Tempting a King (King Family Romance Book 1) Isla Drake (series like harry potter .txt) š
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- Author: Isla Drake
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Iām secretly hoping the answer is no. We canāt be late again this quarter. The front office lady already gives me a judgmental look every time she sees me. Itās like she knows about my Netflix addiction. Thankfully, Liam shakes his head. Part of me wonders if heās faking to try and get out of school. He hasnāt loved the transition to third grade. He misses some of his old classmates and he hasnāt gotten used to his new teacher yet. It wouldnāt be the first time heās tried to dodge school.
āDo you feel like youāre going to throw up?ā I ask softly.
He shrugs. āI donāt know,ā he says, looking down. āIt just hurts.ā
Now Iām faced with the ultimate dilemma. Do I send Liam to school and hope he feels better as the day goes on? These things usually resolve themselves. He doesnāt have a fever and he hasnāt thrown up. Maybe itās just gas. He did eat his breakfast faster than usual.
āDo you feel okay to go to school?ā I ask, pasting a bright smile on my face.
Liam hesitates before nodding. āToday is my day to be line leader,ā he says, giving me a small smile that melts my heart.
I stroke a hand over his hair and kiss his forehead before standing.
āCome on,ā I say. āWe donāt want to be late.ā
He grins. āYeah, ācause Miss Stokes will give you a tardy.ā
My mouth drops open in mock outrage. āGive me a tardy? I donāt go to school.ā
āYeah,ā he says, putting on his jacket. āBut I canāt drive.ā Itās clear who he thinks is to blame for this situation.
The kid has a point. Itās not his fault when weāre running late. I feel a pang of guilt as I look down at him.
āIām sorry, kiddo,ā I say. āIām going to do better. Promise.ā
Liam only smiles up at me, his face trusting. āItās okay, Momma. Youāre doing your best.ā
Itās what I always tell him when he makes a mistake. Itās okay as long as heās doing his best. A little voice whispers in my mind. Am I doing my best? Am I putting him first? The ever-present guilt and worry threaten to overwhelm me, but I push it aside and shoot him another smile as we hurry to the car.
āBuckle up.ā
We make it to school before Liam is late. Barely. I swear that mean-looking teacher who watches the car line gave me a look when Liam scrambled out of the car. Sheās silently judging me. Iām certain of it. I let out a sigh as I turn out of the school parking lot toward work.
Itās a short drive from the school to the bed and breakfast where Iāve worked for the past 7 years. Officially, Iām the manager for The Queenās Jester Bed and Breakfast. Unofficially, Iām the manager, concierge, desk clerk, event coordinator, occasional housekeeper, room service attendant and valet. When the owner, Finnegan King gave me a job shortly after Liam was born, he hadnāt had an official position for me. Heād just wanted to help a struggling single mom who had no real skills or education and a crying baby on her hip. Heād offered me a job and a place to stay in the little garden cottage on the Jesterās property. My pride had demanded I turn down what I saw as Finnās charity. My empty wallet and Liamās last 3 clean diapers insisted I take the help and work like hell to make sure he never regretted hiring me. That meant that over the years Iāve done any job that needed doing at the Jester and without complaint. Not that Iāve ever had reason to complain. Finn is a good boss and he trusts me to do a great job, no matter what task Iām given. Heās kind and fair and I enjoy working for him.
I first met Finn when I moved to town with my ex-husband Paul nearly a decade ago. We moved here after Paul finished medical school. Some friend of a friend had a father who had pull with the local hospitalās board and Paul had easily gotten hired. Iād left college early to follow him, convinced all my dreams were coming true. I was married to a doctor, someone who saved lives every day. I felt important and respected. Right up until the day Paul left me.
Paulās parents had never really approved of me or of the small-town life weād chosen. Theyād always expected him to marry well and follow in his fatherās footsteps. Heād been groomed since birth to join the family practice and work alongside his father until the time came for him to take over. Heād also been expected to marry his high school sweetheart, a woman far more fitting to his social standing than a college dropout whoād never set foot in a country club. Paul had assured me that he didnāt want any of that. He didnāt care about their opinions, their status or their money. Iād believed him. Hell, maybe Paul had believed it too. I donāt know. Looking back, we were both so young and naĆÆve, it was easy to believe in the fairy tale. I can forgive him for changing his mind. I can forgive him for the divorce. What I will never forgive him for is refusing to have any part of Liamās life. Heād divorced me and relinquished all parental rights soon after Liam was born. At least heād had the decency to look ashamed when heād handed over the papers.
Apparently, Paulās new bride-to-be didnāt want anything hanging over them from his āsordid pastā. That was fine with me. It made things easier in so many ways. I was on my own with my son, yes. But it also meant that Iād never have to argue over custody, visitation or child support. It was a clean break
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