Page 44 of Texas-Sized Scandal

Love.

“You know you don’t have to say you love me,” she said. She wanted those words to be true, but she was afraid of them as well.

“I know I don’t. You also know I don’t lie, baby cakes. It might take you a while to believe them and that’s okay,” he said. “Because I’m not going anywhere. I’m going to stay by your side for the rest of our lives and tell you every day how much I love you.”

He came over to her and took her hand in his, and then got down on his knee in front of her. “I know that I don’t deserve you and for so long I was afraid I couldn’t be the man you deserved, but I promise you that I will try to be. I love you, Melinda Perry. Please, will you consider marrying me? Not for the media or because your dad will likely kick my butt when he finds out you’re pregnant, but because I love you and can’t imagine my life without you by my side as my wife.”

She looked down at him kneeling on the hospital floor and looking up at her with love in his eyes and hope on his face.

“Yes, Slade. Yes, I will,” she said, tugging him to his feet. And he pulled her into his arms, kissing her deeply.

She pulled back, smiling up at him. “This whole thing started with a kiss.”

“Good. I like kissing you and we can do it often to remind us of how we got our start.”

The engagement party at Philomena Conti’s house on the last Saturday in September was spectacular and the society bloggers who were streaming live from the event were saying it was the party of the year. Angela stood in the corner, watching Melinda and Slade and feeling more than a tiny bit envious. Ryder had canceled on her at the last moment, so she was there alone. Her father was more than happy that she had come without Ryder and had told her more than once. But then her father was in a good mood and had maybe had one too many Lone Star beers. He was toasting Melinda, and Angela loved seeing her twin so happy.

She glowed with a look that Angela thought only someone in love had. Slade was completely doting on her twin, which both Melinda and Angela thought was funny. He had moved his office into Melinda’s condo and had been working from home until the doctor gave her the all clear to go back to work.

“She looks happy,” Tatiana said, coming over to Angela and handing her a glass of champagne.

“She does,” Angela said.

“Soon that will be you,” Tatiana said. “Where is your fiancé?”

She wasn’t so sure. Ryder had been more distant than ever. “He had to work.”

“He’s been working a lot of hours lately. I hope you aren’t marrying a workaholic.”

“There are just a few things going on that are taking more attention than Ryder usually has to give them,” she said.

“Probably for the best he isn’t here, given how much your father and he don’t get along,” Tatiana said. “And this is Melinda’s day.”

“It is,” she said, grateful when Melinda waved her over to her side. Lately, Tatiana hadn’t seemed as supportive of her relationship with Ryder. She wondered if her best friend saw something that Angela herself was missing.

She hugged Melinda as soon as she got to her side.

“Where’s Ryder?” Melinda asked.

“Oh, he couldn’t be here. He had to work,” Angela said.

“Dang it. I wanted to get a picture of the four of us together. Maybe we could have dinner next week. Just the four of us. Now that my engagement is for real, maybe we can seriously think about a double wedding,” Melinda said.

“Let’s have dinner and discuss it,” Angela said. But with Ryder refusing to discuss a date, she doubted he was going to be all gung ho for a double wedding. She stayed for another hour and then made her excuses to head home.

When she got to her condo, Ryder was waiting in the living room for her. She was so happy to see him, she didn’t think anything of it when he said, “Hey, sorry to do this today, but I think we need to talk.”

“Okay,” she said, sitting down beside him on the sofa. “How did you know when I’d be home?”

“Find My Friends app,” he said.

“Oh. What’s up? Melinda is crazy happy and in love with Slade. She brought up a double wedding—”

“Let me stop you there.”

Her heart sunk and she felt a knot in the pit of her stomach. “Why?”

“Because I know that you’re torn between me and your vengeful father. I can’t ask you to choose between me and your family.”