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Destined to Be a Dad
Christyne Butler
The British Are Coming! Cowboy-turned-businessman Liam Murphy thought he had it all–until the teen daughter he never knew existed walks into his life, her mother close behind. Now the Wyoming bachelor must confront his first love, former London exchange student Missy Dobbs, and get answers. To start: How can he still be so attracted to this person who has seemingly betrayed him?Missy has to ask herself the same question. Long in the dark about her child's paternity, Missy can't help feeling a secret thrill that Liam's back in her life. Maybe staying in Destiny awhile will help her daughter bond with her dad, but is it a trap for Missy's shell-shocked heart?


“Where’s my daughter?” Missy asked, hating the huskiness of her voice.
Liam moved to the edge of the porch. Despite the passage of time, he looked the same, like an older version of the boy she’d known. He was impossibly handsome in jeans, a long-sleeved dress shirt with the cuffs folded back to his elbows and cowboy boots.
Always cowboy boots.
His gaze lit on her, but the setting sun and deep shadows of the porch made it impossible to see his expression as he thanked the driver who’d placed her suitcases on the porch. She tore her gaze from him and thanked the man as well when he walked past her. When it was just the two of them again, she returned her focus to Liam, who hadn’t moved other than to cross his arms over his chest.
The defensive pose spoke volumes about his state of mind.
Fine, but right now she wanted to see for herself that Casey was okay. “I asked you—”
“Is it true?” The words were out of his mouth as she reached for the stair railing, freezing her on the first step. “Is Casey my daughter?” he demanded.
* * *
Welcome to Destiny: Where fate leads to falling in love
Destined to Be a Dad
Christyne Butler


www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
CHRISTYNE BUTLER is a USA TODAY bestselling author who fell in love with romance novels while serving in the US Navy and started writing her own stories in 2002. She writes contemporary romances that are full of life, love and a hint of laughter. She lives with her family in central Massachusetts and loves to hear from her readers at www.christynebutler.com (http://www.christynebutler.com).
To the following extraordinary authors … you have no idea how much your books mean to me, as a fan who spends many hours lost in the pleasure of reading them and as a writer for the inspiration you provide.
Thank you!
Donna Alward
Rachel Gibson
Kristan Higgins
Shirley Jump
Virginia Kantra
Laura Kaye
Susan Mallery
Catherine Mann
Sarah Morgan
Molly o’Keefe
Christine Rimmer
Jill Shalvis
Roxanne St. Claire
Karen Templeton
Contents
Cover (#u3f5cf9f5-9a3f-56de-906d-a4aa7b088faa)
Introduction (#u5b47f9d8-d45f-5e79-a502-c7c125b2c11a)
Title Page (#uc7a75a87-3cd7-5ca2-b19e-108b56d55d3b)
About the Author (#ua8aa723c-ae42-5f26-b7e0-235b4f0326c4)
Dedication (#uce5cc960-77fe-5bb5-bcc9-f55e265c98f5)
Chapter One (#ulink_37bede42-0f71-5e5d-b724-ba4453ce8395)
Chapter Two (#ulink_685f76cd-de74-5a7a-b492-6cce9fefd421)
Chapter Three (#ulink_0289eb0e-0532-56ca-b4fb-39b6d3aaf95e)
Chapter Four (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Five (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Fourteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Extract (#litres_trial_promo)
Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter One (#ulink_f21d1485-81bd-5735-8380-4b0c58c50d63)
“Wankers! You cowboys promised to take me to Liam Murphy, not show me the back side of some bloody barn!”
The lilting British accent, rarely heard here in the small town of Destiny, Wyoming, floated on the hot August morning breeze. It came from somewhere behind him and despite the voices bickering on the other end of this endless phone call—and the fact she’d said his name—the inflection kicked Liam square in the gut.
He should have been used to it by now.
His family’s business, Murphy Mountain Log Homes, was celebrating its twentieth year in business with a growing following in the United Kingdom, thanks to securing a contract to build a log home—scratch that, a twenty-thousand-square-foot log mansion—for a popular movie actor based in Scotland.
Meaning as company president, Liam spent a lot of time on the phone and in meetings with people who spoke the Queen’s English. Still, whenever he heard that soft and silvery accent spoken by a female voice, it never failed to take him back.
To another place, another time when he’d thought he could have it all.
Aw, hell, that was a lifetime ago.
“Are you daft?” The girlish voice came again, cutting into Liam’s thoughts. “Not bloody happening!”
Hmm, not so soft this time.
She sounded young and her words were angry, but there was a hint of fear laced through as well. Liam didn’t know what was going on, but he had a pretty good idea.
Ending his call, he pocketed his phone, backtracked a few steps and headed for the far end of a nearby barn.
The first-ever Destiny rodeo was in full swing, and campers and horse trailers filled this area of the fairgrounds. It’d taken a lot of hard work by a lot of people to pull this event together. His family’s company was a major sponsor, and while it might only be a one-day event, the prize money was good, ensuring participants and fans alike packed the arena and the town.
The last thing they needed was trouble.
Liam spotted the trio as soon as he rounded the corner. Dressed in jeans, plaid shirts and Stetsons, two cowboys stood with a young girl sandwiched between them. He wasn’t sure about the men, but the female definitely looked to be under eighteen. That made the six-pack of beer held by one of the cowboys—who didn’t have a valid alcohol wristband—even more of a concern. And it wasn’t even noon yet.
“Come on, darlin’. Let’s enjoy a cold brew in our camper.” One of the cowboys encircled the girl’s waist with his arm. “Then we’ll track down that Murphy guy for ya.”
“No need to go far.” Liam kept his voice light as he strolled toward the group, despite his anger spiking at the scene before him. “I’m right here.”
The three jerked around, surprise on the faces of the cowboys, relief in the girl’s eyes. And there was something else about their dark navy coloring that hit him as hard as her voice had.
“What can I help you with?” he continued, joining their circle. “Something related to the rodeo, perhaps?”
The first cowboy took a step back, dropping his hold on the young girl, whose gaze darted from the booklet she held to Liam and back again. Twice.
Liam looked down and saw she had the rodeo program folded back to the pages that featured his photo. Great. That’s why she was looking for him.
He and his brothers had all grown up on horseback, competing in local rodeos before they were even teenagers. But it’d been Liam who’d made it to the professional circuit as a saddle bronc rider when he’d turned eighteen, finishing in the top five at the National Rodeo Finals his first two years out. His third—and what would end up being his final—season had ended early when he destroyed his left shoulder. He never rode professionally again.
That had been thirteen years ago.
When the Destiny rodeo committee had wanted him for the cover of the program based on his past accomplishments, he’d balked but finally given in and agreed to be included inside, never thinking they’d make him a damn centerfold.
“Ah, Mr. Murphy, we were j-just looking for you,” the younger of the two cowboys said.
So now he was Mr. Murphy. Well, that could work in his favor. “What’s with the beer?” Liam gestured at the kid with the six-pack under his arm. “You’re not twenty-one.”
“I, um...”
“It’s mine. He’s carrying it for me,” said the taller cowboy, giving his left hand a quick shake before he dropped his hands to his side and planted his feet in a wide stance. “We’re on our way back to our camper.”
Liam turned, picking up on the wristband and the attitude. At thirty-four, the last thing he needed was a roll in the dirt with a kid more than a decade younger than him. “Then I suggest you carry it. Be less trouble that way.”
Their gazes held for a long moment, but the cowboy backed down, making a show of taking the alcohol, and then slapped the younger guy on the shoulder. “Come on, bro. Let’s get out of here.”
Liam watched them leave, making a mental note to check in with the sheriff. Gage Steele and his deputies were patrolling the fairgrounds, but Liam hadn’t seen anyone back this way yet.
He turned his attention back to the girl. Shoulder-length blond hair, streaked with bright patches of blue and pink, fell over her face as she stood studying the program again. “Are you okay?” he asked. “They didn’t hurt you?”
She lifted her gaze, her eyes raking from the top of his Stetson to the tips of his boots before she looked him in the eye. “Are you really him?”
A bit uncomfortable at her scrutiny, Liam looked at where she jabbed a finger at the picture of his winning ride that first year. “Yes, but that was a long time ago.” He spotted a small duffel bag lying nearby in the grass. Moving past her, he grabbed it. “Is this yours?”
“Yeah, thanks.”
