Chapter Three
L etty North was one of the librarians at the Marietta library and one of Val’s closest friends. Letty, who was a couple of years older than Val, had lost both her parents just before her senior year of high school. Val’s family had taken her in until she was eighteen and had graduated high school. Val and Letty had been best friends ever since.
Val suspected Letty knew how she felt about Liam, even though she’d never come right out and said it. But telling Letty she and Liam were getting married was bound to surprise her. Especially since Letty didn’t know she was pregnant.
She called Letty early the following morning, after she did her ranch chores. Val’s brother Riley ran the ranch now that their father’s health had caused him to semi-retire. Her brother had a lot of hired help, but Val had always been involved in breeding and caring for the horses. They raised paints.
Last night it had dawned on her that she was leaving Riley in the lurch by marrying Liam. She needed to talk with him about what she could do until he found more help.
“Are you going to be home for a while?” she asked Letty. “Could I come see you?”
“Sure. I’m off today. Is something wrong? You sound funny.”
Of course she sounded funny. She was going to marry the man she’d loved forever. A man who didn’t love her. Oh, she hoped this wouldn’t be a disaster. “I’ll tell you when I see you.”
Letty was a tiny woman with short, dark brown hair cut in a pixie style. She had big blue eyes, sharp with intelligence, and an almost encyclopedic knowledge of the contents of the library. Val sometimes wondered just how many of the library’s books Letty had read.
Letty opened the door at her knock. “Hi, Val. Come on in.”
Letty’s apartment was a tiny one-bedroom apartment. It was cozy and welcoming, decorated a bit haphazardly but it was very much Letty’s. Val walked in and took a seat on the couch. She usually didn’t have a problem talking to Letty about almost anything, but she wasn’t sure what Letty would say about her plan to marry Liam. Letty was forthright and, while she was supportive, she also didn’t mind telling it like she saw it. And something told Val that Letty would see this as a giant mistake.
“Want something to drink?” Letty asked.
“No, I’m good.”
She settled on Letty’s sofa, trying to get comfortable. Which was difficult given the subject matter she was here to discuss. “Remember the guy I met a few weeks ago at Grey’s?”
“You mean the one you disappeared with? Trent something or other.”
“That’s him. We hooked up.”
“Okay. Not a surprise. He was damn good-looking.”
“On the outside.”
“But not inside,” Letty guessed.
“You got that right.” She sighed. “The condom broke. I’m pregnant.”
“Oh, damn. From one time?”
“Yup.”
“Did you tell him?”
“Yes. He blew me off. Told me to have an abortion. Said he wasn’t sure the kid was even his.” Or that she’d really been pregnant.
“Turd.”
Val shrugged. “It doesn’t break my heart. I don’t have to deal with him now.”
“You’re sure? Have you been to the doctor?”
“Yes. I’m sure and I also got tested for any nasty diseases he might have given me. Thank God I’m clean.”
“That’s good, at least. But your dad is going to freak.” Letty knew that as well as Val did. “What are you going to do?”
“I’m going to marry Liam.”
Letty stared at her with her mouth open. “Liam McFarland.”
“Of course. What other Liam do I know?”
“How? What the—I mean, does he know about the baby?”
“Of course he does. That’s why he’s marrying me.”
“I’m going to get us some water and then you need to explain all this to me.”
When Letty returned Val took a fortifying sip of water and told her what had happened at the wedding. “So, after I told him I was pregnant and cried all over him, I said I wanted to keep the baby, but I didn’t know what to do,” she finished up. “On account of my father, you know.”
Letty sucked in a breath. “You know I love your dad,” Letty said, and took a sip of her water. “But good God, I wouldn’t want to tell him I was pregnant.”
“No, I don’t. And Liam’s known him forever, so he knows what he’s like. That’s when he asked me to marry him.”
Letty stared at her. “Don’t take this the wrong way but why?”
“Why did I say yes?”
“No, I know the answer to that. You’ve been in love with him forever.”
She didn’t deny it. What was the point? “You’re wondering why he asked me.”
“Well, yeah.”
“He says it’s going to help him out.” She explained about Liam’s mom. “So, he said if we got married it would solve both our problems.”
“What about Cici?”
“What about her? She’s married to Logan.”
“But she came to Marietta to meet Liam. Does he still have feelings for her?”
God, she hoped not. “He doesn’t act like he does. I mean he sure didn’t seem broken-hearted when she married Logan.”
