Judy\u2019s\u00a0POV<\/p>\n
\u201cGavin\u00a0Landry,\u201d\u00a0Zachary\u00a0said\u00a0as\u00a0he\u00a0stood,\u00a0drawing\u00a0my attention\u00a0from\u00a0the\u00a0old\u00a0woman\u00a0and\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0mysterious\u00a0man\u00a0in\u00a0front\u00a0of\u00a0us\u2026\u00a0the urban\u00a0legend\u00a0himself.\u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s\u00a0been\u00a0a\u00a0long\u00a0time.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u00a0has,\u201d\u00a0Gavin\u00a0replied,\u00a0nodding\u00a0his\u00a0head\u00a0slowly.\u00a0\u201cI\u00a0was\u00a0surprised\u00a0when\u00a0I\u00a0received\u00a0the\u00a0invitation\u00a0to\u00a0join\u00a0you\u00a0and\u00a0your family\u00a0for\u00a0dinner. I\u00a0hope\u00a0you\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0mind,\u00a0I\u00a0extended\u00a0the\u00a0invitation\u00a0to\u00a0my\u00a0mate.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOf\u00a0course\u00a0not.\u00a0The\u00a0more\u00a0the\u00a0merrier,\u201d\u00a0Zachary\u00a0replied,\u00a0his\u00a0eyes\u00a0finding\u00a0mine\u00a0and\u00a0holding\u00a0them\u00a0for\u00a0a\u00a0bit\u00a0too\u00a0long,\u00a0giving\u00a0me\u00a0an\u00a0uneasy\u00a0feeling\u00a0in\u00a0the pit\u00a0of\u00a0my\u00a0stomach.\u00a0\u201cI\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0aware\u00a0you\u00a0took\u00a0a\u00a0mate.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s\u00a0fairly\u00a0new,\u201d\u00a0Gavin\u00a0explained,\u00a0draping\u00a0an\u00a0arm\u00a0around\u00a0my\u00a0waist\u00a0to\u00a0keep\u00a0me\u00a0by\u00a0his\u00a0side.\u00a0I wasn\u2019t\u00a0going\u00a0to\u00a0complain\u00a0about\u00a0that.<\/p>\n
Zachary\u2019s\u00a0gaze\u00a0dropped\u00a0to\u00a0my belly\u00a0for\u00a0a\u00a0moment\u00a0before\u00a0lifting\u00a0and\u00a0meeting\u00a0my\u00a0eyes\u00a0once again.<\/p>\n
\u201cSeems\u00a0that\u2019s\u00a0not\u00a0all\u00a0that\u2019s\u00a0new,\u201d\u00a0he\u00a0said,\u00a0the\u00a0corner\u00a0of\u00a0his\u00a0lips\u00a0lifting\u00a0slightly.\u00a0\u201cI\u00a0suppose\u00a0congratulations\u00a0are\u00a0in\u00a0order.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThank\u00a0you,\u201d\u00a0Gavin\u00a0replied,\u00a0tightening\u00a0his\u00a0hold\u00a0on\u00a0me.\u00a0\u201cI\u00a0apologize\u00a0if\u00a0we\u00a0are\u00a0a bit\u00a0late. Took\u00a0longer\u00a0than\u00a0expected\u00a0to\u00a0get here.\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0knew\u00a0Gavin\u00a0was\u00a0trying\u00a0to\u00a0steer\u00a0the\u00a0conversation\u00a0away\u00a0from\u00a0me\u00a0and\u00a0our\u00a0baby.\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0appreciative\u00a0of\u00a0that\u00a0because\u00a0I\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0sure\u00a0how\u00a0long\u00a0I\u00a0could\u00a0handle\u00a0Zachary\u00a0Blackwell\u00a0staring at\u00a0me.<\/p>\n
Zachary\u2019s\u00a0eyes,flickered\u00a0to\u00a0Gavin.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u00a0aren\u2019t\u00a0late\u00a0at\u00a0all.\u00a0Right\u00a0on\u00a0time,\u201d\u00a0he\u00a0retorted.\u00a0\u201cDinner\u00a0will\u00a0be served\u00a0shortly.\u00a0Please,\u00a0take\u00a0a\u00a0seat.\u201d<\/p>\n
