Chapter 680
Gavin’s mother lived in a manor on the other side of the pack; it was a smaller manor, but it was perfect for just one woman and her staff members to live there. Chester would speak about this home on occasions because sometimes he would be sent there to work in the kitchen when her head chef fell ill. He would say that despite Donna Landry’s age, she still takes lovers like she were in her youth. She typically sticks with young men and often flirts with Chester as well, though he declines her advances. Even more so now that he’s mated to my best friend.
Being near Donna’s home gave me a sense of unease; I knew this woman couldn’t stand me, and now that I was officially Gavin’s mate and carrying his baby, I knew she was going to throw a fit. I just hoped that Daisy wasn’t going to be here to witness it.
Daisy Baldwin and Donna Landry were close, and more often than not, Daisy would be found in Donna’s home.
Erik pulled up the windy driveway; I noticed a marble water fountain of a Greek god in front of the manor. If that didn’t tell you all you needed to know about Donna Landry, then I’m not sure what would.
The car stopped and I found myself staring up at the manor, my heart racing a thousand miles per hour and my palms growing sweaty with nerves. I felt the warmth of Gavin’s hand enclosing mine, bringing me back to the present moment. I looked up at his earnest expression, and a small smile tipped the corner of his lips.
“It’s going to be okay,” he assured me. “Just stick with me.”
I bit my lower lip, nibbling on it nervously, and I nodded, trying to steel myself before getting out of the car.
Gavin slid out of the car first, helping me out afterwards. Once we were both out of the car, he nodded at Erik, who gave him a subtle nod in return. Erik’s eyes found mine, and the quirk of his brow made me realize that he understood how I was feeling. Erik had been by my side for a while since I started to work for Gavin, and he became my personal driver. He knew how I felt towards Donna Landry and how she felt towards me.
I knew his look was meant to be reassuring, telling me he was there if anything went wrong, but it only solidified my feelings.
Gavin’s hand remained in mine, and he gave me a gentle squeeze.
He walked up the front steps, and before he even reached the door, it opened. A tall, lanky man stood in the breezeway, his greying hair glistened under the setting sun, and his pale green eyes shone with familiarity as he took Gavin in.
“Alpha Landry,” the man said, bowing his head to Gavin. “It’s good to see you again.”
“James,” Gavin greeted. He removed his hand from mine, leaving me feeling oddly cold and vulnerable. But before the feeling could linger and fester, his warm hand was placed on the small of my back, and I let out a breath I hadn’t known I was holding. “Is my mother home?”
“She is,” the man said, stepping aside.
James was wearing a tailored suit that reminded me of the suit Adam always
wore. I realized that must be the typical butler uniform. I assumed that James was
Donna’s butler, considering he was answering her door in that suit.
Gavin, keeping his hand on the small of my back and guiding me, stepped into the home. I got a whiff of the scent that consumed the place, and all I could smell was Gavin’s mother. It wasn’t a terrible smell, but t reminded me of the time she and Daisy ambushed me at the restaurant when I was trying to enjoy my meal with my parents.
That was a scent I would never forget.
“I’ll go retrieve her,” James said as he closed the door behind us. “You may go into the sitting room to wait for her. I’ll have a maid bring you both some tea.”
“Thank you,” Gavin said to him as he
guided me across the front foyer
and towards another room. This
room didn’t have a doorway, only an archway. It only had a couple of couches and armchairs, along with a coffee table and a mini bar on the far side of the room. It was casually decorated; much more casual than I expected, and it had a strange homey feeling to it.
There was a large glass door near the mini bar that led out to one of the back patios and overlooked the garden area.
I hated to admit it, but this place was gorgeous.
“Mom loves flowers,” Gavin said, following my gaze. “I made sure this place had
the best garden in the pack. Of course, she only likes to look at them and not care
for them, so I hired the best gardeners as well.”
“It’s beautiful,” I tell him, my voice coming out softer than intended.
He nodded.
“Take a seat,” he said, motioning for the couch. did as he said, and he sat beside me, his hand finding mine again. It was almost as if he couldn’t stand the thought of not touching me, and I was more than okay with that. My wolf was basking in his nearness and loved his touch even more than I did.