e. The early autumn sun broke through the skyscrapers, hitting her directly in t
hen an elderly woman in a plain beige tr
s. A canvas grocery bag slipped from her grasp, hitting the con
ward, her hands shooting out to grip the old woman's frail
carefully helped the woman steady herself, then crouched down, her han
n her aged eyes, but she instantly masked it with a look of overwhelming gratit
nd Blaire's wrist with surprising strength. She pulled Blaire towa
theatrical sigh. She stared at the passing crowds
was a dirt-poor sales rep, drowning in mortgage payments, and working himself to the
ced into marriage struck a raw nerve. She thought of Sharon's suffocating de
She pulled out a printed photograph and shoved it into Blaire's hands. "Please,
solute rejection. But the words died in her
dark and straight, his eyes piercing. His jawline was so sharp it looked like it cou
e beat. As a hopeless victim of good looks, her body betrayed
raging in her mind. With a face like th
d down. "You won't have to interfere with each other's lives," she promised qu
e shrill audio played out loud, echoing around the park bench: "If y
stricted. She curled her fingers into tight fists, her nails
hardened into desperate resolve. She looked at
d. She stood up with the speed of a marathon runn
impatient. The Matriarch ignored his tone, barking an absolute command for
at-up, black Toyota Camry scree
d out. Jude walked toward the bench, his face set in a dark, thunde
hundred times more intense than the photo. Her stomach did a nerv
n scrutiny and deep-seated defense. He instantly categorized her as ju
nd pushed her forward. "This is your future wif
but his eyes caught Blaire's. Her gaze was clear, open, and comp
tes. He weighed the pros and cons in a fraction of a second.
nted a trembling fing
Camry. His voice was completely devoid of
ralyzed her. But under the Matriarch's aggressive shoving, she forced he
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