Love ’em or Liam (Dog Tags #4)

Chapter 1

chapter

one

Wren

It’s moments like these when I wish my husband had been better. A better husband. A better father. Hell, just a better human.

But he hadn’t been, and it made playing the part of the grieving widow really damn hard sometimes.

Frankly, it was just exhausting—all the pretending. Pretending I’d ever loved him. Pretending he’d ever loved me. Pretending he hadn’t died with too much OxyContin in his body at a seedy hotel with his latest flavor of the week. Her name had been Sheila.

I suppose I should thank my in-laws for their ability to clean up their son’s messes, no matter how big or scandalous. At least most of the good people of Big Wood, Tennessee, didn’t know the depth of my embarrassment and shame. Or how far the golden boy had fallen.

Colt and I were a mistake from the moment we ended up in bed together. We’d been using each other as a substitute for the man who’d left us both. Our mutual best friend, Liam Gregory. Liam had been the glue that held together our little trio of friends, right up until he’d joined the army right after high school graduation.

I’d missed him so damn much. We both had.

One night, Colt and I were reminiscing, and one thing led to another, which led to naked times. We both agreed the next day that it had been a mistake and we would just move on. But then I’d found out I was pregnant.

His parents had demanded that we marry immediately. I’d been lonely and scared of raising a baby on my own, so I’d agreed. Colt had been great that first year, during my pregnancy, and shortly after Keller was born. Then everything had changed.

Colt had wrecked his motorcycle. The chronic pain changed his personality. Then the addiction to the pain killers started. In truth, I still don’t know if the affairs happened before or after that. I do know that the last three years of our marriage—before Colt OD’d—we hadn’t shared a bed. Once I knew he was sleeping with other women, I was done.

So yeah, we had a decent marriage for a year and then everything went to shit. There was no getting a divorce, though, because his parents were further into our marriage than Colt ever was. We lived in a house they bought and furnished. They had their fingers in every aspect of my life.

“You don’t need to work. Good mothers stay home with their children, even after they start school.”

“If you divorce Colten, you will end up on the wrong side of everything, Wren. You don’t want that kind of damage done to your reputation.”

Now those meddling jerks are after my son. I sought some legal advice from a lawyer who lives in a different state. There was no way I could ask someone in Big Wood or even Knoxville because if the Bishops got wind of me looking to fight them, they’d make everything harder on me. As it is, they likely think I’m just going to hand Keller over to them.

I’ve been playing nice with them for the last eight years and I am done. They will not get their hands on my son. Which is why I’m currently holding my phone and trying to decide if this is a phone call question or if I need to video chat with the one man I trust to help me figure this situation out. Liam Gregory.

My phone pings with an incoming message and I nearly drop the device. But it’s a text from my sister.

WINNIE: Have you called him yet?

ME: No.

WINNIE: Want me to?

ME: *snort. I don’t think that’s how this should go. But thanks for the offer.

WINNIE: Just rip off the bandage, Wren. This is Liam we’re talking about. He would do anything for you.

ME: Maybe once upon a time he would. But I haven’t seen him in years.

ME: And this is a huge favor that will completely upend his life.

WINNIE: Do you have other options?

ME: None that I can think of. Unless I want to change our names and move out of the country. But with their financial resources, they’d find me eventually.

WINNIE: Assholes.

ME: Yep.

ME: So how goes the job hunting?

WINNIE: I’ve put in applications at all of the elementary schools and preschools in the surrounding area. But nothing yet.

WINNIE: Oh, and I signed up for a nanny matching service.

ME: Great idea. Maybe one of the wealthy families will hire you, and you can spend the summer playing with cute kids by a backyard pool.

WINNIE: If only.

WINNIE: CALL HIM!

ME: Okay. I’m doing it right now. Promise.

WINNIE: If you don’t, I’m coming over there and calling for you.

