Page 180 of In Love After Office Hours

"But I also knew what I was doing, and now I'm paying the consequences for it—-" When Pippi started shaking her head, Astrid said quietly, "This is how it should be, and in a way I'm glad to finally have it in the open." Her lips formed a wry smile. "As the cliché goes - nothing like the truth to set us free, darling." Astrid's slim shoulders moved in a shrug. "And now, it's going to get interesting, being Isla de Flores' aging Jezebel—-"

The description had Pippi choking back a teary giggle."Mom!"

Astrid simply smiled, and seeing it, the urge to cry and laugh grew stronger. That smile said everything, reminding her of the family motto.

Together.

Everything was possible...together.

And maybe, just maybe - because she loved Acheron...

Pippi swallowed hard, but before she could say a word, Astrid had already reached for hand, saying softly, "The answer is yes."

You love Acheron, and that makes him family.

So don't give up on him.

Instead, face your troubles...

Together.

Twenty-Six

ACHERON'S FINGERS CURLEDaround his phone in a tense, hard grip as he waited for Pippi to answer his call. And if she refused to talk to him, then that was only to be expected. And maybe, it would even be better if it were so -

"Acheron?"

He jerked in his seat, his heart slamming hard against his chest at the sudden sound of Pippi's voice.

Pippi.

She had answered his call—-

"Acheron?"

It seemed like forever since he had last heard her voice, and his eyes closed.

---