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“And the body?” Bryce said.
“Yeah, she still has the body. She’s not quite as tall as I expected. I thought she would be taller.”
“Well, you know, people shrink with age.”
“Not everything shrinks.”
Bryce let out another guffaw of laughter.
“Well, where do you think Jade got them from? Certainly not her dad.”
“So what’s stopping you? She’s living in one of your houses, and her boyfriend has flown the coop. Why not give it a shot?”
Because she wasn’t Melanie. But of course I couldn’t say that. Melanie Carmichael had me twisted up in so many knots, I wasn’t sure where anything began.
“Because she’s Jade’s mom, for God’s sake. And also, she’s five years older than I am, and I’m not interested.”
“Then maybe I’ll have to come by and say hi.”
“You’re welcome to come by anytime, but I wouldn’t get involved with Brooke Bailey.”
“Why the hell not?”
“Because something isn’t right there. To hear Jade talk, she was a terrible mother. Basically abandoned her kid. And I would think you wouldn’t want to get involved with another woman who abandons her kid.” I glanced at Henry, now sleeping soundly in his crib.
“Oh, hitting below the belt.” Bryce held up his hand in mock surrender. “I’m not looking for a relationship, man. But I wouldn’t mind a roll in the hay with Brooke Bailey.”
“Why?”
“Why else? So I could say I had a roll in the hay with Brooke Bailey.” He laughed.
I picked up one of Henry’s stuffed animals sitting next to me and threw it at Bryce.
“Oh, you’re such a girl. Pillow fight?” Bryce laughed.
I stood. I knew he was joking, but Bryce calling me a girl rubbed me the wrong way, and I suddenly wanted to escape this house. “Listen, I’m really glad Henry is okay. I’ll check in with you tonight or tomorrow. Right now I’ve got to get back to the ranch.”
“Hey, I didn’t mean to freak you out. Stay. Stay for dinner, even. My mom’s making meat loaf.”
Meat loaf? When I could stop by the main house and eat whatever Felicia and Marj had cooked up? Not a chance. “I would, but I can’t.”
“Why?”
Oh, because I don’t want to be in the same house as your father, who I think might be a child molester and murderer. “Just got things to do. Thanks for the invite. Stop by anytime if you want to meet Brooke. Bring Henry along.”
“I will. And I was just kidding about the roll in the hay. I wouldn’t do that to you or to Jade.”
I nodded. “I know. See you around.”
I walked out of the nursery and past the kitchen. Tom was still sitting at the table. This time he had a laptop open in front of him. Evidently he’d decided to do his work from home.
I walked briskly past the entry to the kitchen, not saying a word.
“Joe?”
Shit. Now I had to talk to him. I poked my head in the kitchen. “Yeah?”
“Leaving so soon?”
