Page 71 of The Christmas Cowboy

“That’s not a choice.” He cupped her cheek. “He can’t force us to break up, Val. He doesn’t have that power.”

“Liam, I don’t know if I can stand it if he gets partial custody. I don’t see how he could get full custody, but if I have to share the baby with him—the baby he doesn’t even want—I don’t know what I’ll do.”

“I told you, whatever happens we’ll deal with it. Now come on. Let’s get this over with.”

“It’s about damn time,” Trent said when he opened the door.

“What do you want?” Liam asked.

He let them in but didn’t ask them to sit. Liam led Val to a chair and made sure she sat.

Trent glared at them. “You’re going to get your wish.”

“Meaning?” He was giving up?

“My company wants me to move to California.”

Oh, shit. Having to share custody when Trent lived in another state would be even worse than if he lived in Marietta. How the hell was that getting their wish?

“Ca-California?” Val stuttered, looking like she was going to pass out. Liam put his hand on her shoulder and gave her a comforting squeeze.

He nodded. “Los Angeles.”

“Did you take their offer?” Liam had mixed emotions. It would be nice to not have to see the bastard, but if he still claimed the baby as his and wanted partial custody that was going to be a nightmare.

“Yeah. It’s a great offer. I’m getting a raise, with the possibility of some commissions and they’re paying for the move. Now I just have to find a place to live.”

Val buried her face in her hands.

“What the hell is wrong with her?” Trent asked. “Isn’t this what the pair of you wanted?”

“Are you still planning to ask for custody?” Liam asked.

“Oh, that. Well, I’ve thought about it a lot since I was offered the job. You know, what’s best for the k—baby. And I decided it would be best all around if I don’t try for custody. It will be much easier finding a place to live if I don’t have to consider a kid. And I don’t know what my work’s going to be like. I might have to travel a lot and shuffling the kid back and forth between two different states would be really hard. Hard on the kid, you know.”

Right. Like he cared anything about the baby’s wants or needs.

Val had raised her head to stare at him as he talked. When he stopped for breath she asked him, “Does this mean you’re not claiming paternity?”

“I think it’s best if I don’t.”

Cheap bastard, Liam thought.He just doesn’t want to be on the hook for child support.But far better for him and Val. “And if my name is on the birth certificate? Are you going to fight that?”

“If the kid’s going to live here and you and Val stay married—”

“We will.”

“Then no. I won’t fight you.”

Val got up and walked over to Trent. “Thank you. You’re doing the right thing.”

“I hope so.” For once he sounded sincere.

Liam put out his hand. Trent seemed surprised but he shook it. “I hope the job works out.” If it didn’t…well, he wasn’t going to think about that. He was going to take the win.

As they left Val said, “I can’t believe this. He’s actually doing the decent thing.”

“Yeah, for once. But I still think he’s a piece of shit.”

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