Page 68 of The Christmas Cowboy

“Three days off, starting today,” Connor said, entering the stall.

“How’d you swing that?”

“I have no idea,” he said and they both laughed.

Liam tossed him a brush. “Here, brush Moondance for me.” Connor took it and started brushing the mare.

They worked in silence for a bit. Liam was messing with the foal, touching her, stroking her, lifting her feet, in general getting her accustomed to the things she’d need to learn and to tolerate as she got older. They’d named her Penny since she was a coppery color. Liam loved all his animals, but this little foal held a special place in his heart. She knew him and would follow him around like a puppy whenever he let her. And she was Moondance’s first foal, and Blackjack’s progeny. His broodmare and stallion he was building his business on.

Knowing his brother heard a lot of the gossip around town, he asked him, “Have you heard any rumors about Val and the baby?”

“Rumors as in…”

“As in it’s not my baby.”

“Oh, that.”

“Yeah, that. That son of a bitch Trent has been telling people he’s the baby’s father. Not sure how many people believe him.”

“Shit. He’s such a turd. I’ve heard rumblings, but everyone knows you’re my brother and Val is my sister-in-law. I don’t think they’d be likely to say much to me. What I did hear were conversations I overheard. Which means it’s all over the hospital.”

Probably true. Logan had probably heard things too although he hadn’t gotten around to asking him. “Val’s gotten it into her head that we need to break up. She thinks if Trent knows I’m no longer part of her life and the baby’s life, he’ll stop harassing her and leave her and the baby alone. She’s convinced he’s only doing it to spite me.”

“He probably is. So what did you say when she told you she thought you should break up?”

“What do you think I said? I said no. And then I convinced her there was no way we were breaking up. Even so, she’s still worried.”

Connor rubbed his chin. “What do you think? Does she have reason to be?”

He shrugged. “I think she could be right. The bastard hates me. He’s pretty damn irrational about it. But I’m not losing my marriage over anything that son of a bitch does or says.”

“Because you’re in love with her.”

“Duh.”

“Just checking,” Connor said with a smile. “I figured that would happen when you told me you were marrying her.”

Liam hadn’t, which he supposed wasn’t very bright of him. But now he was totally in love with Val and the baby. Truthfully, it hadn’t taken him long once they married. Even before they made love, he’d started falling for her. He wanted the life that being married to Val and being a father to her baby would give him. And even though she hadn’t said it, he believed Val wanted that too. He didn’t believe she could be so sweet and responsive to him unless she cared about him. Unless she loved him, but something was preventing her from acknowledging that. Was it all about fear of what Harvey would do or was there another reason?

“Why did Val bring this up now? It’s almost Christmas Eve, for God’s sake. She’s going to let that shit ruin Christmas?”

“Because she—we—had another run-in with Trent. Yesterday, here at the barn.” And he wasn’t sure that he’d totally wiped the idea of them breaking up out of her mind.

“What happened?”

“Son of a bitch implied—no, he basically said—we could buy him off. If we made it worth his while he’d give up his parental rights.”

“Damn. I knew he was scum but this is unbelievable even for him.” He looked at Liam carefully. “You’re not going to do it, are you?”

“Hell, no. The shithead would drain us dry. And almost certainly still not give up his parental rights. We can’t trust anything he says.”

Connor nodded his head in agreement. “What are you going to do?”

“I don’t know yet. We told all the parents the truth, figuring it was better they hear it from us than from the inevitable gossip once Trent started running his mouth.”

“Uh-oh. How did that go?”

“Like you’d expect. Her dad is not happy, to say the least. He hasn’t forgiven Val yet. You know how strict he is. To hear that Val had sex before marriage was bad enough, but then she married a man who isn’t even the father of her child?” He shook his head. “I came down on him pretty hard when he started berating Val.”

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