I\u00a0smiled\u00a0at\u00a0her;\u00a0it\u00a0was\u00a0true\u00a0that\u00a0she\u00a0had\u00a0once\u00a0hated\u00a0me,\u00a0back\u00a0when\u00a0she\u00a0thought\u00a0I\u00a0wanted<\/p>\n
Ethan\u00a0for\u00a0myself.\u00a0But\u00a0after\u00a0she\u00a0found\u00a0out\u00a0that\u00a0Ethan\u00a0had\u00a0been\u00a0playing\u00a0her\u00a0the\u00a0entire\u00a0time<\/p>\n
and\u00a0that\u00a0I\u00a0posed\u00a0no\u00a0threat\u00a0to\u00a0her,\u00a0she\u00a0became\u00a0one\u00a0of\u00a0my\u00a0best\u00a0friends.<\/p>\n
If\u00a0she\u00a0found\u00a0it\u00a0strange\u00a0that\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0marrying\u00a0her\u00a0father,\u00a0she\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0make\u00a0it\u00a0known.<\/p>\n
Nan\u00a0closed\u00a0the\u00a0magazine\u00a0she\u00a0was\u00a0flipping\u00a0through\u00a0and\u00a0grinned\u00a0at\u00a0me.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s\u00a0go.\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0thinking\u00a0of\u00a0having\u00a0a\u00a0girls\u2018\u00a0day\u00a0today.\u00a0We\u2019ll\u00a0go\u00a0shopping,\u00a0have\u00a0some\u00a0lunch,<\/p>\n
and\u00a0just\u00a0enjoy ourselves\u00a0without\u00a0the\u00a0stress\u00a0of\u00a0guys\u00a0and\u00a0babies.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0love\u00a0that\u00a0idea.\u00a0Plus,\u00a0I\u00a0need\u00a0a\u00a0distraction\u00a0desperately,\u201d\u00a0Irene said,\u00a0and\u00a0for\u00a0the\u00a0first\u00a0time,\u00a0I\u00a0saw\u00a0a\u00a0hint\u00a0of\u00a0sadness\u00a0lingering\u00a0in\u00a0her\u00a0eyes.<\/p>\n
\u201cAre\u00a0you\u00a0okay?\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0asked\u00a0her.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0just\u00a0miss\u00a0Chuck,\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0said\u00a0with\u00a0a\u00a0sigh.\u00a0\u201cHe\u00a0can\u2019t\u00a0come\u00a0here\u00a0this\u00a0weekend\u00a0because\u00a0he\u00a0has\u00a0a\u00a0pack\u00a0event\u00a0going\u00a0on.\u00a0I\u00a0miss\u00a0him\u00a0so\u00a0much,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0want to\u00a0die.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo\u00a0dramatic,\u201d\u00a0Nan\u00a0said\u00a0with\u00a0a\u00a0head\u00a0shake.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u00a0try\u00a0being\u00a0far\u00a0away\u00a0from\u00a0your\u00a0mate\u00a0and\u00a0tell me how\u00a0it\u00a0feels,\u201d\u00a0Irene\u00a0shot\u00a0back.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy\u00a0question\u00a0is,\u00a0why\u00a0hasn\u2019t\u00a0he\u00a0marked\u00a0you\u00a0yet?\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0asked,\u00a0my\u00a0brows\u00a0furrowed.\u00a0\u201cYou\u2019ve\u00a0been\u00a0mated\u00a0for\u00a0months\u00a0now,\u00a0and\u00a0he\u00a0hasn\u2019t\u00a0even\u00a0made\u00a0an\u00a0effort\u00a0to\u00a0mark\u00a0you\u00a0or\u00a0move\u00a0you\u00a0to\u00a0his<\/p>\n
territory.\u201d<\/p>\n