He watched her walk toward him, studying her again and wondering if there might be another reason she’d been looking for him. She was pretty, if one got past the crazy-colored hair, dark eye makeup and...was that a diamond chip on the side of her nose?
She had a slew of earrings dangling from both ears, her black T-shirt displayed a bright purple skull surrounded by flowers and she wore skintight jeans tucked into brown leather boots accented with bright turquoise embroidery that looked new.
Brand-new, from the way she hobbled. “You buy those today?”
She nodded, looking at her feet. “Not hard to spot, huh? They hurt bloody awful.”
Her accent pulled at him again, making him frown. “The vendor should’ve given you a pair of boot socks.”
“They did.” She shrugged. “But I already had socks. See?”
Balancing on one foot, she tried to pull the other from inside the boot but gasped, a wince creasing her features, and she froze.
“I think we should get you to the first-aid tent,” Liam said, looking at the row of vendors not too far away. The tent set up by the local clinic was at the end closest to them. “Can you make it there?”
“Do I have a choice?” She yanked the bag from his grip and started to shuffle across the grass, the frightened girl from moments ago long gone. “Last time I listen to an American cowboy. They’re all a bunch of nutters.”
“Not all of us.” Liam joined her, grinning at her quicksilver mood change. She reminded him of his niece, Abby, who had turned sixteen earlier this year. His older brother had his hands full with that one, not to mention his twin sons, who were a few years younger. “You need to be more careful who you make friends with.”
“Ya think? Jeez, you sound just like my—oh!” She stumbled, one boot catching on a rock, but she caught herself before ending up on her backside. “Bollocks! That hurt!”
“Can I make another suggestion?”
She pushed her hair off her face, swiping hard at one eye before glaring at him. “Sure, why not?”
Liam’s chest tightened at the tear she hadn’t managed to brush away. “How about I give you a lift? The sooner we get your foot looked at, the better you’ll feel.”
“A lift?” Her brows scrunched together over the top of her nose in a way that was so familiar, Liam could only stare. Before he could decide why, understanding dawned on her face. Her expression turned disbelieving. “You mean carry me?”
“If that would be all right with you.”
She hugged her bag to her chest and studied him again.
Damn, maybe that wasn’t such a good idea. More and more people were milling around the vendor tents. He’d already spotted a few giving the two of them some speculative looks. Gossip was a favorite pastime in Destiny, and the Murphy family always seemed to supply plenty of fodder, whether they wanted to or not.
The town was still buzzing over Liam’s brother Devlin taking off to London back in June with his newest lady love, a girl he’d only known a few months.
Then three weeks ago, both Liam and Nolan had participated in a bachelor auction to raise money for the town’s summer camp. The fact that Liam had gone for one of the highest bids to nearby Laramie’s pretty city attorney had actually ended up in the local newspaper. Good thing they hadn’t gotten wind of their date last week—which had been nice but spark-free—or else that would’ve made the headlines as well.
“Okay.” She shrugged with a feigned carelessness that reminded him again of his niece.
Liam smiled, forgetting about the crowd. There was so much going on at today’s events, he doubted anyone would even notice them during the short stroll to the first-aid tent. Seconds later, he had one arm beneath her knees and the other secured just beneath her shoulders.
Cradling her bag in her lap, she wrapped the other hand around his neck as he started walking. “Do I weigh a lot?” she asked.
Liam resisted the urge to roll his eyes. No matter the age, the female species never stopped asking loaded questions. “Of course not. I bet you don’t weigh a hundred pounds.”
“Forty-four kilos.”
He did the math in his head. “Ninety-seven pounds. See? I was right.”
“For a Yank you did that conversion pretty fast.”
She smiled and that punch to his gut returned. “Well, I’m a pretty smart guy.”
Ducking her head, she whispered, “I hope so.”
Having no idea what she meant by that, Liam covered the distance to the tent in a matter of minutes and once inside, placed the girl on an empty chair. It took one of the volunteers a few moments to tend to the blisters on her feet. Liam used that time to study her again, positive now that he knew her from someplace. But where? Could she be a friend of his niece’s or a daughter of one of the guys on his construction crew? With that accent?
“You’re staring at me.”
Liam blinked, realizing she was right. “Ah, sorry. You know, you never did say why you were looking for me.”
She tugged her boots back on, over a thick pair of socks this time, her gaze darting around the tent. Other than a few people at the far end, they were alone.
“Do I look familiar to you?” she finally asked. “At all?”
“You...” His voice trailed off. He had a feeling she wanted him to say yes. He almost did, but the truth was he had no idea who she was. “No, I’m sorry, you don’t.”
She heaved a dramatic sigh and then rooted around inside her duffel bag, digging out a cell phone. “Bloody thing is about out of juice, but maybe...” Her fingers flew over the screen, her thumb flipping through a long string of photos before she turned the phone to him.
“How about her?” she asked. “Does she look familiar?”
His breath disappeared. Every muscle in his body tensed and his knees automatically locked to keep him upright.
Stay back, stiff rein, set feet, squeeze and stay on.
Liam had created his own personal mantra back when he was a teenager, and he silently recited those words every time he climbed on the back of a horse.
A horse determined to buck him off and send him crashing to the dirt.
A lot of people thought saddle bronc riding was only about trying to hang on. It wasn’t. There were specific locations a rider’s feet needed to be from the moment the chute gate opened if one expected to last the required eight seconds to garner a score.
It was a perfectly choreographed dance of man working to remain synchronized with each twist and turn and jump the horse made. All while keeping his free hand from touching the animal or himself so he wasn’t disqualified.
Now, that same chant raced through his head as he stared at a picture of Missy Ellington, his very own heartbreak girl.
Missy had come over as an exchange student from London during his senior year of high school, and from the moment he’d first seen her, he’d fallen hard.
And she’d been just as smitten with him. They’d been inseparable until things ended badly the summer after graduation. A nasty fight over each other’s plans for their shared future. Plans they had never bothered to talk about, plans that had turned out to be vastly different. He’d said some stupid things and the next thing he knew, Missy had flown home to London.
He never saw or spoke to her again. He thought about her sometimes though. An old country song would come on the radio, or he’d catch a whiff of a peach-scented perfume or hear a woman speak in a British accent.
And back in the spring, when Devlin had made a crack about Liam’s dismal track record at marriage and how a long-ago girlfriend had been the love of his life, Liam had quickly corrected him, stating emphatically that he had no such love.
He’d been lying. She had been the love of his life, at least back then.
In the photograph, Missy looked much as she had the last time he’d seen her. Long blond hair, beautiful porcelain skin. Soft blue eyes. Only instead of smiling at the camera, her eyes were focused on the infant she held in her arms.
“That was taken fifteen years ago this past April.” The girl turned the phone back and looked at the image, that same smile—Missy’s smile—on her face. “I was only a couple of weeks old at the time.”
Fifteen years ago.
The months and years rushed through his head, the numbers making his brain go into a serious meltdown. The imaginary rein he’d been holding onto slipped from his grip, the wild beast beneath him disappeared and he was flying through the air.
“Missy...” he rasped, determined to push the words past the restricted confines of his dry throat. “Missy Ellington is your mother?”
“Abso-bloody-lutely.” The girl’s gaze was serious as she looked up at him again. “And you’re my father.”
* * *
Blimey, he still looked good.
After sixteen years, Missy Dobbs had thought he would have changed, but no, Liam Murphy had only grown more handsome than the boy who’d stolen her heart all those years ago.
She pulled in a deep breath. She had to do this. There was no gray area to fill with could she or should she when it came to this decision. The certainty of what lay ahead outweighed the fear, although not by much.
The hustle and bustle of the busy airport gate continued on around her as she waited for a flight that would take her to the last place on earth she’d ever thought she would see again.
Destiny, Wyoming.
She tightened her grip on the tablet as she stared again at Liam’s picture on the website for his family’s company. She tried to reconcile the wild and crazy cowboy she’d known as a teen with the serious man looking impossibly dashing in a business suit. The dark-framed glasses he wore couldn’t hide the sparkle in his eyes and his hair was shorter now, but a wayward curl or two still threatened to spill down over his forehead.
Her former love had done well for himself. CEO and president of his family’s business. She wasn’t surprised. Liam had been cut out for more than being a rodeo star, but at eighteen that had been his dream.
A dream that had torn them apart.