“True enough. But do you think he’s in love with you, Val?”
She laughed. “I wish. No, but obviously I’m hoping to change that.”
“How?”
“I haven’t totally figured that out. But we did decide to make it a real marriage.”
“Real?”
Val nodded. “Real as in there will be sex.”
Letty’s eyebrows rose. “Oh, boy. Girl, you’re asking to get your heart broken into a zillion pieces.”
“Maybe. But maybe he’ll fall in love with me.”
“Because you’ll be having sex?”
Val shrugged. “Stranger things have happened. Now, I want you to stand up with me. Friday, at the courthouse.”
“Of course I will. I just hope you don’t regret this.”
So did she.
*
Liam finally tracked down Connor at his apartment, right after he finished a shift. Just as Liam had expected, Connor thought he’d lost it.
“Repeat that,” Connor said when he told him.
“You heard me. I’m marrying Val Fletcher. Friday. I’m not sure where yet. We were going to go to the courthouse here but if we do that the gossip will start instantly. We’d rather keep it quiet at least until after the honeymoon. We don’t plan to tell the parents until it’s a done deal and we’re back from the honeymoon. Her father for obvious reasons and Mom because she’d feel like she should tell Val’s parents. I want you to be there.”
Connor rubbed a hand over his face and shook his head. “I know I’m not asleep. What the hell is going on? You’ve never been interested in Val that way. Not that you ever let on, anyway. Besides, you said you wouldn’t date anyone from around here.”
Liam shrugged. “Changed my mind. Besides, I’m not dating her. I’m marrying her.”
“You’re crazy.”
That seemed to be the theme with everyone he told.
“Does this have anything to do with Mom?”
It did, but oddly enough, not as much as he’d thought it would at first. He was more interested in helping out Val, not that he was telling anyone else she was pregnant. You’re not totally altruistic , his honest side said. You want her. You just never thought you could have her. He’d had plenty of reasons for thinking that. She was too young, she was Riley’s sister, she probably thought of him almost as a brother. His feelings for her, on the other hand, weren’t the least bit brotherly.
“No. We want to get married.”
“She’s pregnant, isn’t she?”
“She doesn’t have to be pregnant for us to want to get married.”
“Are you trying to tell me you and Val are in love?”
He was trying not to tell him anything. And it wasn’t working. “Is that so hard to believe?”
“It wouldn’t be if you’d ever shown any interest in her.”
“She was too young. But she’s grown now.”
“I still think it’s suspicious. Mom’s gonna flip. Not to mention, Logan.”
“Logan’s got his own marriage to think about. Besides, he’s on his honeymoon. And Mom will be happy. But never mind that. I’m going to talk to Melody and Les about taking care of things for the weekend,” he said, naming his new ranch manager and his newest full-time hand. “I have to trust them sometime and I figure it might as well be now. We want to have a honeymoon, even though it will only be a couple of days. Will you check in on things? Obviously, Mom will be around, but I’d still feel better if she could call on you if she needed you.”
“I can arrange to have the weekend off.”
“Thanks. I owe you.”
“I realize Logan’s still on his honeymoon, but don’t you think you should tell Mom?”
“No. Not until we get back. You, Riley, and Letty are the only people who’ll be there. The only ones who’ll know.” Val had told him she was going to ask Letty to stand up with her. She didn’t want to tell her parents until afterward, either.
“Look, Liam, I know it’s none of my business, but—”
“Leave it, Connor.”
Connor frowned. “Contrary to popular belief I can keep my mouth shut if it’s important. You can trust me, Liam. Val is pregnant, isn’t she?”
“Damn it, Connor. Yes, but we’re not telling anyone until she’s further along. Are you happy now?” He hoped Val wouldn’t kill him for telling Connor, but Liam knew his brother. Connor wasn’t going to drop it until he got an answer he believed. So Connor could know Val was pregnant. He just didn’t need to know that Liam wasn’t the father.
“Wow. Okay, then. The question is, are you happy?”
“Yes. And this is the last time we’re talking about this.”
“Whatever you say, bro.”
“Now, about this weekend. I’m telling Mom I’ve got horse business out of town.” She’d believe that. It happened occasionally.
Connor nodded. “Good idea. Anything you need me to do besides be available this weekend?”
“Not beyond being reachable and standing up with me at the wedding. I’ll let you know if anything changes.”
“Liam? I hope you don’t regret this.”
“I won’t.” He hoped. But he was keeping any doubts to himself.