Chapter 238

Judy’s POV

After how I spoke to my father and how hurt my mother was when I left, the last place I wanted to be right now was home. Nan went to spend the evening with Chester, leaving Irene and me alone with the baby. I already made the decision to spend the night and then figure out the rest in the morning.

“She’s been a good sleeper,” Irene told me as she cradled the baby, rocking her back and forth. “I’m actually surprised by it. Aren’t newborn babies supposed to cry more?”

I smiled.

“You must be doing something right,” I told her.

The baby was adorable, I hated to admit that considering she was the offspring of Ethan Cash. But she was also so innocent, and she didn’t ask to have that monster as a father.

Irene smiled thoughtfully; her eyes fixed on the baby’s face.

“She doesn’t look like him,” Irene said softly. “Maybe some of her features look like him… but she looks more like Stella hand anything.”

“That’s a good thing,” I said with a light laugh.

I lean back on the couch as Irene continues to rock the baby until she’s completely asleep. After a few minutes she stands and takes a deep breath.

“I’ll be back,” she tells me. “I’m going to put her down in her crib.”

Gavin had some of the maids go out and buy a bunch of baby supplies; they pretty much created an entire nursery in the mansion. Which was crazy because this was only a temporary arrangement. There was no way Gavin was going to let Irene have his baby forever. He was going to find a family to adopt her, feeling Irene from the burden of this motherhood.

As Irene went to put Emalyn down to sleep, I wandered into the kitchen. It was quiet without the bustling of staff wandering around. I knew Chester was most likely in his room at this hour, with Nan wrapped around him.

I went to the wine pantry and poured a couple of glasses of wine. I certainly needed a drink this evening to get my mind off things. I was emotionally and mentally exhausted and I just needed to have a little girl time. I needed to talk to Irene about some stuff, but I wasn’t really sure how to bring it up.

It wasn’t my place to tell her that I was secretly having sex with her father. But she was also my friend, and I didn’t want to keep lying to her about this, especially because I needed someone else to talk to about it.

What I wasn’t expecting was for the question Irene would ask as she returned ot the living room.

She smiled when she saw that I got her a glass of wine. She picked up the glass as she sat on the love seat and took a deep sip, letting out a breath.

“I hadn’t had a drink if days,” she with a content sigh. “I hadn’t been able to with this baby attached to my hip.”

I took a sip as well, my mind wandering. I was so lost in my own world that I didn’t notice Irene watching me carefully from the couch in front of me. Her eyes were narrowed, and her face showed almost curiosity as she tilted her head and took a better look at me.

“Can I ask you something?” She asked me, drawing my attention to her.

“Of course,” I answered without missing a beat. “Everything okay?”

She nodded and nibbled on her lower lip; now it seemed as if her mind was racing. I furrowed my brows, waiting for her to ask her question.

She finally looked at me and she took a deep breath.

“Are you in love with my father?”

I nearly dropped the wine on the ground at her candid question.

“I’m sorry, what?” I asked her, my voice coming out almost hoarse.

She gave me a sheepish smile before she asked again.

“Are you in love with my father?” She asked again. “I know it’s not really any of my business… but I mean, he is my father, and I do have a right to know. He’d never tell me if he was having a relationship with somebody, so that’s why I’m asking you and not him. You’ve become one of my best friends, Judy, and I would like it if you were honest with me about your true feelings.”

My cheeks flushed at her words, and I found myself staring at the glass of wine, wishing I could shrink myself and drown in it.

“What makes you think I love him?” I asked my tone much lower than expected.

She shrugged one shoulder, leaning back in her seat.

“It’s the ay you look at him when he’s around,” she tells me. “The way you are always with him. Even the way your face lights up and your cheeks flush when he’s brought up in conversation,” she pointed to my face, and I knew that she could see my very emotions embedded on it.

There was no lying to her; I was a terribly liar… plus, I just didn’t want to. I was exhausted holding onto this secret for so long and it was time that I came clean.

“Yes,” I whispered softly. My wolf’s ears perked at my admission. This was the first time I was admitting out loud that I was in love with Gavin Landry. “I love him.”