A dream that had sent her running home and into a fateful one-night stand with a former boyfriend. A man she’d ended up marrying because she believed—she’d been told—he was the true father of her child after finding out she was pregnant a few months later. Only now—after many years, she knew the truth.
Liam Murphy was her daughter’s father.
What a bloody mess!
She hadn’t even talked to Casey about what she’d learned before heading to Los Angeles on a last-minute work assignment. No, there’d only been time for a heated argument with her mother, who’d known the truth about Casey’s paternity all along.
That had been two weeks ago.
Her job on the film set had finished late yesterday and Casey was set to fly in on Monday to join Missy for an extended holiday here in the States. That meant Missy had the weekend to fly to Destiny, knock on Liam’s door with the hope he remembered her and break the news to him that he’d fathered a child.
The gentle chiming of her mobile phone came from deep within her purse. She didn’t recognize the number and offered a quick prayer that it wasn’t anything work related that would cancel her plans.
“Hello?”
“Mum, it’s me. Casey.”
Missy slammed the tablet’s cover closed, almost as if her daughter could see what she’d been looking at.
Other than texting back and forth, they hadn’t talked in the last few days. And when they had chatted during Missy’s stay in Los Angeles, she hadn’t mentioned anything about what she’d discovered to her daughter. Sharing the news about Casey’s real father had to wait until they were together again, face-to-face.
“Ah, hello, sweetie. Why aren’t you calling me from your mobile?”
“It died. Completely. I’ve got it charging at the moment.”
The airport’s loudspeaker came to life, blaring out information. Missy turned to the wall and ducked her head in hopes of muffling the noise. She quickly figured the time difference between California and London. It was after dinnertime there. “Are you home now? You need to start packing.”
“Not...exactly.”
Two words—and the nervous hitch in her daughter’s voice—sent a shiver of maternal alertness through Missy. “Laundry might be your least favorite chore for a Friday night, sweetie, but you can’t wait until the last minute to figure out what to bring for our holiday—”
Her daughter’s words cut her off midsentence. “Mum, I don’t have to worry about packing because I’m already here.”
Here? In Los Angeles?
Missy jerked to her feet, her leather tote swinging from her shoulder. She scanned the gate area for an airport map. “What do you mean, here? Are you at the LAX international terminal?”
“No, I’m in Wyoming.”
What?
Missy’s precarious hold on a reality that had been spinning out of control over the last few weeks slipped away. She dropped to the unyielding airport seat beneath her, the ability to stand gone as the blood drained from her head.
“Mum? Did you hear me?” Casey asked. “Mum?”
“How did—why are—” Missy pushed the words past her lips, unable to complete either question. She finally managed to squeak out, “Why on earth would you fly to Wyoming? Alone?”
“I was planning to fly to LA alone, wasn’t I? Blimey, it’s not like it’s the first time I’ve traveled by myself.”
Yes, Casey had started joining her at film locations during school breaks a few years ago, but those were always nonstop flights around Europe.
“Of course, but again, why—” Missy’s heart pounded in her chest, the truth already settling like a rock in her belly. “Why are you in—”
“Why do you think? I overheard bits and bobs when you and Grandmum fought the night before you flew to California. About what you found in Granddad’s desk. I can’t believe they did that to you! To us!” Her daughter’s words came fast. “And you didn’t talk to me before your flight or the few times we’ve chatted since. Not one word!”
Oh, this was not how she wanted this to go. “Sweetie, I—”
“Not that I blame you, really. I mean, it’s not exactly a topic for casual conversation,” Casey barreled on. “I heard you say a man’s name and a town in Wyoming during your argument, so after some online searching I decided to change my flight plans. I arrived in Cheyenne this morning.”
Missy tried to keep up, but her daughter’s words blended with the loud rushing in her ears and the announcement that her flight was boarding. She gathered her items and got in line, the boarding pass shaking in a mad fit in her fingers.
Casey was in Wyoming. She knew about Liam.
Fix this! Fix this! Fix this!
The words thundered inside Missy’s brain as she made her way to her first-class seat, trying to think of what to say—what to do—next.
Casey could wait for her at the airport. They’d get a hotel room and talk. She’d figure out a way to get in touch with Liam tomorrow.
Slightly calmer after her hastily thought up plan, Missy said, “Okay, I want you to stay at the airport. I’m on a flight—”
“Mum, I’m not in Cheyenne anymore. I’m in Destiny! And guess what?” Casey’s voice rose in excitement before it dropped to a loud whisper. “I found him.”
Destiny! Missy’s impetuous daughter had traveled from London to a small ranching community in the American West and found the man who was her true father.
Missy dropped into her seat, staring numbly at the seat in front of her.
“Mum? Are you still there? Mum?”
She needed to answer her daughter, needed to know what had happened in the last twenty-four hours. Needed to know how Liam had reacted to the bombshell her—their—daughter had dropped at his feet today. But there wasn’t time. She would have to end this call soon and Casey still didn’t know Missy was making her way to Wyoming.
Pulling in a deep breath through her nose, she released it in a soft wisp past her lips. By the third one she was able to speak. “Honey, we need to talk.”
“I couldn’t agree more.”
Missy gasped. The same deep, gravelly, sexy voice she remembered from her youth filled her ear and stole her breath. A heated flush that made no sense at all started in the center of her chest and rushed to every part of her body.
How could he sound exactly the same after all this time?
“Liam.”
She heard a swift intake of breath, and then silence filled the distance—both in miles and years—that stretched between them.
Up until the last few weeks, she hadn’t spoken his name aloud in a long time. Not when she and her girlfriends would gather for drinks and a chat, not to her daughter when they talked about things like boys and dating and growing up, and never to her parents.
Sometimes it felt as if that year in her life had happened to someone else.
“Casey tells me you’ve been in Los Angeles for the last few weeks.” Liam’s voice was clipped and businesslike now. “If you let me know where you’re staying, I’ll make arrangements to get you to the airport and on a flight to Wyoming right away.”
Bristling at his authoritative tone, she said, “I’m on a flight to Cheyenne scheduled to depart in a few minutes, actually. I land at half past five, local time.”
There was more silence as he processed her news. Was he surprised she’d already been on her way? How much had her daughter told him about the night Missy—and she—had learned the truth?
“I’ll be there when your plane lands,” he finally said.
Of course he would. And since she hadn’t thought far enough ahead to figure out how she would travel to Destiny, she wouldn’t fight him. Getting to Casey was the most important thing at the moment. “May I speak to my daughter again?”
His voice dropped away, and then Casey’s voice came back on the line. “You’re flying here? Like right now?”
“Yes, sweetie, and I promise we’ll talk about everything when I see you.” Missy tried to keep her voice light. “Including you changing your transatlantic flight. Please don’t cause any trouble for...for Liam in the meanwhile.”
“You’re a tad late for that bit of advice, Mum.” Casey offered a staged sigh, an expression the teen had perfected in the last few years. “I’d say me showing up out of the blue is just the start of trouble.”
* * *
Missy popped a breath mint into her mouth and made stopping by the loo her first priority as soon as she landed in Cheyenne.
After using the facilities and washing her hands, she redid her hair, making neat the messy chignon style she favored. When she found herself leaning toward the mirror to reapply her lipstick, she froze.
Did she care what Liam Murphy thought of her after all this time?
Not wanting to answer that question, she hurried to the baggage claim area and found her case still circling the carousel. She retrieved it and then checked her phone. No calls or texts from her daughter or Liam. With a thirty-minute stopover in Denver, she’d only had time to ring her mother and have their first real conversation since Missy had left London.
Wise enough to keep her opinions of Casey’s actions to herself, her mother had insisted she had no idea what her granddaughter had been up to. But Elizabeth Ellington had been shocked to find out Missy was also on her way to Wyoming. Before she could say anything more, Missy had ended the call with a curt promise to get in touch as soon as she found a place for her and Casey to stay for the weekend.
“Ms. Dobbs?”
Missy spun around and found a gentleman dressed in a dark suit holding a placard with her name on it. She’d traveled enough over the years to recognize a car service when she saw one.
Liam wasn’t here. She should be grateful for more time before she saw him again, but it bothered her more than she cared to admit that he hadn’t kept his word. “Yes?”
“Mr. Murphy was unavoidably detained in Destiny due to business,” he said. “I’m to make sure you arrive safely. I have a car waiting outside.”
