Chapter 51
Gavin sat down at the table, and I hesitantly took a seat beside him.
A maid hurried into the room carrying a bottle of wine and another of apple juice. She quickly poured Irene a glass of wine and Matt a glass of apple juice before moving around the table to serve Gavin. After filling his glass with wine, she reached me and offered a polite smile.
“Wine, madam?” she asked.
“I’ll take apple juice,” I said quickly.
There was no way I was drinking here—I needed to keep a clear head. Besides, I didn’t trust drunk Judy around Gavin.
She looked surprised but nodded and poured me a glass. As she left, Irene gave me a frown.
“You don’t drink?” she asked.
“Only on occasion,” I replied.
Before she could say more, another maid entered, rolling in a cart loaded with covered dishes. The delicious aroma filled the room, and I suddenly didn’t care what was under the lids. When she uncovered the first platter, I gasped at the sight of four large T-bone steaks, still sizzling and marinating in their own juices. My mouth watered as she placed one on each of our plates.
She moved to the next dish, revealing a mound of mashed potatoes seasoned with garlic. Generous portions were added to our plates before she uncovered a tray of mixed vegetables, roasted in butter and seasoned with salt and pepper.
“Anything else, Alpha?” she asked while scooting the cart away.
“That’s everything,” Gavin replied, his eyes locked on his food. Then, to my surprise, he added, “Thank you.”
The maid beamed at his words before turning and leaving.
“This looks incredible,” I breathed, admiring the vibrant colors and rich aromas.
“Our maids make the best food,” Irene agreed, picking up her fork and knife.
I did the same, cutting into my steak. It was cooked to perfection—medium rare and so tender it practically melted in my mouth. The flavors exploded on my tongue as I chewed, leaving both my stomach and my wolf completely satisfied. I felt myself relax.
“How’s tutoring going?” Gavin asked, glancing at Matt, who was carefully eating around the fatty edges of his steak.
Matt looked up, seemingly surprised by the question.
“It’s great,” he finally answered. “Judy is the best! She teaches me things no other tutor ever has.”
“That’s probably because those tutors didn’t even know how to do those things,” Irene interjected. “I’m not sure where you found them, Dad, but they were terrible.”
Gavin hummed in response, as if he agreed. My cheeks warmed at the compliment, and I put a piece of broccoli in my mouth, chewing slowly to keep from making a satisfied noise at the intense flavor.
“Yeah, they were dimwits,” Matt mumbled.
“Language,” Gavin scolded calmly.
Matt blanched but didn’t say anything more.
The conversation faded as we continued eating. Matt and Irene chatted idly, but I wasn’t paying attention. As soon as I started to feel full, I pushed my plate away and leaned back in my seat. Now all I wanted was to put some distance between Gavin and me.
The maids returned to clear our plates.
“Dessert, Alpha?” one of them offered as she refilled Gavin’s wine glass.
He glanced at me, as if expecting me to answer for him.
“I should be going,” I said, offering a small smile. “But thank you for dinner—I truly enjoyed it.”
He studied me for a moment, as if debating saying something, but then simply gave a small nod.
“Let Leroy give you a ride,” he suggested. “It’s late—you shouldn’t be out alone at this hour.”
I bit my lip before nodding.
“That would be nice,” I replied, standing up.
To my surprise, Gavin stood as well and motioned for me to go ahead. I hadn’t expected him to follow me to the door, but he did. I could feel his gaze tracking my every movement.
Third Person POV
Neither Gavin nor Judy noticed Irene and Matt watching them as they left the dining room.
Irene had been curious about Judy. It was clear Matt liked her—she was the first tutor he had ever taken to, and that made Irene wonder what made her so special.
From the short time she had spent with Judy, she had to admit she liked her too. But she couldn’t shake the feeling that Judy was hiding something—a secret Irene just couldn’t put her finger on.
Then, as they ate dinner, she noticed her father sneaking glances at Judy. He wasn’t even aware he was doing it. And in that moment, she realized exactly what Judy was hiding.
Something was going on between Judy and her father.
A smile spread across her lips as she watched them leave. Matt was watching too, a hopeful look in his eyes. When their gazes met, they shared the same knowing expression.