He\u00a0motioned\u00a0for a\u00a0couple\u00a0of\u00a0empty chairs\u00a0that sat\u00a0side by\u00a0side.\u00a0Gavin\u00a0walked along\u00a0with\u00a0me\u00a0towards\u00a0the\u00a0chairs,\u00a0and we both\u00a0gingerly\u00a0sat\u00a0down,\u00a0feeling\u00a0more\u00a0than\u00a0a\u00a0little\u00a0awkward.\u00a0His\u00a0hand\u00a0found\u00a0mine\u00a0under\u00a0the\u00a0table,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0felt\u00a0relieved\u00a0that\u00a0he wasn\u2019t\u00a0letting\u00a0me go.\u00a0It\u2019s\u00a0like\u00a0he\u00a0knew\u00a0that\u00a0I\u00a0needed\u00a0his\u00a0touch\u00a0to\u00a0get\u00a0through\u00a0this\u00a0dinner.<\/p>\n
Or\u00a0maybe\u00a0he\u00a0needed\u00a0mine.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m\u00a0not\u00a0sure\u00a0if you\u00a0met\u00a0my\u00a0family,\u00a0but\u00a0this\u00a0is\u00a0my\u00a0wife,\u00a0Selene,\u201d\u00a0Zachary\u00a0said,\u00a0nodding\u00a0towards\u00a0the\u00a0gorgeous\u00a0woman\u00a0who\u00a0sat\u00a0beside\u00a0him.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve\u00a0heard\u00a0plenty\u00a0about\u00a0you,\u00a0Alpha,\u201d\u00a0Selene\u00a0said,\u00a0nodding\u00a0her\u00a0head\u00a0slightly.\u00a0\u201cYou\u00a0are\u00a0more\u00a0handsome\u00a0in\u00a0person,\u00a0I\u00a0must\u00a0say.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I\u00a0felt\u00a0my\u00a0wolf\u00a0growing\u00a0anxious\u00a0over\u00a0her\u00a0words,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0had to\u00a0bite back\u00a0a growl.\u00a0I\u00a0had\u00a0to\u00a0remind\u00a0my\u00a0wolf\u00a0that\u00a0now\u00a0was\u00a0not\u00a0the\u00a0right\u00a0time\u00a0or place.\u00a0Gavin\u2019s\u00a0hand\u00a0squeezed\u00a0mine\u00a0reassuringly,\u00a0and\u00a0at\u00a0that\u00a0moment,\u00a0I\u00a0knew\u00a0he\u00a0was\u00a0tuned\u00a0into\u00a0my\u00a0feelings.\u00a0I\u00a0felt my\u00a0wolf\u00a0relaxing\u00a0from\u00a0his\u00a0attention.<\/p>\n
Gavin didn\u2019t\u00a0bother\u00a0responding to\u00a0her;\u00a0he\u00a0just\u00a0nodded\u00a0politely.<\/p>\n
1\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter\u00a0747<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd\u00a0this\u00a0is\u00a0my\u00a0son,\u00a0Emmet,\u00a0and\u00a0daughter\u00a0Lila,\u201d\u00a0Zachary\u00a0continued.<\/p>\n
+15\u00a0BONUS<\/p>\n
\u201cCharmed,\u201d\u00a0Lila\u00a0said,\u00a0a\u00a0sly\u00a0grin\u00a0spreading\u00a0across\u00a0her\u00a0face.\u00a0Clearly,\u00a0she\u00a0hasn\u2019t\u00a0told\u00a0her\u00a0father\u00a0that\u00a0she\u00a0already\u00a0knew\u00a0us\u00a0and\u00a0wondered\u00a0why\u00a0that\u00a0was.\u00a0The\u00a0poisonous\u00a0way\u00a0she\u00a0stared\u00a0at\u00a0us\u00a0made\u00a0my\u00a0chest\u00a0tighten.<\/p>\n
Emmet\u00a0only\u00a0nodded;\u00a0he\u00a0looked\u00a0disinterested\u00a0in\u00a0this\u00a0conversation\u00a0as\u00a0he\u00a0scrolled\u00a0through\u00a0his\u00a0phone.<\/p>\n