I blow out a breath. She’s right. Yes, this is a big ask, but also, my kid is on the line. I refuse to let my manipulative in-laws raise my son. They did a shitty job raising their own. I can’t let them destroy Keller.

Before I can talk myself out of it, I find Liam’s contact in my phone and tap the phone icon. It starts ringing, and my whole chest feels like it’s filled with carbonation.

“Hey Songbird,” Liam’s husky baritone voice comes over the line.

“Hi. Liam. Hello.” Wow, I’m off to a great start. Maybe I can tell him this is the first time I’ve ever made a phone call. Which he obviously would know was a lie because we’ve spent hours on the phone together over the course of the last fifteen years.

He chuckles. “How are you?”

“I’m good. And you?”

“God, it’s good to hear your voice.” There’s the sound of fabric rustling and I’m guessing he’s lying in bed.

“Thanks.”

“What’s going on, Wren? I can tell something is wrong.”

I release a shaky breath. “I need a favor.”

“Anything,” he says immediately.

“No, don’t answer yet. Because this isn’t like, hey can you let me borrow your car or something. It’s much bigger. And I hate that this is why I’m calling for the first time in months.”

“Don’t do that,” he says.

“What?”

“Act like we’re acquaintances without history. What have I always told you?”

My heart is pounding so loudly, it feels like my ears are vibrating. “That we’ll always be best friends. No matter what.”

“Exactly. Now ask your favor, but just know that the answer is already yes. Because I would do anything for you, Wren. You know that.”

Why is he so perfect? Why didn’t I tell him before he left for the Army how I felt about him? Maybe we could’ve been together this entire time. And he would be Keller’s father. Not a spoiled, only child whose parents indulged his every desire.

“Colt’s parents are filing for full custody of Keller,” I say.

“What? Why the fuck would they do that?”

“To punish me? Honestly, I don’t know. They rarely spend time with him. Just buy him fancy toys and bring him to their country club wearing the most ridiculous little blazer.”

Liam chuffs out a laugh. “Colt had one of those.”

“I guess maybe they see this as another chance since raising Colt was obviously a failure.”

“What can I do to help? Do you need money?”

Oh, if only it were that easy. For the hundredth time, I mentally hated that I have to ask him this. I take a quick breath, then just blurted it out.

“I need a husband.”

Silence ticks by with the seconds on the microwave clock.

I close my eyes. He’s going to say no. Shit.

“Liam?”

“I’m here, Songbird, just trying to understand precisely what you’re asking me.”

“I’m asking you to marry me. The lawyer I spoke to said that they wouldn’t have a leg to stand on in this custody case if I were married. One of their main reasons is me being a single mother. So being in a committed relationship would go a long way in proving to a judge that Keller should stay with me.”

“They probably have every judge in three counties in their pockets,” Liam says.

“They’ve certainly said as much to me.”

Liam is silent for a few breaths. I try to think of something to say to let him off the hook, but nothing comes to mind.

“I will take care of everything. I’ll send you the plans via email,” he says.

“What does that mean exactly?”

“It means that I’ll meet you in Vegas so we can tie the knot. Then I’ll come back home with you and pack you and Keller up to move you to Texas with me. That okay?”

Relief washes over me so fully and completely, I nearly sink to the floor. “Yes. I will miss Winnie fiercely, but getting out of the Bishops’ orbit would be life-changing.”

“Then it’s settled. I’ll take care of everything. Leave Keller with Winnie and let’s go get hitched?”

“Are you sure, Liam? This is such a huge, life-changing thing. I mean, we can stay out of your hair as much as possible, and I’ll try to find a job to cover our costs because I don’t want to be a financial burden.”

“Wren, stop talking about shit like that. I’ve got you, baby. Let me take care of you.”

He has no idea what those words do to me. I can’t really remember anyone ever taking care of me. Mine and Winnie’s parents were distant, to say the least. As the oldest kid, it was up to me to take care of my sister. Then I had Keller. Then there was Colt.

But to have someone take care of me? That seems like a dream far out of reach.