Resentment burned that not only had Liam stood her up, but he hadn’t sent Casey along to meet her either. Bollocks! What did he think she’d do? Grab her daughter and take the next flight out of here?
“Could you give me a moment, please?” she asked.
The gentleman nodded and stepped away. Missy found a quiet corner and called Casey’s mobile. It went straight to voice mail. She left a message that she’d landed and was on her way to Destiny. She then tried the number her daughter had used when she’d called earlier today, assuming it was for Liam’s cell phone, but it just rang and rang.
Seeing as she didn’t have any other choice, she followed the driver outside and moments later was seated in the back of a luxury town car. They soon were out of the city and on the motorway. Out the window the land was flat and wide and empty with a blue sky that seemed to go on forever.
So different from the hustle and bustle of London, where she’d lived all her life. She remembered feeling very lost and vulnerable when she’d first arrived in Wyoming all those years ago.
She’d almost cut her visit short after a trip home for Christmas, but had decided to return to Destiny.
Because of one boy. The one she’d been crushing on from the time she’d seen him in the school hallway the very first week.
Liam Murphy, a real cowboy who spent his weekends riding in rodeos, had finally asked her to dance during the last slow song at the winter semiformal, and she had promptly tripped over his boots—
No!
Missy gave her head a quick shake. There would be no trips down memory lane. It was bad enough she’d spent the last few weeks remembering how she and Liam had met, started dating and fallen in love.
Of course, steering clear of their shared history wasn’t going to be easy. Goodness knew what kind of questions Casey was going to have for her—for them—over the next few days.
Missy tried once more to reach her daughter, but again she got only voice mail. She grew more nervous as they arrived in Destiny, which she had to admit looked much the same as the last time she was here.
They drove down the charming main street with its many businesses, around the gazebo in the center of town, past the firehouse and the sheriff’s office and the Blue Creek Saloon, a bar and restaurant whose roots went back to the town’s founding in the late 1800s, a fact that had fascinated Missy the first time she’d been there.
When the car passed over the rushing waters of the blue creek the town landmark was named after, she realized the turnoff to Liam’s family ranch and business headquarters was just ahead.
She tensed, expecting a large crowd. Liam was one of six boys, most of whom worked for the log-home business as well, so there must be wives and other children in the family by now. Would they be here? What about his parents? Were they still alive and living here, too?
When the car bypassed the oversize parking lot and slowed to a stop in the half circle drive in front of the massive two-story log home, only one figure waited on the front porch that ran the length of the building.
Liam.
From her own memories and the candid photographs on the company’s website showing the Murphy family at work and at play, the brothers were all good-looking men with similar features, but she knew it was him.
Missy couldn’t take her eyes off the man as she exited the car and pushed her tote bag to one shoulder, her fingers clenching her phone as the memories she’d tried so hard to keep at bay washed over her.
Memories of falling in love for the first time, and all the joy and wonder that came with that experience. But then the pain—a truly aching, physical pain—when he had broken her heart.
How, after all this time, could those feelings still be powerful enough to bring a piercing sting to the back of her eyes?
Blinking hard, she wished she’d thought to grab her sunglasses from her bag. Regardless, she started forward, suddenly needing to see Casey. She made her way up the elaborate brick pathway, bordered with a colorful array of flowers that also ran along the front of the house.
“Where’s my daughter?” she asked when she reached the stairs, hating the huskiness of her voice.
Liam moved to the edge of the porch and she couldn’t help but note that the picture online must’ve been taken recently. Despite the passage of time, he did look the same, just an older version of the boy she’d known. Impossibly handsome in jeans, a long-sleeved dress shirt with the cuffs folded back to his elbows and cowboy boots.
Always cowboy boots.
His gaze lit on her, but the setting sun and deep shadows of the porch made it impossible to see his expression as he thanked the driver, who’d placed her suitcases on the porch. She tore her gaze from him and thanked the man as well when he walked past her.
When it was just the two of them again, she returned her focus to Liam, who hadn’t moved other than to cross his arms over his chest.
The defensive pose spoke volumes about his state of mind. Fine, but right now she wanted to see for herself that Casey was okay.
“I asked you—”
“Is it true?” The words were out of his mouth as she reached for the stair railing, freezing her on the first step. “Is Casey my daughter?” he demanded.
Chapter Two (#ulink_74475e9b-2a2b-5f4c-8820-0346b378fa56)
Liam hadn’t meant to sound so rude. He’d figured once Missy arrived at the house they’d sit down like adults, catch up on the last sixteen years and talk about the craziness that had descended on his life today.
Craziness in the form of his supposed daughter. But first, he had to know.
“Is she mine?” he asked again, his voice softer now.
He waited for her to answer, not having felt this rush of fear, excitement and adrenaline since his bronc-riding days. No, that was a lie. The moment Casey had shocked him with her announcement, he’d felt something far beyond anything he’d ever experienced on the back of a horse.
The sensation now returned in full force. The feeling that he was about to take the ride of his life.
“Yes,” Missy finally said, “she is.”
He dropped his arms. The almost desperate need to believe her was so foreign he brushed it away. Could he accept what she was saying as the truth? He’d admit the numbers made sense and according to his mother, Casey shared the same eyes—right down to the dark blue coloring—as him, but he was having a hard time believing the girl’s rambling story.
None of this made sense. How? Why?
“I’d like to see her,” Missy continued, her lilting voice laced with a condescending tone. “Now. If that’s all right with you.”
“You can’t.”
Realizing again how bad mannered that sounded, Liam tried once more to soften his tone. “She’s at the rodeo with her gran—with my folks. My family. She had a good time today and didn’t want to miss the finals, presentations to the winners or the fireworks afterward.”
“Hmm, yes, I remember well how a rodeo works.” Missy’s smile was rueful as she continued up the steps toward him. “How can a mother compete with all that?”
She remembered because of him. Because of their time together. That thought caused a burst of heat to ignite right in the center of his chest.
“They also figured you and I would appreciate the opportunity to talk privately about...well, about everything.”
“Saying we have quite a bit to discuss seems a bit of an understatement, doesn’t it?”
Liam stepped back when she joined him on the porch but not before a summery floral scent with a hint of peach invaded his head. Damn, she still wore the same perfume. Swallowing hard against the rush of memories, he took a step back and gestured toward a seating area set up at the far end of the porch.
She moved past him, walking in that same graceful way she’d had as a teenager. Years of ballet training, she’d once told him. Her hair was the same honey-blond color, but she wore it up off her neck, a few long pieces curling around her face. He wondered if it was as long as it’d once been, halfway down her back.
As if she could read his mind, Missy paused when she reached the wicker sofa, one hand tucking back a strand of hair that had fallen free as her chin rose in an almost regal attitude before she sat.
Yeah, she still possessed that British reserve that had made it hard for her to make friends when she first came to Destiny all those years ago.
He’d noticed her the first day of his senior year in high school. Every guy had. She’d been so different from the rest of the girls in their class. Some of his friends had made fools of themselves, trying to capture her attention, but the more they tried, the more she shot them down.
As someone who never had any problem getting a pretty girl to notice him, he’d liked that about her.
After a few months of watching her, he’d been determined to melt that icy reserve—and brave enough to try thanks to a dare from his buddies at the winter semiformal.
It’d taken until the night was almost over before he asked her to dance. She’d surprised him by accepting, and like a klutz, he’d tangled his boots with her delicate shoes. She’d laughed it off, stepped into his arms and he’d been a goner.
“You’re staring at me.”
Her words—the same ones spoken by her daughter earlier today—had him shaking off the memories as he joined her, taking one of the chairs. “I’m sorry. After all these years...to see you again. I guess I’m comparing the photos Casey showed me to the real thing.”
Missy rolled her eyes. “Her and that mobile. I think she must have five hundred pictures on it.”
“Many of them are of the two of you. Some going back years.”
She nodded, a soft smile on her face, and then her gaze met his again. “You look just like your photo, too.”
It took him a moment to figure out where she might have seen a picture of him. Online. Thanks to their office manager’s insistence, the company’s site had been updated this summer with new pictures, including formal portraits of the management team.
Liam liked that she had done a Google search on him. “You visited the Murphy Mountain Log Homes website.”
“Very corporate looking.” Her gaze traveled over him. “You look good in Hugo Boss.”
“They cut a good suit.”
Silence stretched between them as they studied each other in the fading light of the sunset. Was she looking for the cowboy he’d been back then? Wild and reckless and so full of himself he couldn’t see beyond his own wants and needs? His own dreams?
