Chapter 71 Jada
“Congrats on your wedding weekend,” Jude said, extending his hand to me.
This close, the memory of our night together flashed through my mind.
His smile the next morning as sun streamed in through gauzy hotel curtains.
The scribbled number on a paper for me to reach out again.
Telling me to enjoy as much room service as I wanted.
But the guy standing across from me acted like we were mere acquaintances. Like his biological daughter wasn’t cartwheeling on my bladder, making me wish the restroom was on this side of the restaurant.
Bryce put his hand on the small of my back and said a cool, “Thanks.” He shook Jude’s hand, then took me to greet his family and friends crowding around.
And it hit me that one day my daughter would go to a function much like this one with Bryce and see a different man with her eyes.
A wave of nausea rolled over me at the thought.
“I need to use the restroom,” I whispered to Bryce.
His worried expression told me he spotted my distress. “Do you need me to come with you?”
“No, just distract everyone?”
He nodded.
Weaving through the narrow aisle covered in checkered tiles, I finally made it to the bathroom at the back of the diner that said “Dolls” on the door.
My eyes were stinging as much as my chest by the time I tugged the handle and let myself inside.
The place reeked like stale urine, but it was a haven, nonetheless.
What was I going to tell my little girl one day?
That her father had denied her? That she could be physically unsafe if anyone knew? Would we have to keep her away from Bryce’s work so no one made any comparisons? Would social media sleuths figure it out anyway?
Hiding in the shadows for fear of being found out was no life for a little girl.
I got my phone out of my pocket and tapped into my bank account.
The money was still there, staring at me like a threat. How far would he go to keep me away from Bryce and out of his life?
How could I raise my daughter in this tangled web? Around the man who was biologically programmed to love her but rejected her before even seeing her face? Would he be there at every company barbecue? Every gala? Every milestone event?
I got to my knees in front of the toilet, feeling even more nauseous. Even those magical ginger suckers Bryce got me wouldn’t help.
Money was supposed to solve my problems, not create more.
But the truth was, I had enough money to start over. To put a down payment on a house, to live in it for months, if not years, before I even needed a job. And if Jude was telling the truth, maybe I’d never need money again.
Yes, I loved Bryce, but my daughter had to come first.
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 a Dallas Brides reporter.
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 an amazing father, 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.