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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

‘Maybe she’d be better off at home today? We can shower her with a little extra love and let her ask all the questions she needs to,’ her mother said and Jo had to agree that was probably the best idea. Maybe she’d do something really fun with Clara while her mum spoke with Noah and with their social worker for some advice on how best to handle this.

So, she wouldn’t get back to sleep as quickly as she’d hoped, but the little girl asleep in her arms was worth one hundred sleepless nights and more.

9

Kindergarten Cop

By 10.30, Clara was sitting on one of the chairs in the coffee bar area of Once Upon A Book drinking a tall glass of milk from a paper straw and nibbling on a blueberry muffin. Looking at her, you would see no signs of the storm that had raged earlier. She had been changed out of her uniform into a pair of denim dungarees with her pink, zipped hoodie and her favourite sparkly trainers. Her mood had lifted as soon as she’d realised she was to spend the day with her beloved Jojo, and now she was as happy as she could be with a Peppa Pig storybook open in front of her and she was engrossed in the pictures. That book, and two others, had been purchased by Jo and she hoped at least one of them would give her a break from the endless rereads of Guess How Much I Love You.

‘It must be really hard for her all the same,’ Libby said as they both stood and looked over to where Clara was laughing at whatever funny picture was on the page. ‘It’s a lot to get your head around, and she’s so young.’

‘Mum’s going to see if Noah will talk to her. You know, about how he came to live with us and all.’

‘That’s a good idea. You know he adores her. Between ourselves, he’s more than a little broody at the minute.’

Jo’s eyes widened in surprise. The thought of Noah wanting a baby, and actually being in a position to start a family, was a little scary. It felt grown-up. And sensible.

‘Don’t worry! It’s not happening. Not yet anyway. We’ve the wedding to get through and I want to make sure the shop is on solid ground. Although my parents have already offered to step in and run the place if I do have a baby and need some maternity leave. Could you see it? They’d be like the Lord and Lady of the manor in here.’ Libby smiled.