She\u00a0wrapped\u00a0her\u00a0arms\u00a0around\u00a0herself\u00a0and\u00a0started\u00a0to\u00a0worry\u00a0her\u00a0bottom\u00a0lip.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0know,\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0said\u00a0softly.\u00a0\u201cAfter\u00a0what\u00a0happened\u00a0with\u00a0Ethan,\u00a0I\u2019m afraid\u00a0to\u00a0get\u00a0too\u00a0close\u00a0to\u00a0anyone.\u00a0I\u00a0think\u00a0maybe\u00a0he\u00a0can\u00a0see\u00a0that, and\u00a0he\u2019s\u00a0holding\u00a0back.\u00a0But\u00a0also,\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0afraid\u00a0to\u00a0ask\u00a0him\u00a0for\u00a0the\u00a0truth,\u00a0not\u00a0sure\u00a0if\u00a0I really want\u00a0to\u00a0know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s\u00a0your\u00a0true\u00a0mate,\u00a0Irene,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0tell\u00a0her.\u00a0\u201cYou shouldn\u2019t\u00a0be\u00a0afraid\u00a0to\u00a0ask\u00a0him\u00a0these\u00a0questions.<\/p>\n
Do\u00a0you\u00a0want\u00a0him\u00a0to\u00a0mark\u00a0you?\u201d<\/p>\n
1\/4<\/p>\n
1:35\u00a0PM\u00a0Wed\u00a01\u00a0Oct\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter\u00a0756<\/p>\n
48%<\/p>\n
+25\u00a0BONUS<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u00a0would\u00a0make\u00a0my\u00a0wolf\u00a0feel\u00a0a\u00a0lot\u00a0better,\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0confessed.\u00a0\u201cBut\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0scared\u2026\u00a0I\u00a0have\u00a0no\u00a0idea<\/p>\n
what\u2019s\u00a0truly\u00a0holding\u00a0him\u00a0back.\u00a0He\u00a0tells\u00a0me\u00a0he\u00a0wants\u00a0to\u00a0be with\u00a0me\u00a0forever,\u00a0but\u00a0he\u00a0makes\u00a0no<\/p>\n
effort\u00a0to\u00a0show\u00a0it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWords\u00a0are\u00a0pretty,\u00a0but\u00a0actions\u00a0speak\u00a0volumes,\u201d\u00a0Nan\u00a0said,\u00a0a\u00a0frown\u00a0marring\u00a0her\u00a0lips.\u00a0\u201cI\u00a0can\u00a0see\u00a0why\u00a0you\u00a0need\u00a0the\u00a0distraction.\u201d<\/p>\n
Irene\u00a0nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0haven\u2019t\u00a0even\u00a0heard\u00a0from\u00a0him\u00a0in\u00a0over\u00a0a\u00a0day.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHave\u00a0you\u00a0tried\u00a0calling\u00a0him?\u201d\u00a0Nan\u00a0asked,\u00a0her\u00a0eyes\u00a0wide.<\/p>\n
She\u00a0shook\u00a0her\u00a0head\u00a0and\u00a0looked\u00a0away\u00a0from\u00a0our\u00a0prying\u00a0eyes.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0want\u00a0to\u00a0be\u00a0a\u00a0bother\u00a0to\u00a0him.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIrene\u2026\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0tried\u00a0to\u00a0say,\u00a0but\u00a0she\u00a0stood\u00a0up\u00a0quickly.<\/p>\n
\u201cEnough\u00a0about\u00a0my\u00a0dramatic\u00a0love\u00a0life.\u00a0Let\u2019s\u00a0go\u00a0shopping\u00a0and\u00a0forget\u00a0about\u00a0all\u00a0of\u00a0this,\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0said,\u00a0looping\u00a0her\u00a0arm\u00a0through\u00a0mine.\u201d<\/p>\n
