Lost in Paradise (Paradise Club #2)(60)

Alex begins wheeling our bags in from the car.

“Mom, I’m going to take our bags to my room,” Alex calls out down the hall as he stops at the bottom of a grand staircase. Judy stops and turns around, quickly her eyes widen as she looks between Alex and me.

“Is Ivy your new girlfriend?” Judy gasps.

“Not yet,” Alex says, sending a wink my way, and my body erupts into tiny flutters of excitement.

“What do you mean … not yet?” she asks, looking between Alex and me. “She’s a catch, Alex, you won’t do any better than her,” Judy tells her son.

Alex shakes his head and lets out a heavy sigh.

“Sweetheart, leave the kids alone. They don’t put labels on things anymore,” Trevor tells his wife.

“We’re taking it slow,” Alex adds.

Oh God, this is so embarrassing. I don’t even think Alex and I have talked this much about our relationship.

“If you’re taking it slow, then you can have separate bedrooms.” Judy grins.

Alex’s eyes widen at his mother’s comments.

“Ignore her. My wife likes making everyone around her feel uncomfortable with her twenty questions. She has boundary issues,” Trevor jokes as he kisses his wife on the head.

Judy playfully slaps her husband’s ass as he walks away.

Alex looks embarrassed by the whole thing.

I love it.

I’ve never been around a healthy, happy couple before. You can see that after all these years, they still love each other, and that’s nice.

“Go, go … you’re grown. Your room is ready for you both.” Judy grins at me. “I’ll look after Ivy while you settle in,” she tells her son.

Alex looks over at me to see if I’m okay with being left alone with his mom, and I give him a gentle nod letting him know I’m fine. He smiles and begins taking our stuff upstairs.

“Come … let’s sit in the conservatory and have some champagne. I’m dying of thirst, you must be too,” she says, waving her manicured hand in the air. I don’t have time to answer her as she takes off through the home at an alarming rate that everything flies past me. Guess I’ll have a look around later. We step out into the glass domed conservatory which overlooks the green rolling hills of the countryside. A man dressed in white comes out and pours us both a glass of champagne, and then he leaves just as quickly.

“To you … Ivy Starr. Welcome to my home,” Judy says, raising her glass which is very nice of her. “I still can’t believe you’re here,” she says, shaking her head as she takes a sip of champagne. “I’m sure my son has told you I’m a huge follower of yours.”

“Yes, he did. I’m very honored,” I tell her as I take a sip of champagne and let the bubbles calm my nerves.

“We’ve met before, you know … when you were very young. I don’t suppose you remember we are good friends with Pierre Lavigne. We were at the wedding between your mother and him.”

“I’m sorry, no, I don’t remember meeting you there,” I answer, feeling awful that I don’t.

Judy waves her hand at me. “You were young at the time, and I think at boarding school.” And I was recovering from my eating disorder.

“Pierre was my favorite out of all my mother’s husbands,” I tell her.

“He loved you, still does. Oh, does he know you’re coming? Because he is coming later tonight. You two are still close … I mean, I know you two are still close, and he’s the reason I love everything you do,” Judy explains.

“I wanted to surprise Pierre, so I haven’t told him. I was supposed to catch up with him in London, but I had to rush up to Edinburgh to see my friend at the last minute. We had arranged to catch up in Paris when I had a break in my calendar,” I tell her as I sip on my champagne.

“Of all the people my son could have brought home, I’m so happy it’s you,” she says warmly. “My son doesn’t normally have good taste in women,” Judy mumbles while rolling her eyes.

“I haven’t had good taste in men either,” I add.

“Oh, my sweetheart, I’m sorry. My son better be treating you well. If not, you call me, and I will sort him out,” she tells me sternly, which is kind of cute.

“No, he’s been a perfect gentleman,” I reply, and she nods, happy with that knowledge.

“I know I’m not allowed to pry into my boy’s love life, but are you two together, or did he like pay you to be here? Sorry, no offense,” she adds quickly.

Laughter falls from my lips at her question. “We are taking it slow, and we are dating,” I add.

“Oh, thank goodness.” Judy breathes out a sigh of relief. “He’s a good boy, my Alex. Romantic deep down, and some women take advantage of that.” She looks at me over her glass.

Not sure how I should answer that.

“Alex told me about them,” I reply.

Judy raises her brows at that comment, seemingly surprised that Alex had offered up that part of his life already with me. “Makes sense seeing as your breakups have a connection. What a small world,” she muses, shaking her head.

Connection?

What is she talking about?

“I’m sorry, Judy, what do you mean?” I am utterly confused by her comments. Judy stills, turns, and looks at me, and I can see it on her face that she realizes she has said something she shouldn’t have.