Page 44 of The Christmas Cowboy

“I did. But the reality is I’m scared.”

“Of what?”

“I don’t know. What if it doesn’t work out? Being married is different from just dating.”

“If you love him you should marry him.” To him, that’s what it came down to. He’d brought Cici here—which had turned out well for her and Logan—and turned himself inside out to find more help, and his mother was now saying she wasn’t sure she even wanted to get married?

Chapter Seventeen

The Marietta ChristmasStroll was one of the most anticipated events of the Christmas season. Liam had gone to it several times over the years, but he’d never taken a date. And the outing with Val was definitely a date, even if his mother was going with them. The first weekend in December was the tree lighting and Stroll, the traditional kickoff to the holiday season. All the shops were decorated with Christmas-themed windows. They stayed open late to give everyone a chance to do some of their Christmas shopping.

Liam’s favorites were the food booths. Set up along Main Street, there was every kind of food and beverage. From barbecue and sweets to hot chocolate and spiced wine. And everything imaginable in between.

Main Street was closed to all but foot traffic. Wreaths lit with sparkly white lights adorned the old-fashioned lamp poles. Garlands hung along the storefronts, the courthouse was lit up with a thousand lights, and in Crawford Park a huge Christmas tree stood, waiting for its lights to be turned on.

After parking at the fairgrounds, Liam, Val, and his mom made their way down to Main Street and then on to Crawford Park. Tonight was crisp and cold, with a forecast of snow possible. Val and his mom were wrapped to the gills in parkas, scarves, gloves, and hats. And boots, of course. The Christmas-tree lighting officially opened the festivities. Liam got a kick out of seeing Val and his mom’s reactions to the event. Liam liked Christmas but he’d usually been too busy for the past few years to be involved in much. Seeing all the families and kids watching the lighting and Santa’s sleigh made him a little nostalgic. It also made him think about the baby. What would it be like to take a child to the Stroll? Would he and Val even be together by the time their kid was old enough to remember anything?

Their kid. He wasn’t the biological father, but he felt more like the baby’s father every day. Which was a good thing for several reasons. One being that he would be legally responsible for the baby. And the other—well, he had a feeling he was going to fall for the baby as surely as the gorgeous moon shined over Copper Mountain tonight.

He hadn’t thought much about what would happen after the baby was born. He and Val hadn’t discussed staying together or splitting up. But even after such a short time of being married to Val he knew he didn’t want to split up. He wasn’t in love with Val. At least, he didn’t think he was. He could be married and happy and still not be in love, couldn’t he? All his previous reasons for not letting his heart get involved still held true. But he really had no clue about how Val felt about it all.

Some carolers sang ‘O Christmas Tree’ as the sleigh drew near. Santa and his sleigh arrived, and the excitement and noise level grew until it was so loud that you couldn’t hear anything else. Both Val and his mom seemed fascinated with the lights. Liam admitted it was beautiful. Maybe the prettiest tree he could remember. Which reminded him that he and Val needed to pick out a tree for the ranch. Maureen had already given them that task.

After the lighting he and Val walked back to Main Street to look at the shops. Maureen had run into Logan and Cici and she’d gone off with them to go to a shop both she and Cici wanted to look at. After looking around a bit, Liam asked Val if she wanted to go on a sleigh ride.

“I’d love to. I haven’t been on a sleigh ride since I was a little girl.”

“Great, let’s get in line.”

While they waited a woman stopped to chat. Turned out it was Christy Loftus, someone Liam had dated a few times in the past.

“Liam, it’s so good to see you.” She threw her arms around him in an enthusiastic hug. He wondered how much spiced wine she’d been drinking. “I heard a rumor you were married. Tell me it’s not true.” Her mouth formed a flirtatious pout.

“It’s true,” he said, watching the pout vanish to become a frown. “This is my wife, Val.” He took Val’s hand. “Val, this is Christy Loftus.”

“Nice to meet you,” Val said offering her other hand.

Christy shook hands, though she looked as if she’d just as soon shake a snake. “Likewise,” Christy said and proceeded to ignore Val. She started talking about all the good times she and Liam had had, which he frankly didn’t remember. She was also hanging on to his arm while she blabbered. Now he remembered one of the reasons they’d broken up. She talked incessantly about anything and everything.

“The sleigh is here.” Turning to Christy, Val said, “I’m afraid we have to go. Liam promised me a romantic sleigh ride.”

Liam was afraid Christy was going to invite herself along with the two of them, but she didn’t. Maybe that had something to do with Val’s pointed comment about romance.

“Thank you,” he said once they were in the sleigh and on their way. He tucked a blanket around her.

“For what?”

“Saving me.”

She laughed and tucked her arm through his. “Does this happen often? Old girlfriends who apparently haven’t forgotten you?”

“No. And I don’t know what that was about. We dated a few times several years ago. I wouldn’t even have called her an old girlfriend.”

“Obviously you two have differing memories about that.”

“I think we’ve talked plenty about her.” He bent his head and kissed her. Her lips were cold, but she tasted of the hot chocolate he’d bought her earlier. “What do you want to do next?”

“I want to see the gingerbread house competition over at the Graff. After our romantic sleigh ride.”

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