Page 43 of Cade

It was not as much of a shock as he had thought it would be, nor was it hard to sort his feelings. If he were to practice total honesty, he would have to admit that it was what he wanted all along. The reason he’d pursued her and only her after his father’s ridiculous demand.

Back to thinking of his father. He needed to find a way that kept her from any of the fallout from what could happen there. It was foolish of him to think that he could just outsmart his father and he would let it go. He’d only dragged her into his giant mess.

Tomorrow he’d have to make her an appointment, get her feeling better, and then tell her what he wanted. Honesty was going to go the furthest with April, and he would just lay it all out for her and see where it went.

Surprisingly, he felt calm as he thought about it. He had expected more of a panic over the thoughts about her and coming to terms with his feelings. This was going to change a lot in his life, but he felt at ease with every change that crossed his mind.

He wanted to come home to her every night and to have a few kids with her. There was no concern about April being a mother. He knew she would be great at it and nothing like his own parents. Their kids would be loved and they would know it.

As he continued to think about it, he convinced himself that April felt the same way. Everything that had happened between them on their wedding day told him that April was, at the very least, interested in him, but he thought it was more.

Settled, Cade held her close and listened to her even breathing. It was all going to be okay somehow, and this would just be the beginning of better things to come. Even his father’s threats didn’t matter as long as April was here with him, safe.

Chapter Twenty-One

April

By Saturday night, April was more confused than ever. Cade had taken her to a doctor appointment on Wednesday and had pressed the poor doctor until they had conceded that maybe she needed some medicine and had given her something for the nausea. He asked very few questions about the baby and was focused entirely on her.

It made her feel so cared for, but she couldn’t help but remind herself constantly that this was a contract. Did it matter that she was now sleeping in his bed every night? Did it matter that the words he was saying were perfect and made her feel loved? No. This was a contract between them, a means to an end with a baby in the middle of it.

For that, she felt awful. It was fine when the baby was fictional, or at least not real yet. Now that there was an actual life growing inside of her, she felt terrible that it wouldn’t have two parents and it was arranged to be that way. What kind of mother was she to give into her own wild desires for this man and make a baby into this nonsense?

“You ready?” Cade interrupted her self-deprecating inner monologue.

They were having the whole friend group over to announce her pregnancy and no, she wasn’t ready. “Sure,” she said without much cheer behind it.

“April.” Cade crouched down in front of her at the vanity where she was getting ready. “You know we don’t have to do this, right? I can cancel everything and tell them via text.”

She sighed. “It’s fine. I like everyone, so I’m sure it will go well.”

He gave her a look that screamed he didn’t believe her. “This might not be the right time, but I think I need to do this anyway. I wanted to wait until you were feeling better, but then with work and everything, we’ve been a little busy the last two days.”

April’s mind raced with every negative thing that he could be getting ready to tell her. One thing she knew for certain about this man was that he didn’t ramble, ever. If she were to tell anyone that he was right now, they’d call her a liar and she wouldn’t blame them.

“I want to make this real. I want to tear up the contract and I want you in my bed every night from now until forever.”

Her mouth fell open. There were no words that would have done what she felt any justice and her brain wasn’t working to form any, anyway.

Cade rose up and kissed her forehead. “Just think about it for me?”

The doorbell rang and with another chaste kiss, he walked out of their now shared bedroom and left her sitting there, shocked. She didn’t follow him immediately, needing time to recover even if she couldn’t process what he had said.

“Cade said it was okay to come up?” Kayla knocked as she came into the room.

April closed her mouth and turned back to the mirror to finish her makeup. “You’re fine. Just finishing up getting ready.”

“Wow,” Kayla said, looking around as she came in. “This is so very Cade.”

She laughed. That had also been her first thought. “Isn’t it? That’s what I thought at first, too. I think it’s growing on me, though.”

“I bet it is,” Kayla laughed with a wink.

“If I changed it, he would look so out of place in here,” April told her.

“Oh absolutely. I think I vase with some pretty flowers would brighten things up though and I’m positive this is new.” She pointed at the vanity.

Kayla laughed with her. It was good to be around her friend again. Maybe that was what she needed to really let go of everything tonight and just enjoy her friends.

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