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Back In Pursuit of Happiness
Chapters (45)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. Prologue
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. 15
  19. 16
  20. 17
  21. 18
  22. 19
  23. 20
  24. 21
  25. 22
  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
  31. 28
  32. 29
  33. 30
  34. 31
  35. 32
  36. 33
  37. 34
  38. 35
  39. 36
  40. 37
  41. Epilogue
  42. Acknowledgments
  43. More from Freya Kennedy
  44. About the Author
  45. About Boldwood Books

‘Really?’ His face hardened. ‘We don’t judge each other? Except when it comes to who came to stay with grandad when he was ill. Then we judge as much as we like. We make up our mind about people without knowing it all. And sometimes, that’s fair. I get that. And sometimes, it’s not. So don’t talk to me about judging people.’

She could see the hurt in his eyes. She could see he was upset at how she had questioned him about his past actions and, much to her shame, she realised he had a point. His decision not to visit his grandad wasn’t her business. She didn’t know the story, she’d just chosen one narrative and stuck with it. Embarrassment raged through her and she just wanted to get away as quickly as possible.

‘I won’t talk to you at all,’ she said. ‘About judging people or anything else. I’ve work to do.’ She wanted to storm off, but she couldn’t do that to Paddy. She’d be crippled with guilt if she did. So she crouched down and pulled Paddy into a hug while she whispered into his fur that she loved him and she’d see him soon. Then she stood up and stormed off, grateful that it had started to rain and she could hide the fact she was crying.

25

Stand By Me

‘He gets under my skin and I don’t even know him and I don’t know why I feel awful that we’re now officially fighting and not just maybe fighting, and damn it all anyway. And, by the way, I almost made a complete arse of myself with Ewan McLachlan, thinking he was going in for a kiss when all he wanted was to know if I wanted another drink. So now I’m thinking of moving country and changing my name. If you’ve any suggestions as to what my new name should be, I’m open to them. Do you think I need an interesting backstory too?’ Jo was prone on her hotel bed in her pyjamas.

‘Just take a breath,’ Erin said. ‘But, before you do, tell me, when you thought he was going in for a kiss, did you actually put your lips on his lips because he’s one very ridey man.’

‘No touching of lips or any other body part,’ Jo replied. ‘Thankfully, I caught on to what he was doing before I went full creepy stalker on him.’

‘I don’t know whether to congratulate you or commiserate,’ Erin said, ‘but I’ll assume it’s a good thing you didn’t throw yourself at him.’