Irene’s eyes grew wide, not expecting that I would spill my secret so easily.

“No shit?” She asked, her eyes even wider as she took in my serious expression. “You’re in love with my father…”

“I know it’s weird,” I went on to say, not wanting her to get the wrong idea. “But it’s clear that he doesn’t feel the same way about me, so I don’t think you have to worry about anything.”

“It would be weird to have a stepmom be the same age as me,” Irene said, capturing her lower lip between her teeth. “It would be weird for him to date someone the same age as his daughter. Society wouldn’t accept it.”

I nodded, a knot forming in the pit of my belly.

“That’s why I’m never going to pursue it,” I assure her. “Gavin and I might have some fun… but that’s all it’ll ever be.”

She sucked in a sharp breath, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

“You’ve slept with him?” She asked.

My eyes grew wide.

“What makes you say that?” I asked, trying to mask my horror.

“You said you two like to have fun,” she reminded me. “Plus, it’s all over your face.”

I covered my face with my hands after setting the wine glass down on the coffee table. A groan escaping my lips. She set her own glass down as well and studied me for a long while, neither of saying anything.

“It just kind of happened,” I admit. “This was not how I wanted you to find out.”

“So, those articles I was reading earlier. The one where pictures of you two kissing were posted… they were true? Not photoshop?”

I shook my head.

“Not photoshop,” I agree.

“Why didn’t you ever tell me?” She asked, tears filling down her cheeks. “I thought we were friends and could ell each other everything.”

I nibbled on my lower lip.

“It was too new and too soon,” I told her. “And then you stopped talking to me because of the whole Ethan thing. Plus, I had no idea how to bring up the fact that I’ve been sleeping with your father. It was awkward for me, but I never meant to make you feel disincluded in anyway, Irene.”

She was quiet for a long while, processing my words.

“My father hasn’t had a serious girlfriend in years,” she murmured. “After my mom died, there was this one woman that I thought he was going to marry.”

I raised my gaze and looked at her, confused. I hadn’t heard this story. As far as I knew, he hadn’t had anyone serious in his life since his late wife. So, who was this woman that Irene was speaking about?

“What woman?” I asked.

Irene shrugged casually.

“Her name was Rachel,” Irene explained. “You know how my aunt Cassie is in the mental hospital… Matt’s mom?” I nodded as a response, my throat feeling dry. “Well, Rachel was her nurse once a upon a time.”

“Her nurse?” I asked.

Irene nodded.

“Yeah, before Aunt Cassie took off with Matt, while she was still pregnant and under the care and protection of my father, he hired a nurse from the pack hospital to help take care of her during her pregnancy. It ended up being Rachel, which is how she and my father got so close. They were always together, taking care of Aunt Cassie and making sure she had a healthy delivery. They were practically inseparable. I had never seen him like that before… I heard he was like that with my mother, but she died giving birth to me, so I never actually saw them together. But I saw my father smiling for the first time in years whenever Rachel was around.”

My stomach turned into a fist of unease; I hated hearing about this, but I couldn’t seem to stop. I wanted to know more about this Rachel girl.

“And then Aunt Cassie disappeared and it devasted them and the entire pack. After a year, they finally found her and Rachel was appointed her main nurse during her recovery. Even when she went to the mental hospital, Rachel was still there to take care of her. I think my father was finally planning to propose to Rachel… their relationship only grew stronger during all of this, and I saw a wedding ring in his nightstand once with Rachel’s name engraved.”

My wolf whimpered at the sound of that; my heart shattered into a million pieces.

“Did he… propose?” I asked, my voice feeling hallow and unfamiliar.

Irene’s face grew sad and then she shook her head.

“Rachel got into a car accident one evening while she was on her way to the villa,” she said softly. “And she didn’t make it.”

I sucked in a sharp breath.

“She died?”

Irene nodded, her eyes finding mine.

“After that, my father was closed off. He told himself he was never going to fall in love again because they always die on him. He hadn’t been the same…”