Then I remembered something Bryce said to me.Lead with love.
I had to act out of love, not fear, and love was honest.
Maybe when I told Bryce, he would come up with a way to keep Jude away from us, to protect Twyla. It was the only thought that got me up from the floor and walking to the sink to wash my hands. I put a paper towel under the water and dabbed at my neck while taking deep breaths.
Something had to be done about Jude, because I couldn’t marry Bryce otherwise.
With that sobering realization, I walked out of the restroom, trying to put on a smile despite feeling like my entire future was dangling over a ledge. On one side, heartbreak. On the other, happily ever after.
But for now, I had to focus on the people here in Woody’s Diner. This party was for us, after all. When dinner was over, we’d go out to Madigan Ranch for a run-through of the wedding and then an interview with aDallas Bridesreporter. The next day, we’d get married... or at least, we were supposed to.
“Jada,” a woman said. I looked over and recognized Bryce’s stepmom, Aggie. “It’s so good to see you,” she said, opening her arms for a hug.
I hugged her back. “You too.”
She beamed up at me. “Congratulations on your news!”
“News?” I looked around the diner, realizing everyone was murmuring to each other, sharing happy smiles. Then I caught Bryce’s gaze, and he gave me an apologetic look.
“Your baby!” Aggie cried happily. “Gosh, I’m so excited to welcome another Madigan to the family! Bryce will be anamazingfather, and I know you’ll be a wonderful mom.”
My stomach sank. Everyone in this restaurant was spreading the good news that we were getting married and starting a family. They thought that Bryce was the dad.
“How did you find out?” I asked, trying to hide how upset I was.
“Jude’s been telling everyone. He’s so excited to be an uncle.”
Now I really was going to be sick.
72.Bryce
As the rehearsaldinner wrapped up, I brushed my lips over Jada’s temple. “Will you ride to the ranch with Dad?” We were all supposed to go to the ranch for a walk-through of the wedding. But all I wanted to do was have a junior-high-style, knock-down-drag-out fight in the parking lot with Jude for telling everyone about Jada’s pregnancy before we were ready to announce it ourselves.
She gave me a questioning look.
“I have some unfinished business,” I murmured.
Stiffly, she nodded.
While everyone pulled out of the parking lot or walked to find their cars on Main Street, I tailed Jude to his Aston Martin, stopping the door just before he tugged it shut. “What the fuck is wrong with you,” I demanded.
He didn’t even look at me, instead glaring out the windshield. “What do you want?” he grunted.
My fingers twitched, begging to yank him out of the car and find a place for all this rage. “How could you tell everyone about the baby? That wasn’t your place.“
“I didn’t. I told Aggie that I’d come around to being an uncle, that I was already thinking of everything I’d buy the little one when it arrives.” He shrugged. “Sorry if some people overheard me.”
Acid tossed in my stomach. My jaw was tight as I gritted out the words through white-hot rage. “You’re going to go to the hotel, you’re going to tell everyone you ate something funny, and you’re going to bed early. And when you wake up in the morning, you’re going to send a message to the group text saying you’re terribly sorry but you got food poisoning and you’re going home.” My voice shook with the effort it took to keep from shouting. “Got it?”
He turned his head to stare at me, his green eyes devoid of any light. This wasn’t the Jude I knew. Maybe he’d been pretending all along. His eyebrow arched as he said, “And what if I don’t?”
It took all I had not to slam his damn head into the steering wheel. “My little girl isn’t going to look at her mom and dad’s wedding pictures and see her deadbeat dad standing next to me.”
His jaw muscle flexed. “She won’t know I’m her dad.”
“God, I hope she never finds out.” I shook my head, feeling disgusted. How had I ever considered him a friend? A brother? “She’s better off not knowing she shares your worthless DNA.”
A chink finally showed in his seemingly impenetrable armor. “Bryce, I know you’re angry now, but you have to understand, I?—”