I\u00a0was\u00a0pleased\u00a0to\u00a0see\u00a0that\u00a0Erik\u00a0was\u00a0our\u00a0driver\u00a0for\u00a0the\u00a0evening.\u00a0It\u00a0feels\u00a0like\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0been\u00a0a\u00a0while\u00a0since\u00a0I\u2019ve\u00a0seen\u00a0him,\u00a0and\u00a0he\u00a0gave\u00a0me\u00a0a\u00a0boyish\u00a0grin\u00a0as\u00a0we\u00a0approached\u00a0the\u00a0car.\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0careful\u00a0not\u00a0to\u00a0hug\u00a0him\u00a0because\u00a0I\u00a0knew\u00a0Gavin\u00a0would\u00a0smell\u00a0his\u00a0scent\u00a0on\u00a0me,\u00a0even\u00a0though\u00a0he\u00a0knows\u00a0Erik\u00a0is\u00a0harmless.\u00a0However,\u00a0now\u00a0that\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0pregnant,\u00a0he\u2019s\u00a0been\u00a0extra\u00a0protective\u00a0lately.<\/p>\n
We\u00a0piled\u00a0into\u00a0Erik\u2019s\u00a0car,\u00a0and\u00a0he\u00a0drove\u00a0into\u00a0the\u00a0city.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u00a0me\u00a0park\u00a0and\u00a0I\u2019ll\u00a0head\u00a0in\u00a0with\u00a0your\u00a0girls,\u201d\u00a0Erik\u00a0said\u00a0as\u00a0he\u00a0searched\u00a0for\u00a0a\u00a0spot.<\/p>\n
\u201cErik,\u00a0come\u00a0on.\u00a0The\u00a0pack has\u00a0been\u00a0ruled\u00a0safe\u00a0since\u00a0the\u00a0threat\u00a0has\u00a0been\u00a0eliminated.\u00a0We\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0need\u00a0an\u00a0escort,\u201d\u00a0Irene\u00a0complained.<\/p>\n
\u201cYour\u00a0father\u00a0would\u00a0have\u00a0my\u00a0head\u00a0if\u00a0he\u00a0found\u00a0out\u00a0I\u00a0let\u00a0his\u00a0daughter\u00a0and\u00a0pregnant\u00a0mate\u00a0out\u00a0of\u00a0my\u00a0sight\u00a0for\u00a0a\u00a0second\u00a0while\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0city,\u201d\u00a0Erik\u00a0shot\u00a0back,\u00a0raising his brows.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen\u00a0we\u00a0won\u2019t\u00a0tell\u00a0him,\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0said\u00a0with\u00a0a\u00a0sly\u00a0grin.\u00a0\u201cJust give\u00a0us this\u00a0time\u2026 please.\u201d<\/p>\n
2\/4<\/p>\n
1.35\u00a0PM\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter\u00a0756<\/p>\n
48%<\/p>\n
+25\u00a0BONUS<\/p>\n
He\u00a0stared\u00a0at\u00a0her\u00a0through the\u00a0rearview\u00a0mirror\u00a0for\u00a0a\u00a0short\u00a0while\u00a0before\u00a0sighing.\u00a0I\u00a0knew\u00a0that<\/p>\n
sigh;\u00a0he\u00a0was\u00a0about\u00a0to\u00a0give\u00a0in\u00a0to\u00a0whatever\u00a0Irene\u00a0wanted.\u00a0He\u00a0always\u00a0had\u00a0a\u00a0soft\u00a0spot\u00a0for\u00a0Irene\u00a0and\u00a0could\u00a0rarely\u00a0say\u00a0no\u00a0to\u00a0her.<\/p>\n
Once\u00a0he parked,\u00a0we\u00a0got\u00a0out\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0car\u00a0and\u00a0started\u00a0towards\u00a0Sasha\u2019s\u00a0Boutique;\u00a0it\u00a0was\u00a0huge\u00a0and\u00a0could\u00a0probably\u00a0light\u00a0up\u00a0the\u00a0city\u00a0on\u00a0its\u00a0own.\u00a0Just\u00a0as\u00a0we\u00a0reached\u00a0the\u00a0doors,\u00a0Irene\u00a0paused\u00a0and\u00a0grabbed\u00a0her\u00a0phone,\u00a0her\u00a0face\u00a0immediately\u00a0lighting\u00a0up.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0have\u00a0to\u00a0take\u00a0this.\u00a0It\u2019s\u00a0Chuck,\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0told\u00a0us.\u00a0\u201cGo\u00a0inside\u00a0and\u00a0I\u2019ll\u00a0meet\u00a0you\u00a0in\u00a0a\u00a0second.\u201d<\/p>\n
