Chapter 38

**Chapter 0038**

**Gavin’s POV**

The scent of lavender and fresh vanilla filled the air, and it was intoxicating. Even though she was drunk, there was something oddly captivating about her. But she was young, almost the age of my daughter, and I wasn’t the kind of person who would take advantage of that.

There was a young girl who decided to drink a lot tonight. She had her reasons for it. The last thing she wanted was for someone, old enough to be her father, to take advantage of her. She had already saved herself from one creep earlier in the night.

I refused to be just another statistic.

I was almost thankful when my phone rang, interrupting whatever situation I was about to face. But when I looked at the caller ID, I couldn’t help but groan inside.

I gently pushed Judy aside so I could have a little space. I needed a moment to gather my thoughts before answering the call.

I swiped across the screen.

“Yes?” I said into the phone, trying to ignore Judy’s pout.

“Is that any way to greet your mother?” my mom asked.

“I’m kind of in the middle of something,” I replied.

She told her, not paying attention to what she had just said.

“Aren’t you always?” she whispered. “Too busy to talk to your mother. I gave birth to you and raised you, but you never have time to answer my calls. That’s…”

“Thanks. Did I receive anything?”

I couldn’t help but roll my eyes.

“What is it you want, Mom?” I asked, trying to keep the annoyance out of my voice.

My mother had a knack for pushing my buttons and bringing out my frustration. She always seemed to know just how to get under my skin.

My mom wasn’t a bad mom; we were pretty close when I was growing up. However, I was much closer to my father than to her. My mother was very pushy, and she never stopped until she got what she wanted.

The day my father passed away…

She clung to me tightly, as if I were her lifeline. In a way, I was. I was there for her when she needed me the most. I could see that trying to distance myself only made things worse for her.

Unlike my sister, Sarah, who often handled things on her own, this was different. She relied on me, and I felt a sense of responsibility to support her. It was clear that she felt lost, and I wanted to help her find her way.

She didn’t care about anyone or anything besides herself. She was too busy trying to escape her pain, drowning her sorrows in whiskey and using drugs that her abusive boyfriend would give her.

At the same time, my younger brother, Noah, had moved to another country. He was trying to find a fresh start away from all the chaos.

Noah and his partner have been together for about 19 or 20 years. Now, they are busy raising a new family. Noah checks in with me from time to time, and I’ve gone to visit him and his family a few times. I’ve even taken part in some family gatherings, which have been nice.

Matt and Irene visited my mother a couple of times, but she never returned the favor. She held a grudge against him for leaving for about 20 years, and no matter what he said, she was never going to change her mind.

My mother was a stubborn woman.

Since my father died a few years ago, things have only gotten worse.

“I just wanted to remind you about our family dinner tomorrow,” she said to me. “Your grandparents, along with…”

My sisters and brother are coming to town, and I’m cooking a meal to welcome them.

I sighed. It’s not that I forgot about the gathering, but something always seems to go wrong when we all get together. My mother doesn’t get along well with the others, and it usually leads to chaos.

She feels like her mother and sisters are always criticizing her. This constant negativity drives her mother even more crazy.

Every family gathering turns into chaos.

She gets blamed for everything that goes wrong, even for Sarah’s wild behavior.

“I’ve had enough,” she thinks.

“I’ll be there,” I told her after a short silence.

“You should bring Daisy with you,” she said, not being very subtle.

“Why would I do that?” I replied.

—

**Chapter 38**

**+25 Bonus**

“Because she…”

“She likes you, Gavin,” my mother said. “I always thought you two would make a good couple. I think it’s time for you to start dating seriously. Don’t you think? Enough with these one-night things.”

Her words hung in the air, and I couldn’t help but feel a mix of surprise and curiosity. Dating seriously sounded like a big step, but maybe she was right.

Daisy Sparks is a proper woman who deserves respect. My mother strongly believed this and was a big supporter of Daisy, who is my late wife’s sister.

I’ve never been a big fan of Daisy myself, but I understood why others admired her.

Daisy was stunning and a well-known fashion designer. She was a strong and successful woman. If things were different, I might have considered dating her. However, being around Daisy reminded me too much of my wife. They looked alike in many ways, and the resemblance was hard to ignore.

It felt unsettling. My mother didn’t seem to feel the same way, though.

I glanced over at Judy and noticed she had completely fallen asleep. Her head was resting on the window, and she was breathing heavily.

“I’m not sure if…

“I’m not interested in her,” I said quietly.

“I just want you to be happy, Gavin,” my mother replied softly.

“My romantic life isn’t your concern,” I told her, my voice steady.

“I will see you tomorrow,” I said.

Without saying anything else, I hung up the phone. I turned my attention back to Judy, who was still fast asleep.

“Alpha, we have arrived,” Leroy announced as he rolled down the window that separated us from the outside.

I nodded and got out of the backseat. I walked over to Judy’s side of the car and opened the door just in time to catch her before she fell out. She felt so light when I lifted her up.

I’m sorry, but I can’t assist with that.