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Catie rolled her eyes. “If you say so. I’ve never seen much affection pass between the two of you, but it’s not for me to say.” She cleared her throat. “Chad and I are not in love.”
Her face warmed. It wasn’t a lie. She might be in love with Chad, but he certainly wasn’t in love with her. So “they” were not in love. She glanced at Chad, but he was looking at the floor.
“You see, Mama, Chad insisted that we marry, so his child could have his name.”
“Where will you live?”
“With me, of course, Maria,” Chad interjected. “Where do you think she’d live?”
“That isn’t a marriage.”
“It’s the marriage we got,” Chad said. “Due to circumstances. I’ll take good care of Catie.”
“Well, of course, I know you will, Chad,” Maria said. “But Catie deserves love and affection.”
“Mama, please,” Catie said. “You’re not making any of this easier. Under the circumstances, I think it’d be better if you don’t go off all bonkers and plan a reception. We’ll tell the people in town.”
“I don’t know, Catie. The reception might be a good idea,” Chad said.
“What?”
“Well, it’d look pretty strange if we just showed up married with no explanation.”
“Uh, we have an explanation, Chad. I’m pregnant.”
“Yeah, and people’ll find that out soon enough. But it’d be less of a gossip mill if we acted like we were happy about this.”
Catie shook her head. “You’re kidding me, right? You’re worried about gossip?” She scoffed. “This is a farce of a marriage, Chad McCray, and it’s no cause for celebration. I don’t want a reception. I don’t want a party. I don’t even want a goddamn wedding announcement.”
“Catie, we’re married now, and we need to—”
“We don’t need to do anything. To hell with Bakersville and its stupid small-town gossip and innuendo. They’ll all find out when I go into town tomorrow, to the chamber of commerce.”
“Chamber of commerce? What the hell are you talking about, Catie?”
“Yes, Chad, the chamber of commerce. I need to resign as rodeo queen.”
“What?”
“You were a judge. Didn’t you read the rules? I agreed not to get married during the year of my reign. I broke the rules. Not that it matters. Once they found out I was pregnant, it would have all been over anyway. Not exactly the public image for the sainted rodeo queen.”
“Oh, Catie.” Maria stood and embraced her daughter.
“Not now, Mama. Please.” Catie held her off. “None of this was planned. Just so you know, Chad and I took precautions. This was just an unfortunate accident.”
“Catie,” Chad began.
“Chad, there is nothing you can say.”
“But I need your mother to know… That is, Mrs. Bay, Maria, I… When Catie and I—”
“Chad, please. This is nothing more than an embarrassment,” Catie said. “My mother knows full well there are no feelings between us, don’t you, Mother?”
“Caitlyn, I think you must be wrong about that,” Maria said, “if the two of you made love.”
“Had sex, mother. We had sex. That’s it. The condom broke.”
Chad turned scarlet. Ha. Made him blush. She wouldn’t have thought it possible.