She looked exactly the same. Older, yes, but still the same ethereal beauty as when he’d last seen her. It was easy to see the features she shared with her daughter.
Their daughter.
His throat suddenly dry, Liam rose and went to the antique dresser that held pitchers of tea, water, an ice bucket and glasses, all thanks to his mother. “I’m sorry, I should’ve asked. Would you like something to drink?”
Missy let loose with a delicate humph from behind him. “Do you have anything a wee bit stronger? I think you’re going to need it.”
He shot her a look over his shoulder, and then opened the door below and pulled out a bottle of wine and his drink of choice, whiskey. She gestured for the wine and he poured her a glass, then whiskey for himself.
“You know, Casey tried to explain how she’d only found out a few weeks ago about me being her...” His voice trailed off as he returned to his seat, handing Missy her wine. “The more she talked, the more upset she became. I gather from your shock at her announcing she’d traveled to Destiny and found me that you hadn’t shared this news with her yet?”
Missy placed her cell phone on the table and took the glass. “No, I didn’t have the chance before my job had me flying to Los Angeles. I’ve barely had time to absorb everything myself. After all these years...to think, it never occurred to me to question the test results—”
It was at that moment his cell phone chirped from inside his pants pocket, cutting her off. Damn, now was not the time for business. He ignored the phone and it went silent for a moment, but came back to life again right away.
“You can get that,” she said. “If you need to.”
He probably should. A typical day for him ran long past five o’clock, especially for a select few clients who had his direct line. Or was it someone from the rodeo committee looking for him, despite his hasty explanation about a business emergency?
“It might be Casey,” he said, the thought just coming to him.
Missy flipped over her phone, checking it. “I tried to ring her when I landed. All I got was voice mail.”
He pulled the now silent phone out and looked. Two missed calls, both from the same client, who wouldn’t hesitate to move on to his brother Nolan if he couldn’t reach Liam. A press of a button and the phone would stay quiet.
“It was work, but it can wait,” he said. “Now, you were saying something about test results? Casey mentioned overhearing a fight between you and her grandmother, but like I said, she was pretty distraught. I told her we’d get everything straightened out when you got here. After that, she seemed to relax and enjoy the rodeo.”
“And you introduced her to your family?” Missy sipped her wine. “Just like that?”
“I wasn’t about to leave her on her own to wander around the fairgrounds. I told them she was the daughter of an old friend from high school.” He took a swallow from his own glass, the familiar warmth sliding easily down his throat. “As soon as I said your name my folks remembered you. So did my younger brother Bryant. It was my mom who...well, who put it all together, especially when I said you were on your way to Destiny.”
“And here I am.”
“Yes, here you are.” And here he was waiting for his first love to explain how he—they—had a child he’d never known about until today. “After all this time, not hearing from you, I can honestly say I never expected something like...this.”
“I can understand. Please, let me start at the beginning. Well, the most recent beginning.” She sighed, her gaze lowered. “My father passed away suddenly from a heart attack on August first.”
“I’m sorry,” Liam said automatically, surprised at how little emotion was in her voice considering that was just three weeks ago. “Was he ill?”
“Thank you, and technically he wasn’t, but it was his third attack in the last ten years. Not completely unexpected, especially as he refused to give up his cigars and brandy.” She paused and pulled in a deep breath. “I was going through his desk after the services, clearing out paperwork and whatnot, when I came across a file that contained the DNA test we had done just after Casey was born.”
“April twelfth, a week after your birthday.”
She looked up when he said that. “Yes.”
“She told me. That was nine months after we’d last—after you returned home.”
“Yes.”
“Almost nine months to the day, if memory serves.”
“Yes.”
“Missy, why didn’t you tell me?” Tired of her one-word answers, Liam leaned forward, bracing his forearms against his knees, his fingers laced tight around the glass. “I know things ended badly, but as soon as you knew you were pregnant you should’ve gotten in touch with me.”
“I wanted to, but I didn’t... I didn’t know if I had the right to.”
“The right?” Now he was really confused. “What does that mean?”
“Oh, Liam, I was such a mess when I left Destiny all those years ago.” She set her glass on the table, stood and then walked to the porch railing, keeping her back to him. “You and I had that terrible row. All my plans and dreams were gone. I was angry and lonely and...”
“And?” He prompted when her voice faded.
Her shoulders rose and fell as she pulled in another deep breath before turning to face him, her arms tight across her middle. “And I spent the night with my old boyfriend. The lad I was seeing before I came to America. Before you.”
The fine Kentucky whiskey now burned in his gut. “Stanley.” The name popped out of his mouth before he could think to stop it.
“Stanford. His name was Stanford Dobbs.”
He vaguely remembered her telling him all those years ago about a college guy she’d been dating back in London. Hearing his full name—with the same surname as Missy and Casey—had him taking another long swallow of liquid courage. “And this happened soon after you got back that summer?”
She jerked her head in a quick nod, the affirmation tearing at his insides. How crazy was that?
“The following week,” she said softly. “It...it was only that one time. After that, I knew I had to pull myself together, get my life back on track. Get back into school. Get over you.”
To hear her speak calmly about sleeping with someone else so soon after they—after she returned, despite all the time that had passed, bugged Liam more than he wanted to admit.
Leaning back in his chair, he offered her a casual salute with his glass, his knuckles white. “Well, that was a step in the right direction.”
She bit hard at her bottom lip, and then continued. “I didn’t realize I was pregnant until almost Halloween.”
Now it all made sense. “And you didn’t know who the father was.”
“No, I didn’t.” She returned his stare, unflinching. “It took me another month to find the courage to tell Stanford...and my parents. They, of course, expected a hasty wedding, but when I told them that there was no way to be sure—”
“Boy, that must’ve made Stan a bit upset.”
Up went that delicate chin again. “Stanford still wanted to marry me. He said he didn’t care if the child was his or not.”
Okay, Liam should feel like a louse right about now, but the fire burning in his gut had now spread throughout his body. “That was big of him.”
“We had to wait until Casey was born before a DNA test could be done. Before we knew for certain who was—”
“But you knew you were pregnant the previous fall.” Liam shot to his feet. “You knew there was a chance—why didn’t you at least let me know that the baby might be mine?”
“Oh, Liam, you were on the other side of the world, living your dream. You’d made your decision to be a professional cowboy that summer, and you continued right on with your rodeo competitions after I left. By the time I knew I was pregnant, you were well on your way to earning a spot at grand finals, finishing second your first time there!”
She knew that?
She must’ve read the shock on his face. “Yes, I knew, thanks to Suzy McIntyre. The girl whose family I stayed with while I was here in Destiny? She told me all about your big achievement in a letter that arrived just after the new year.”
“Wait—you got a letter?” The memory returned so strong he dropped back to the chair. “From Suzy?”
“Believe me, no one was more surprised than I to see it in the post.”
“That was the only letter you got?”
“Oh, one was more than enough.” Missy’s voice rose as she paced back and forth in front of him. “Not only did she send me a newspaper clipping of you being a rodeo star, but she also went on about how you and your bride were settling in here in Destiny afterward.”
Liam closed his eyes and swallowed hard. He hadn’t thought about that stupid and reckless decision in a long time. “She told you I had gotten married?”
“Yes! Six months after I left.”
The pain in Missy’s voice surprised him. He looked at her again. “It didn’t last. Six or seven—it was over by the spring.”
“Well, I didn’t want to upset the newlyweds unless I had to, so I waited until my daughter was born that same spring.” Missy returned to the seating area and grabbed her glass. “When the test results came back that Stanford was a match...we married a month later.”
The only sound was the low chirping of crickets now that the sun had set. And there was a distant thunder that could only be the fireworks from the rodeo. It was then that Liam noticed the outside lights on the porch, pathway and the model homes situated in front of the main house had come on automatically, casting muted pockets of yellow glowing here and there, but the end of the porch where they sat was dark.
So dark that he couldn’t see Missy’s face clearly.
He rose again. Lighting candles on the dresser, he brought back a few and placed them in the center of the table in time to catch the shaking of the glass in her hand.
“I was nineteen years old, a mother, a wife...trying to go to school, to live up to my parents’ expectations...to Stanford’s.” Missy finished the last of her wine. “It wasn’t easy.”
