Page 63 of The Christmas Cowboy

“Maybe later. Right now we need to talk to my mom. I don’t expect it to be too bad.” He hoped.

They found his mother at the fence to the closest pasture. A few of the horses were turned out and she was apparently watching them. When she saw Liam and Val she smiled. “Hi, you two. You know, whenever I look around, I can’t imagine not being here every day.”

“Why wouldn’t you be here?” Val asked.

“I guess Liam didn’t tell you. Clint and I are getting married. Soon.”

He hadn’t because he still wasn’t sure his mom wouldn’t change her mind.

“I’m so glad for you.”

“It’s not like you can’t ride over whenever you want,” Liam said. “Or there’s this thing called a truck that you could drive over if you didn’t want to ride.”

“I know. But it won’t be the same.” She sighed, then smiled sunnily. “But I am looking forward to marrying Clint. I missed him so much when he was gone. That’s when I knew I was being a fool to lose him.”

“We need to talk to you, Mom.”

“I know. You told me that when you called this morning.” She peered at Val. “Is everything all right?”

Liam didn’t know how to answer that so he didn’t. “Val is pregnant.”

“Wonderful!” She gathered Val into a hug, releasing her when Val didn’t reciprocate. “Isn’t it?”

“It is and it isn’t. I’m not the baby’s biological father. The man who is denied responsibility and told Val he wanted nothing to do with her.”

“So you two got married.” She looked at Val and he couldn’t read her expression. “Did you love him? The father of your baby?”

“No. It was a huge mistake. But I do love the baby.”

“Well, of course you do. So why all the subterfuge? Why marry Liam?” She caught herself. “Oh, of course. Your father.”

His mom knew the Fletchers well, having lived next to them for years. “I’m going to raise the baby as mine. We didn’t think it was anyone’s business who the biological father is. I’m the legal father.”

“And you’re telling me all this because Trent Harvey is the father, and he’s making waves.”

“You’ve heard the gossip.”

“Yes. I discounted it though. Trent has been a pill since he was a child. I just thought he was causing trouble because he hates our family.”

“I think that’s part of it. But we don’t know whether he’s going to claim paternity and want partial custody. I guarantee you he has no clue what that entails.” Even though Liam had tried to tell him.

“What are you two going to do?”

“Now that both our families know, nothing. We’re going to ignore the gossip and wait and see what Trent does. Whatever happens, we’ll deal with it.”

“I know you will. You love each other and that’s the most important thing.”

Well, he loved Val, but he wasn’t at all sure she loved him. “I’d better get to work.”

“I’ll go change and help you,” Val said. “And Maureen, thank you for being so understanding.”

“I won’t pretend you don’t have a problem. But I’m sure you can work it out. Liam loves you and so do I.”

He was afraid Val was going to cry again, but she simply smiled and left for the house.

“Liam? Is something wrong? Besides the obvious, I mean.”

“No. Everything’s going to work out.” Somehow. But very possibly not in the way he and Val wanted.

---