\u201cEmmet,\u201d\u00a0Zachary\u00a0said\u00a0through\u00a0his\u00a0teeth.\u00a0\u201cWe\u00a0are\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0dinner\u00a0table.\u00a0Put\u00a0the\u00a0phone\u00a0away.\u201d<\/p>\n
Emmet\u00a0glanced\u00a0up\u00a0at\u00a0his\u00a0father\u00a0with\u00a0a\u00a0frown.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s\u00a0important,\u201d\u00a0he\u00a0murmured.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo\u00a0is\u00a0time\u00a0with\u00a0your\u00a0family,\u201d\u00a0Zachary\u00a0retorted,\u00a0clearly\u00a0trying\u00a0to\u00a0keep\u00a0his\u00a0cool.<\/p>\n
Emmet\u2019s\u00a0frown\u00a0was\u00a0deep.<\/p>\n
\u201cNoah\u00a0isn\u2019t\u00a0here,\u201d\u00a0he\u00a0said,\u00a0narrowing\u00a0his\u00a0eyes.\u00a0\u201cIf\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0so\u00a0important,\u00a0shouldn\u2019t\u00a0he\u00a0be\u00a0here\u00a0as\u00a0well?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNoah\u00a0has\u00a0other arrangements\u00a0this\u00a0evening,\u201d\u00a0Zachary\u00a0said,\u00a0his\u00a0eyes\u00a0never\u00a0leaving\u00a0his\u00a0son\u2019s.\u00a0\u201cYou\u00a0are\u00a0present\u2026\u00a0so\u00a0be\u00a0present.\u201d<\/p>\n
After\u00a0a\u00a0moment\u00a0of\u00a0what\u00a0seemed\u00a0like\u00a0a\u00a0silent\u00a0conversation\u00a0between the\u00a0two,\u00a0Emmet\u00a0finally\u00a0put\u00a0his\u00a0phone\u00a0down\u00a0and folded\u00a0his\u00a0hands\u00a0in\u00a0his\u00a0lap.<\/p>\n
Zachary,\u00a0looking\u00a0satisfied,\u00a0relaxed\u00a0his\u00a0shoulder\u00a0and\u00a0turned\u00a0to\u00a0Gavin.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0apologize\u00a0for\u00a0my\u00a0eldest\u00a0son\u2019s\u00a0absence.\u00a0Noah\u00a0is\u00a0very\u00a0busy\u00a0and\u00a0couldn\u2019t\u00a0make\u00a0it\u00a0this\u00a0evening.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s\u00a0okay,\u201d\u00a0Gavin\u00a0said.\u00a0\u201cHe\u2019s\u00a0always\u00a0been\u00a0quite\u00a0busy.\u00a0I\u00a0understand.\u201d<\/p>\n
I\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0aware\u00a0that\u00a0Gavin\u00a0even\u00a0knew\u00a0Noah\u00a0Blackwell.\u00a0I\u00a0only\u00a0knew their\u00a0names\u00a0and\u00a0their\u00a0ranking\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0family.\u00a0Though\u00a0Lila\u00a0Blackwell had\u00a0been\u00a0a\u00a0mystery\u00a0since\u00a0her\u00a0birth,\u00a0almost\u00a0like\u00a0she\u2019s\u00a0been hidden\u00a0within\u00a0the\u00a0manor\u00a0walls\u00a0for\u00a0all\u00a0these\u00a0years,\u00a0only allowing\u00a0her\u00a0brothers\u00a0and\u00a0parents\u00a0to\u00a0shine\u00a0until\u00a0recently.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m\u00a0sure\u00a0soon\u00a0you\u00a0two\u00a0will\u00a0be\u00a0able\u00a0to\u00a0catch\u00a0up.\u00a0You\u00a0were\u00a0always\u00a0close\u00a0growing\u00a0up,\u201d\u00a0Zachary\u00a0replied.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0raised\u00a0my\u00a0brows\u00a0at\u00a0Gavin,\u00a0who\u00a0glanced\u00a0at\u00a0me\u00a0briefly\u00a0before\u00a0turning\u00a0back\u00a0to\u00a0Zachary.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve\u00a0both\u00a0aged,\u201d\u00a0Gavin\u00a0replied.