He was sure it wasn’t. At nineteen he’d been concentrating on rodeoing full-time and working for his father, attached to nothing but his horse and trailer. Not even his so-called marriage had rated any importance. One of the reasons it’d ended so quickly.
How long had Missy and Stanford been married? Were they still?
Liam’s gaze went to her left hand clutching the glass. No ring. Did that mean anything? “Casey never mentioned her father today.”
“Stanford died in a car accident when she was five years old. Before that we were—he traveled a lot. For business. She barely remembers him.”
So, she hadn’t remarried in the decade since? He tucked away that question, not wanting to go there. “You started to tell me about test results. I’m guessing you’re referring to the ones that said Stanford was a match.”
“Yes, but what I found in the dark corners of my father’s desk were two test results,” Missy said, reaching for an oversize leather tote. She tilted it toward the light and rummaged around inside, pulling out some paperwork and thrusting it at him. “The one he showed me all those years ago and the real test. The one that stated Stanford was not a match. This, of course, meant you were—are—Casey’s father.”
Liam took the papers, but kept his eyes on her. “I’m guessing this is what you and your mother argued about.”
“You bet your arse. She admitted to knowing the whole thing, all this time, when I confronted her.” Missy grabbed her glass, saw it was empty and set it down again. “Like I said, I had to fly to LA the next day for a work commitment without the chance to talk to Casey. I couldn’t have sprung something like this on her at the last minute and then left. Not that it mattered. Apparently she overheard me and Mum and...and took matters into her own hands.”
She looked at him then, her gaze steady. “The one thing I did plan was coming to Destiny. To find you and tell you everything. Casey got here first.”
Liam nodded, certain if he tried to speak right now the words wouldn’t make it past the lump in his throat.
He tried to mentally piece together the jigsaw puzzle her story created. He believed her, as crazy as it was. He was angry at her parents for what they had done to both of them—all three of them. To keep the true paternity of their grandchild from their daughter because...
He had no idea why. Other than that they must’ve been dead set against the plans Missy had made all those years ago to move to America. To go to college here. To be with him. Plans he’d stomped all over with his size-twelve boots when he’d announced his plan to rodeo full-time instead of going to the University of Wyoming.
So where did they go from here?
“I planned to tell Casey once we were together again. She wasn’t supposed to arrive in the States until Monday, meeting me in LA,” Missy continued. “She, of course, took it upon herself to change all that.”
“Who was watching Casey while you traveled? Your mother?”
Missy nodded.
“I’m guessing she too was in the dark about Casey’s plans.” Liam leaned forward and set his now empty glass down. “Does she know where her granddaughter is now?”
“Of course. We spoke during my layover. And yes, she had no idea what Casey was up to. She was under the impression she was staying with friends.”
“You seem pretty calm about all of this—”
She cut him off with a casual wave of her hand. “Believe me, I’m not.”
“Really?” There was that cool British reserve again, and it irked him. “Your daughter changes her international flight plans, arrives alone in a foreign country and hitches a ride to Destiny from the airport and you’re just—”
Her beautiful blue eyes grew wide. “Hitched?”
“It was just pure luck that I ran into her at the rodeo at all. In time to get her out of what might’ve been a...sticky situation.”
“I’m not sure what that means, but believe me, I will be discussing my daughter’s actions with her as soon as I see her.” Missy dropped her hand to the tote in her lap. “And answering what I’m sure will be quite a few questions from her about this entire situation. Thankfully, she and I have plenty of time to talk. We’re flying to Hawaii next week for a planned holiday before returning to London next month.”
Liam’s head spun, his thoughts a jumbled mess of questions, ideas and plans, but her words cut through. “Wait a minute, you mean you were flying to Hawaii.”
“No, I—”
“Don’t think you can just show up, drop a bomb about a long-lost daughter and walk away three days later.” Liam’s anger was back and it was hot. He got to his feet again. “I don’t care who got here first.”
“We have plans.”
“Plans change.”
She stood as well, ready to argue, but then a caravan of cars came down the drive. They parked in the nearby lot and his family spilled out into the night. Moments later they were across the yard and heading up the porch, with Casey leading the way.
“Mum!”
Missy’s expression transformed when she saw her daughter, and seconds later they held each other in a tight embrace. When they finally let go, Missy stepped back, running her hands lightly over Casey’s multicolored hair as she looked in her daughter’s eyes. Then she took in the new boots Casey was proudly showing off.
Watching the two of them, and the private world they created just by being in each other’s company, made Liam’s chest ache. This was supposed to be his daughter, but he’d never felt more like an outsider despite being surrounded by his own family.
He cleared his throat, catching both of their attention.
“Missy, I think you probably remember my folks, Alistair and Elise Murphy.” The sooner they got introductions over with, the sooner they could get back to talking about how long she and Casey were sticking around. “Mom and Dad, this is Casey’s mother, Melissa Dobbs.”
She took his mother’s outstretched hand first and then his father’s. “Yes, of course, I remember you, Mr. and Mrs. Murphy. It’s good to see you again. And please, call me Missy.”
“Oh, it’s so nice to see you, too, dear,” his mother said, giving her the once-over before sending a wink Liam’s way that he hoped no one else noticed. “We remember you as well. You’ve grown up so nice.”
“Ah, thank you.”
“And these are two of my three brothers who live in town.” Liam waved at the men standing nearby. “I’m guessing Adam took Fay and A.J. straight on home?”
“Only because the baby was fussy. Otherwise they would’ve been here too. Hi, Missy, I’m Nolan Murphy.” Liam’s brother stepped forward and gave her a quick handshake. “Adam’s our oldest brother and the smart one. He doesn’t live here on the compound.” He then pointed at the three teenagers lounging on the steps. “Those hooligans are mine. Abby is sixteen and the twins, Luke and Logan, are thirteen.”
Missy smiled at the kids and then returned his greeting. “I’m sorry, I don’t remember meeting you before. Or Adam.”
“That’s because I was living in Boston the year you were here. Adam was serving overseas in the military.”
After nodding, she then shook hands with Bryant and his wife, Laurie. “Now, you I remember,” she said. “You were a wee freshman when I was here last.”
“Yeah, that was me.” Bryant grinned. “Devlin is only a year behind Liam, so you must remember him too.”
“Yes, I do remember Devlin. Popular with the ladies, right?”
“Oh, that’s our Dev,” Elise said, and then laughed. “Only now he’s a one-woman man and living in London, actually, for the next few months, with his lady love, Tanya. And our youngest, Ric—oh, he must’ve been just six or seven when you were here—is in the air force, stationed in northern Italy.”
“Well, it’s lovely to meet you all...again...and thank you for taking care of my daughter today. I do appreciate it.”
“We enjoyed having her with us.” Elise smiled warmly at Casey, waving off Missy’s gratitude. “And we’re looking forward to getting to know her—and you—better during your stay.”
Missy glanced at her daughter for a moment before her gaze flickered in Liam’s direction. “Well, we’re only in town for a few days,” she said, looking back at his mother. “The weekend. Casey and I have a holiday scheduled—”
“Mum, are you daft? We can’t go now!” Casey spun around, grabbing her arm. “I just got here. We just got here! There’s so much more I want to see and do!”
“Casey, we have reservations—”
“Off the bloody reservations! Everything’s changed now!”
Liam couldn’t agree more, but from the look on Missy’s face, she wasn’t buying into her daughter’s excitement.
“Why don’t we head inside and let these three talk this out,” Alistair said, heading for the door with his wife in tow.
“Are you kidding?” Abby leaned in from her perch on the stairs, flinging her long blond hair back over one shoulder. “This is getting good!”
“Nolan...”
Liam sent his brother a warning look, but the man was already corralling his kids off the steps and around the side yard. Bryant and Laurie followed his folks indoors. Then it was the three of them as Casey continued her campaign to change her mother’s mind.
It wasn’t working.
He could see it in Missy’s eyes, hear it in her voice as she laid out the travel plans she and Casey had for spending the next month in a private villa on the beach in Maui. Nice. She’d come from a world of money and power back when they’d first met all those years ago. He guessed she—or her family—was still doing okay.
Either way, she didn’t want to be in Destiny. Didn’t want to be near him. Too bad. If she thought she could waltz out of the continental US, taking his daughter with her, and expect him to be okay with that, she had another think coming.
His fingers tightened into a fist, crinkling the paperwork he still held. An idea popped into his head and tumbled out of his mouth. “Here’s another reason for you two to stick around. We need to do another DNA test.”
