She could do this. She could sell crafts and pretend that nothing was wrong.
“Are you all right, dear?”
“Allergies.” She sniffed and excused herself to find a tissue. Her whole body shook. Her heart was tearing in two, and the very fabric of her family unraveled around her.
She glanced at her phone, considering calling Judd and begging him to forget what she’d said. An internal battle raged. What was best for her might not be best for Judd. She had to let him go. He deserved to create his own family—to father children and know the joy of holding a newborn in his arms. He deserved to be calleddad. And he deserved to be loved for a lifetime, married to the woman of his dreams.
She couldn’t give him what he deserved, so she’d step aside and let someone take her place. Even if it killed her. Which, if her heart continued to wilt, it would.
Chapter 16
Judd
“What are you doing here?” Karen bustled around the kitchen island and gave Judd a welcome-home hug. It didn’t matter that he lived only a few doors down and saw her several times a week; when he walked through the back door of the B&B, his mom considered him home. “The Halloween parade starts in ten minutes—you’ll miss the kids.”
He pulled out a barstool. “I’m not going this year.” He traced the edge of the counter. “Or maybe ever again.”
“What on earth?” Karen pulled open the oven and removed four loaves. Pumpkin bread was a tradition at the B&B on Halloween. They were full to the rafters with the Harvest Festival, and several guests came every year—they’d expect the special treat when they came back this evening. If he knew his mom, she had a candy bowl waiting by the front door too.
Judd pressed the button to release the beaters and licked the cream cheese frosting off a tong. “I messed up with Wynn, and now she doesn’t want me anywhere near her or the kids.”
“I don’t believe that for a minute—you two are peas in a pod.” Karen handed him the other beater before running a knife around the edge of the pans.
“Not anymore.” Even cream cheese frosting couldn’t sweeten the taste of disappointment and loss he had to force down his throat.
“What did you do that was so horrible?”
He covered his face with one hand and leaned on his elbow. “I kissed her.” He couldn’t even look at his mom—there were some things that a guy just didn’t talk about. Especially with his mother! But he had to get it out there, because she’d hear about it somewhere.
“She kissed you back,” Birdie said from the doorway.
Speaking of hearing it somewhere … “Birdie!” he snapped, dropping his hand and glaring at his sister.
“What? It’s true. She was totally into that mack session.”
Karen gave Birdie a look that saidwatch it.
Birdie shrugged with all the attitude of a seventeen-year-old on the cusp of spreading her wings. “It’s true. She practically climbed up him like a cat on a tree.”
Judd cringed at the mental image—though it wasn’t far off. She’d wrapped around him and held on. He closed his eyes. “Birdie, I swear, if I ever hear of you—”
“Pah-lease.” She cut her hand through the air. “There are no guys worth kissing at my school.”
He sagged with relief for only a brief second. There were other high schools within driving distance.
Karen wiped her fingers on her apron. “The two of you—I can’t even.” She threw up her hands.
Judd exchanged a smirk with Birdie. They might argue, but they were always on the same team when it came to their parents. Not that they were bad kids. They just liked to tease.
Birdie grabbed a soda from the fridge and sat next to him. “So, are you asking Mom’s permission to marry Wynn?”
He scoffed. “Hardly. I’m licking my wounds.”
Karen dumped a slightly cooled loaf onto the bread board and then righted it. Birdie gave him a quizzical look.
There wasn’t a soft way to give bad news. “Wynn dumped me.”
“What?!” Birdie choked on her soda. Judd pounded her on the back, and she sucked in a loud, wheezing breath. “Why?”
