I’d known my dad had been married previously, but my parents never talked about it.
“I’m well aware. You can’t seriously be jealous after everything.”
“I have never been jealous of Analise.” Mum scoffed. “I never thought I had reason to be. But I saw your face this evening when you saw Gavin, and I realized you’re not over whathedid to you. All these years. And you’re not over their betrayal? I’m confused.”
“I am over it. I just won’t forget the betrayal. Or the fact that after all that, he came on to you too. Plus, there’s more. Gavin … he tried making things difficult for me after you rejected him.”
“What? Difficult how?”
“Making false allegations to the police about me allowing drugs to circulate in my club.”
“You never told me that.”
“I dealt with it. And I didn’t want him taking up more space between us. He wasn’t worth you worrying about it.”
“Braden … I wish you’d told me.”
“It was a long time ago, but he’s a petty, dangerous man. I don’t like that the slimy piece of shit’s offspring is at my daughter’s school.”
My stomach felt sick. Gavin’s father was the reason my dad’s first marriage fell apart? He’d cheated with Dad’s first wife? He’d tried to get it on with Mum? And then attempted to get Dad in serious trouble?
“Gavin’s slimy nature is not his son’s fault, and it’s unlike you to write someone off because of their parentage. You know better than anyone, sometimes the apple falls very far from the tree. Plus, we don’t even know if Beth knows this kid.”
“I’m going to find out.”
“Braden—”
“I don’t want her anywhere near that boy.”
“That’s not fair?—”
“Gavin is bad news, Jocelyn.Youknowthatbetter than anyone.”
Silence fell between my parents as panic tightened my chest.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” Dad asked.
“Because I think your overprotectiveness has hit a new level. You’re getting yourself into a state about something that’s most likely not an issue. We don’t know if Beth even knows this boy, and he shouldn’t be punished for his father’s actions.”
“You’re right on both counts. I’ll find out tomorrow at breakfast if Beth knows him. Then I’ll make it clear that she’s to stay away from him because even if he’s an all-right lad, his dad is still Gavin Urquhart, and this family will have nothing to do with that man.”
“I … I guess I’m stunned by this reaction. You don’t even know this kid, and you want our daughter to treat him like a pariah? That’s not you.”
“Jocelyn, when it comes to our children’s safety, I make decisions I might not usually make.”
“I’m going to write.” Mum used the tone we all knew meant she didn’t want to talk.
“Babe—”
But I heard her office door slam shut in the distance.
Tears burned my eyes as I snuck stealthily back upstairs.
As soon as I was alone in my bedroom, I let the soft cries fall from my lips.
It felt like my chest was cracking open, it hurt so badly.
First Amanda and now this …