The two women stopped talking and turned in unison to look at him.
Missy’s light blue eyes crackled with fire, but it was the wounded look that flashed in Casey’s that got to him.
Damn, what else could he do?
He believed Missy’s story about a doctored DNA test, even if it was a bit farfetched. Who knew how long this lie would’ve gone on if not for her father suddenly dying, Casey overhearing, Liam still living in the same town where it all started...
For whatever reason, the universe had conspired to bring him and Missy back together—to bring them all together—and he wanted them to stay. More than he’d wanted anything in a long time.
“Look, this is a negative report telling us who’s not a match,” Liam said, gesturing with the paperwork. “A report we now know that has been tampered with. We should have another test done—me and Casey—just so we’re all a hundred percent sure.”
Chapter Three (#ulink_fe66c9c8-111c-547a-898d-23e541e25784)
Casey was ready to tell her real father what he could do with his suggestion about a new DNA test, and knowing her daughter’s temper, it wasn’t going to be pretty. Not that Missy blamed her. After his veiled remarks concerning her parenting skills, she was ready to tell him what he could do with his demand for another test herself.
“I think he’s right,” she said instead, before Casey could speak. She read the surprise on Liam’s face at her like-mindedness, but her focus at the moment had to be on her daughter.
Missy reached for Casey’s hand, hating that it was ice-cold. A quick squeeze got her attention. “We should have an up-to-date test done. For his sake, sweetie, and ours.”
Casey’s bravado crumbled and the fire left her eyes. “Why did Granddad do this to you? To us? To Dad?” She bit hard at her bottom lip, and her gaze swung over to Liam. “I mean...you know, my other...”
“It’s okay.” Liam’s voice was gentler now. “Things are a little mixed-up at the moment.”
To say the least. The hurt and confusion reflected on Liam’s and Casey’s faces—feelings that shone brightly in matching sets of dark blue eyes—shook Missy to her core.
Almost as much as the realization that the two of them shared the same eyes. Same shape, same color. A deep cerulean blue she’d once told Liam matched the river-fed lake back behind the Murphy family home. A color she always told Casey was her favorite.
How had she never noticed that before now?
Because you believed the lie you were told years ago. The scared girl deep inside you clung to those test results, filled with righteous indignation that this man didn’t deserve to be the father of your precious baby girl.
Missy blinked away that sudden insight, not willing or able to deal with that bitter pill of truth. Not tonight. “I think we should—”
“How did you two hook up anyway?” Casey blurted out. “It’s a long way between London and Destiny—oh, wait! I overheard Grandmum say letting you go to America was a mistake. You’d turned nineteen just before you had me...bollocks, don’t tell me I’m a souvenir from a one-off during a spring break trip.”
“No!” Liam and Missy spoke at the same time, their voices united.
“You were not the result of a one-night stand,” Missy continued, aghast that the idea had popped into her daughter’s head.
“You never told her?” he asked, taking a step closer. His broad shoulders blocked out the porch light behind him, casting his face in shadows, but the tightening of his jaw was unmistakable. “About your time in Destiny? About us?”
Missy shook her head, surprised at the nuance of hurt in his tone. No, that was impossible. The man had married someone else less than a year after she’d left sixteen years ago. A lifetime ago.
“That’s right. You said a few minutes ago you remembered his family!” Casey’s voice grew excited again. “So you two were a couple? And you lived here in Destiny, Mum? For how long?”
“A year,” Liam said.
“It was more like eleven months.” Missy spoke at the same time, overriding him. “As part of a student exchange program when I was in my sixth form. The twelfth grade in an American high school, and yes, Liam and I dated during that time.”
“I’d say you did more than date, Mum. A lot more.”
Liam let loose a snort that changed to a clearing of his throat, one hand fisted against his mouth, when Missy glared at him. Still, he remained silent, only tilting his head in her direction.
She sighed. She wanted nothing more than to sink up to her nose in bubbles and then collapse into bed, but some private time with her daughter was needed first.
“Sweetie, it’s been a long day. For all of us. Right now, I could use a hot bath and we—” she gave Casey’s hand another quick squeeze “—need to have a long talk. About everything. Including your clandestine adventure getting to America, which, despite everything, you’re not off the hook for.”
Her daughter’s gaze again flickered to Liam.
“A talk with just the two of us,” Missy added, this time looking fully at Liam, half expecting him to argue with her over this as well. “If that’s all right with you?”
He returned her stare for a long moment, and then nodded. “If you think that’s best.” He dropped his hand to his side. “For now.”
Meaning Casey and he—or more likely the three of them—would be talking about their shared past, and where they all went from here, during the next few days. At least his anger about their planned holiday seemed to have disappeared, probably because of Casey’s vocal objections to leaving Destiny.
Not that agreeing to another test meant anything had changed.
Still, things had gone better than Missy had hoped for tonight. Considering the merry-go-round of memories, emotions and questions that she’d been riding since that night in her father’s study, Missy was proud of how she’d handled things so far.
Once she and her daughter started talking? All bets were off.
Casey had never been one to back down from what she was feeling, and like most teenagers, she could get a bit cheeky when her emotions were riled, not holding back whatever she might be thinking. Missy was used to it, even if she did have to pull in Casey’s reins from time to time. The truth was she’d encouraged her daughter to always speak her mind and be honest with what she was feeling. A trait that often exasperated Casey’s grandparents, especially her grandmother.
It was time to end this evening before she went into memory overload. “Liam, if you could arrange for a car to take us to the closest hotel, perhaps that quaint bed-and-breakfast in town, we’d greatly appreciate it.”
Her heart stuttered when he gave a quick shake of his head. “No can do. The inn is full. So are the two hotels out by the highway. With the rodeo in town, there isn’t an empty room anywhere. People are staying as far away as Laramie. Even Cheyenne.”
“Well, we have to stay somewhere. I doubt we’ll be able to do anything about a test until Monday.” She released Casey and turned back for the phone she’d left on the table. “Let me do a search and see what I can find—”
“How about we stay here? Who’s living in those?”
“Cassalyn Dobbs!” Missy spun back around, surprised by the boldness of her daughter, who was pointing at the nearby log homes. “How cheeky of you.”
“She’s not being cheeky, just curious.” Liam again shook his head, this time with a slight smile on his face. “Sorry, but those are only model homes. They have electricity, as you can see, but no plumbing. Since your mother mentioned wanting a bubble bath—”
“I didn’t say anything about bubbles,” she cut him off, her gaze on her phone, positive she hadn’t spoken that desire aloud. “And we can’t stay here.”
“Of course you can.” Elise Murphy’s voice carried from the doorway as she came back out to the porch. “You’re more than welcome.”
Stay here in the Murphy family home? Not bloody likely!
Now it was Missy’s turn to shake her head. “Oh, we wouldn’t want to impose—”
“It’s no imposition, dear.” Elise hurried to join them. “We’d love to have you. Now, we do have an empty guest room in the main house, but it only has a queen-size bed. Much too small for the two of you. Nolan’s place is out—what with the four of them, it’s already crowded and why he turned his guest room into an office I’ll never understand.”
“He likes to work late,” Liam said. “Really late.”
“And he can’t walk across the yard to his office here in the main house?” Elise harrumphed. “Bryant and Laurie’s cabin is too small. And you—” she paused to swat at her son’s chest “—if you’d bother to furnish any of the rooms in your new place beside the master suite—”
“My place has furniture,” Liam interrupted his mother. “Just not in the bedrooms.”
“And aren’t you sorry about that now?”
The flash of awareness in his gaze caused Missy’s already hastened heartbeat to race out of control. Pressing a hand to her chest, as if that would ease the wild thumping, she tried to put a stop to this. “I appreciate your offer, but we’ll be fine in a hotel.”
“Wait, I have the perfect place!” The older woman’s eyes lit up as she clasped her hands together. “You can stay in the boathouse.”
“The boathouse?” Casey asked. “What’s that?”
“It’s down back, on the lake. Above where we store the boats and canoes and stuff. It used to be a storage area, but a few years ago I came up with the idea of...”
Missy’s gaze locked with Liam’s, his mother’s chatter fading to a dull buzzing. The boathouse. A private sanctuary in the middle of the Murphy family madness she and Liam had often sneaked off to whenever they wanted to be alone.