We\u00a0nodded\u00a0and\u00a0walked\u00a0into\u00a0the\u00a0vast\u00a0space.\u00a0Just\u00a0as\u00a0we\u00a0were about\u00a0to\u00a0step\u00a0in\u00a0further\u00a0to\u00a0explore\u00a0all\u00a0the\u00a0amazing\u2013looking\u00a0designs\u00a0that\u00a0surrounded\u00a0us\u00a0and\u00a0take\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0glamorous\u00a0atmosphere\u00a0as\u00a0a whole,\u00a0we\u00a0were\u00a0suddenly\u00a0stopped\u00a0by\u00a0one\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0workers.\u00a0A\u00a0sleek\u00a0woman\u00a0with\u00a0long\u00a0platinum\u00a0blonde\u00a0hair\u00a0and\u00a0dark\u00a0blue\u00a0eyes.\u00a0She\u00a0wore\u00a0a\u00a0red\u00a0dress\u00a0that\u00a0hugged\u00a0her\u00a0curves\u00a0perfectly,\u00a0and\u00a0her\u00a0hands\u00a0were\u00a0placed\u00a0delicately\u00a0on\u00a0her\u00a0hips.<\/p>\n
She\u00a0took\u00a0one look\u00a0at\u00a0me\u00a0and\u00a0her\u00a0eyes\u00a0dropped\u00a0to\u00a0my\u00a0stomach.<\/p>\n
\u201cSorry,\u00a0but\u00a0we\u00a0don\u2019t\u2018\u00a0make\u00a0maternity\u00a0clothes,\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0said,\u00a0her\u00a0lips curving\u00a0up\u00a0in disgust.\u00a0\u201cPlus,\u00a0I\u00a0doubt\u00a0either\u00a0of\u00a0you\u00a0can\u00a0afford\u00a0this\u00a0place.\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0going\u00a0to\u00a0have\u00a0to\u00a0ask\u00a0you\u00a0to\u00a0leave.\u201d<\/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 756 I\u00a0smiled\u00a0at\u00a0her;\u00a0it\u00a0was\u00a0true\u00a0that\u00a0she\u00a0had\u00a0once\u00a0hated\u00a0me,\u00a0back\u00a0when\u00a0she\u00a0thought\u00a0I\u00a0wanted Ethan\u00a0for\u00a0myself.\u00a0But\u00a0after\u00a0she\u00a0found\u00a0out\u00a0that\u00a0Ethan\u00a0had\u00a0been\u00a0playing\u00a0her\u00a0the\u00a0entire\u00a0time and\u00a0that\u00a0I\u00a0posed\u00a0no\u00a0threat\u00a0to\u00a0her,\u00a0she\u00a0became\u00a0one\u00a0of\u00a0my\u00a0best\u00a0friends. If\u00a0she\u00a0found\u00a0it\u00a0strange\u00a0that\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0marrying\u00a0her\u00a0father,\u00a0she\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0make\u00a0it\u00a0known. Nan\u00a0closed\u00a0the\u00a0magazine\u00a0she\u00a0was\u00a0flipping\u00a0through\u00a0and\u00a0grinned\u00a0at\u00a0me. \u201cLet\u2019s\u00a0go.\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0thinking\u00a0of\u00a0having\u00a0a\u00a0girls\u2018\u00a0day\u00a0today.\u00a0We\u2019ll\u00a0go\u00a0shopping,\u00a0have\u00a0some\u00a0lunch, […]<\/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-21825","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\/21825","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=21825"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21825\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21825"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21825"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21825"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}