\u00a0\u201cI\u2019m\u00a0not\u00a0looking\u00a0to\u00a0regain\u00a0a\u00a0childhood\u00a0friendship\u00a0I\u00a0once\u00a0had.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOf\u00a0course,\u201d\u00a0Zachary\u00a0said,\u00a0the\u00a0corner\u00a0of\u00a0his\u00a0lips twitching\u00a0slightly\u00a0as\u00a0if\u00a0he\u00a0found\u00a0Gavin\u00a0almost\u00a0amusing\u00a0but\u00a0trying\u00a0not\u00a0to\u00a0show\u00a0it.\u00a0After\u00a0a\u00a0moment,\u00a0Zachary\u00a0cleared\u00a0his\u00a0throat.\u00a0\u201cDo\u00a0you\u00a0remember\u00a0my\u00a0mother,\u00a0Esme?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He\u00a0motioned\u00a0for\u00a0the\u00a0old\u00a0woman\u00a0who\u00a0sat\u00a0beside\u00a0Lila.\u00a0Her\u00a0eyes\u00a0were\u00a0still\u00a0transfixed\u00a0on\u00a0me,\u00a0though\u00a0she\u00a0hadn\u2019t\u00a0said\u00a0a\u00a0word.\u00a0My\u00a0heart thudded\u00a0against\u00a0my\u00a0rib\u00a0cage\u2026\u00a0it\u00a0was\u00a0the\u00a0same\u00a0woman\u00a0as\u00a0in\u00a0my\u00a0dreams.\u00a0Only\u00a0in\u00a0my\u00a0dreams\u00a0was\u00a0she\u00a0a\u00a0little\u00a0younger,\u00a0and\u00a0she\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0in\u00a0a\u00a0wheelchair.\u00a0But\u00a0there\u00a0was\u00a0no\u00a0mistaking\u2026\u00a0it was\u00a0the\u00a0same\u00a0woman\u00a0with\u00a0the\u00a0same\u00a0piercing\u00a0blue\u00a0eyes\u00a0and\u00a0looking\u00a0directly\u00a0into\u00a0my\u00a0soul.\u00a01<\/p>\n
Ruby is a master of holiday romance and slow-burn love stories that warm the heart like a crackling fire. Her novels weave festive magic with lingering glances and tender moments, drawing readers into cozy worlds where love unfolds one snowflake at a time. Off the page, she\u2019s baking cookies and dreaming under twinkling lights.<\/p>\n
We Built a Kingdom From Ashes That Still Remembered Love by Aila Frost 747 Judy\u2019s\u00a0POV \u201cGavin\u00a0Landry,\u201d\u00a0Zachary\u00a0said\u00a0as\u00a0he\u00a0stood,\u00a0drawing\u00a0my attention\u00a0from\u00a0the\u00a0old\u00a0woman\u00a0and\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0mysterious\u00a0man\u00a0in\u00a0front\u00a0of\u00a0us\u2026\u00a0the urban\u00a0legend\u00a0himself.\u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s\u00a0been\u00a0a\u00a0long\u00a0time.\u201d\u00a0 \u201cIt\u00a0has,\u201d\u00a0Gavin\u00a0replied,\u00a0nodding\u00a0his\u00a0head\u00a0slowly.\u00a0\u201cI\u00a0was\u00a0surprised\u00a0when\u00a0I\u00a0received\u00a0the\u00a0invitation\u00a0to\u00a0join\u00a0you\u00a0and\u00a0your family\u00a0for\u00a0dinner. […]<\/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-21816","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\/21816","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=21816"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21816\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21816"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21816"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21816"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}