Page 58 of The Christmas Cowboy

“Love conquers all, huh?”

“Yes.”

“What about you and Clint?”

Before she could answer someone knocked on the kitchen door. Liam got up to answer it. “Speak of the devil,” he said, when he saw who stood there. “Guess who’s here?” He opened the door wider to let him in.

Cowboy hat in hand, Clint stepped inside. “I missed you something fierce,” he said to Maureen. “I thought I could live without you.” He shook his head. “I can. But I sure as hell don’t want to.”

Liam started to leave but he was curious about what was going to happen, and they weren’t paying any attention to him, so he didn’t.

Maureen stood. Her expression was one he hadn’t seen on her face in a long, long time. Pure happiness. “I missed you too. So much.”

“Then for God’s sake, Maureen, marry me.”

“I will.”

“When?”

“As soon as you want.”

Clint stepped forward and swept her into his arms. Liam decided he didn’t need to stay for more.

*

Liam tracked Trentdown at his apartment. The rumors were going to persist. Trent thought he wanted to claim the baby, but that was because he hated Liam. Otherwise he’d bet the bastard wouldn’t have ever stepped up. Liam wondered if the man knew what claiming the baby entailed. He’d bet the ranch he didn’t.

Liam suspected Val wouldn’t have asked for child support either, especially given the way Trent had acted originally. She’d told Liam before they married that she wanted nothing to do with the man.

“What are you doing here?” Trent asked when he opened the door.

“We need to talk.” Not waiting for a reply, he shoved open the door and stepped inside.

“The only thing we have to talk about is you staying the hell away from my kid. If you think you’re going to raise my kid, think again.”

“Why do you care? You sure as hell didn’t when Val first told you.”

“Why are you so anxious to claim my kid? You can’t seem to keep a woman, so you moved in on Val when she told you her sob story. Did she tell you I didn’t want the kid?”

“She said she told you, and you questioned whether it was yours and told her to get lost.”

“She was lying.”

He couldn’t help it. He laughed. “She told me the whole story. You’re the liar, not Val. But all that is beside the point.” They were still standing but Liam didn’t plan to stay long, anyway.

“What is the point?” Trent sneered.

“Val’s having a baby. I want to raise the baby with her. Since you’re the bio dad you have rights. But responsibility goes along with those rights.”

“What does that mean?”

“You realize if you do claim the baby you’ll have to prove it. Which means you’ll have to pay a lawyer and take Val to court. Even if you get a judge to sign off on it, Val doesn’t have to have a paternity test done until after the baby is born.” He let that sink in before adding, “Have you even talked to a lawyer? Do you have any clue what a lawyer’s hourly charges are?” Even in Marietta they wouldn’t be cheap. Marina had given them a break, but the price still was nothing to sneeze at.

“I haven’t had time.”

Bullshit. But he let that pass. “Once you prove paternity did you know you’ll be responsible for child support?” He could tell by Trent’s expression that he hadn’t thought about that. “Child support. Every month. For eighteen years.”

Trent stared at him.

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