Page 3 of Love ’em or Liam

“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.

chapter

two

Liam

I hang up the phone and immediately get to work on booking plane tickets for both of us as well as a hotel room. I do some preliminary research on chapels and mark down a few to make inquiries about.

My phone pings on the desk next to me, and I see it’s the group chat from my buddies. At one point, we were all in the same unit for ARMY Rangers, but now we’re civilians running a dog sanctuary together.

EVAN: Did I miss it? I’m gonna be pissed if I missed it.

ME: Miss what?

EVAN: Beau’s ass kicking.

BEAU: Ass kicking?

BEAU: What are you talking about?