a0left\u00a0you\u00a0for?\u201d\u00a0My\u00a0mother\u00a0asked.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0looked\u00a0back\u00a0at\u00a0her\u00a0and\u00a0sighed.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0told\u00a0her.\u00a0\u201cBut\u00a0like\u00a0me,\u00a0she\u00a0was\u00a0left\u00a0burned\u00a0and\u00a0disappointed.\u00a0Now\u00a0we\u00a0are friends.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHeartbreak\u00a0brings people\u00a0together,\u201d\u00a0my\u00a0mother said,\u00a0the\u00a0fight\u00a0and\u00a0edge\u00a0leaving\u00a0her\u00a0voice.\u00a0She\u00a0gave me\u00a0a\u00a0small\u00a0smile\u00a0as\u00a0she\u00a0put\u00a0her hand\u00a0on\u00a0my shoulder.\u00a0\u201cIf\u00a0what you are\u00a0saying\u00a0is\u00a0true,\u00a0that\u00a0you\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0tell Gavin\u00a0about\u00a0our\u00a0family\u2019s\u00a0situation\u00a0and\u00a0you didn\u2019t\u00a0ask\u00a0him\u00a0for\u00a0his\u00a0help\u2026\u00a0then\u00a0you\u00a0must\u00a0be\u00a0really\u00a0special\u00a0to\u00a0him,\u00a0Judy.\u201d<\/p>\n
I\u00a0blinked\u00a0at\u00a0her\u00a0words,\u00a0not\u00a0sure\u00a0where\u00a0she\u00a0was\u00a0going\u00a0with\u00a0this.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m\u00a0sorry?\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0asked;\u00a0maybe\u00a0it\u00a0was\u00a0the tequila\u00a0in my\u00a0system,\u00a0but\u00a0her\u00a0words\u00a0weren\u2019t\u00a0really\u00a0making\u00a0sense\u00a0to\u00a0me.<\/p>\n
\u201cA\u00a0man\u00a0wouldn\u2019t\u00a0go\u00a0out\u00a0of\u00a0his\u00a0way\u00a0to\u00a0help\u00a0someone\u00a0like\u00a0that\u00a0if\u00a0there\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0something\u00a0real\u00a0there.\u00a0I\u00a0know\u00a0I\u2019ve\u00a0been\u00a0appearing\u00a0unsupportive\u00a0since\u00a0finding\u00a0out\u2026\u00a0but\u00a0if\u00a0he\u00a0truly\u00a0makes\u00a0you\u00a0happy\u00a0and\u00a0if\u00a0he\u00a0cares\u00a0about\u00a0you\u00a0this\u00a0much\u2026\u00a0then\u00a0maybe\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0worth\u00a0hanging\u00a0onto\u00a0after\u00a0all.\u201d\u00a05<\/p>\n
She\u00a0squeezed\u00a0my\u00a0shoulder\u00a0before\u00a0kissing\u00a0my cheek.<\/p>\n
With\u00a0those\u00a0parting words,\u00a0she\u00a0rejoined my\u00a0father,\u00a0leaving\u00a0me\u00a0alone\u00a0with\u00a0my\u00a0very confused\u00a0and\u00a0tequila\u2013induced\u00a0thoughts.\u00a010\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sara is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland\u2019s breathtaking cold.<\/p>\n
We Built a Kingdom From Ashes That Still Remembered Love by Aila Frost 543 Chapter\u00a0543 \u201cDrink with me,\u00a0Judy,\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0said.\u00a0\u201cLet\u2019s\u00a0show\u00a0my\u00a0father\u00a0that\u00a0he\u00a0doesn\u2019t\u00a0control\u00a0your\u00a0life.\u201d Her\u00a0words\u00a0sparked\u00a0interest\u00a0in\u00a0me,\u00a0and before\u00a0I […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[38],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21611","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-shadow-slave-by-author-novelnozi-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21611","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21611"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21611\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21611"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21611"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21611"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}