They’d discovered the secluded setting by accident one cool and stormy spring afternoon after hurrying back from a canoe ride, soaked to the skin and looking for shelter.
Filled with cast-off furniture, old toys and boxes and trunks filled with everything from books to clothes to holiday decorations, the place had had a faint musty smell, but it’d been warm and dry. After realizing no one had found out where they’d gone off to, they’d returned often. Just being together, away from everyone, had been wonderful.
Of course, the intimacy of the space had lent itself to kisses...and so much more. It’d been the first place they’d made love. On a warm night with moonlight streaming through the windows, both unsure of what they were doing, but secure in their feelings and what they wanted.
A wanting that deepened and grew—
“Missy?”
Liam’s husky voice broke into her memories, but it was his heated touch on her arm that jolted her out of the past.
She jerked away, refusing to look at him or accept the wild beating of her heart. Thankfully Elise was still going on about the design of the apartment, and her daughter was so enthralled with the description neither one of them had noticed how she had zoned out.
Liam had. Of course he had. He knew exactly why she was about to refuse his mother’s generous offer.
“Us dropping in unannounced like this isn’t fair to Liam...or to your family.” Missy prayed her words didn’t sound as distressed as she felt. “We really don’t want to put you to any trouble.”
“Oh, it’s no trouble, dear. We were expecting a visit from friends of Alistair’s for the rodeo, but they had to cancel at the last minute. The place is ready with fresh linens and a fully stocked kitchen.”
“It sounds perfect.” Casey offered a pleading look. “Please, Mum?”
It was late and the constant memories were draining, both emotionally and physically. Besides, after all this time, what did it really matter?
Hating the lump of desperation in her stomach at that thought, she forced a smile. “Thank you. We appreciate your hospitality.”
Elise smiled and handed a key ring to her son. “Here, perhaps you should take them around through the backyard. There’s still a group of people in the living room. We’ll see you both in the morning.”
His mother gave Casey a quick hug, which her daughter easily returned, surprising Missy again. She’d be hard-pressed to remember the last time she saw her mother exchange affections that way with Casey.
After the woman went back inside, the teen hurried to the stairs, grabbing Missy’s two small suitcases along with a duffel bag she recognized as belonging to her daughter.
“Blimey, Mum...only two cases? I thought you took a whole store full when you departed for California.”
“Most of which is still in LA,” she quipped, joining her daughter after getting her purse. “I only brought enough clothes for a weekend trip.”
“But we aren’t—”
She lightly tugged at her earlobe—a familiar gesture between them that had the desired effect of stopping Casey from arguing. For the moment, at least. Her daughter’s expression said she was clearly gearing up for round two.
Oh, a tub full of bubbles was sounding better all the time.
“Here, you take the key and let me carry those.” Liam relieved Casey of the luggage and gestured for them to head down the stairs first. “Let’s get you two settled. Casey, you know the way.”
As she followed her daughter, Missy wondered what Liam meant by that last statement.
“We came home earlier for dinner,” Liam said, falling into step beside her as they strolled down the lighted stone path that led around the side of the house. “Dad barbecued and then everyone headed back to the rodeo.”
Missy nodded, a bit mystified that he’d known what she’d been thinking. “Everyone but you.”
“I had a business emergency to deal with.” His voice turned low. “And I was waiting for you.”
A pang of...something she didn’t wish to label hit her right in the chest. She wrapped her arms across her middle against the chill that danced over her skin, raising goose bumps. The silky blazer and tank top she wore underneath were perfect for southern California in August, but the nights were cool here in Wyoming.
Yes, that had to be the reason for her body’s reaction to Liam’s words.
“Don’t worry, it doesn’t look anywhere near the same.”
Again, meant for her ears only, and she knew exactly what he was talking about. “It’s fine.”
“A lot has changed since you were here—”
“Yes, of course, it has.” She secretly hoped the attic space had been redone as extensively as Elise Murphy described. “As I said, it’s fine. Wait—what is—” She stopped short and pointed at the dark object just outside the reach of the outdoor lighting. “Is that a helicopter on the other side of the lot?”
“It’s for the family business,” Liam said. “A couple of my brothers and I are the pilots.”
She now remembered seeing something about it on the company’s website, but she’d had no idea... “You fly, too?”
Liam grinned, gesturing with her suitcase, and Missy started walking again, her heels clicking against the stones. The sturdy pathway continued through the large grassy yard and forest of trees at the back of the house.
She wondered how far it went. Years ago there’d been only a dirt trail that led from the oversize backyard down to the river. When they rounded the corner of the house, Missy stumbled to a stop. “Oh, my.”
“I told you things have changed a bit.” Liam’s voice flowed over her shoulder. “And I wasn’t just talking about the boathouse.”
She turned to him. “I can see that. I wasn’t expecting—”
“Isn’t it neat? You should see it in the daytime.” Casey spun around, coming dangerously close to the edge of an oversize in-ground pool. “They’ve got their own neighborhood back here!”
Yes, Missy could see that. The transformation of the yard was stunning.
“You might remember all we used to have was a simple wooden deck, but my folks wanted a complete outdoor entertainment space. Over the years they added the stone patio, fire pit, pool and the connecting pathways,” he said as he led the way. “We boys built the gazebo back there to celebrate their fortieth wedding anniversary a few years ago. Mom said it was the perfect final touch.”
Missy tried to take it all in. The care and thought that had gone into renovating the acreage was evident. Outdoor lights offered a soft glow, making it easy to see everything from the landscaping to the entertainment areas. Lighted pathways veered off in different directions through clusters of trees that gave each of the log homes a sense of privacy despite their relative closeness to each other.
“And the log homes,” she said. “I’m guessing from what your mother said, you and your brothers all still live here.”
“Not all of us. Adam has his own ranch down the road and Ric is currently stationed overseas, but yeah—” Liam grinned, and then shrugged. “I guess the rest of us figured the Murphy ranch was as good a place to settle down as anywhere else in town. At least we’re not all still in the main house.”
“Well, it’s certainly big enough for everyone,” she said, eyeing the house more closely.
Missy listened to him describe who lived where as they passed his brothers’ homes, Casey a few steps ahead of them. The path sloped downward and led to the lake, and the trees got closer together. When the boathouse with its familiar wooden dock came into view, her stomach clenched.
“So that must leave this one as yours, right?”
Casey’s question pulled Missy’s gaze from the boathouse to a two-story log home that sat a bit farther back into the trees.
“Yes, that’s my place,” Liam said.
“Wow, it’s big for one person. Since no one’s mentioned it, I’m guessing you’re not married.”
“Casey!”
“It’s okay.” His gaze lingered on Missy for a moment before he looked at their daughter. “And you guessed correctly, I’m not. I was—twice, actually—but neither one stuck.”
Twice? He’d married again? Not an unusual occurrence, but the news still surprised her.
“So do I have any younger half siblings running around?”
“Nope, just a handful of cousins, I’m afraid.”
“Bugger, I always wanted a little sister.” Casey shrugged and headed for the boathouse. “Used to bother my mum for years over that. Of course there was little chance of it happening. She rarely, if ever, dated after my father died.”
Missy gasped and pressed a hand to her forehead, embarrassed at her daughter’s directness but also to block out Liam’s dark gaze as he turned to look at her. “Cassalyn Elizabeth—”
“Oh, it’s never a good thing when she brings out the full name.” Reaching the end of the boathouse, Casey jerked her thumb around the corner. “Your mum said stairs would lead up to the flat. Is this them?”
“Yes, a light should come on when you get to the top...” His voice trailed off as Casey disappeared, her footsteps echoing up the stairwell. “Is she avoiding me all of a sudden?”
“No, it’s me she’s trying to get away from.” Missy couldn’t stop from stealing glances at the beautiful front porch on Liam’s home, so close now that it seemed to tower over them as they walked along the back side of the boathouse. “I apologize for her rudeness.”
“Like I said, it’s okay. I have a feeling she’s going to have quite a few questions for us in the coming days.”
“You’re probably right.” She followed him around the corner of the building, surprised when she saw a second-level porch had been added to the front of the boathouse that faced the water, creating a covered area over the three boat slips she remembered. “My, more changes.”
“I told you.”
“Yes, you did. Well, I should—” She stopped when the glow from the outdoor lighting suddenly disappeared, leaving them in darkness except for the light coming from the upper landing. “What—what just happened?”
“It must be ten o’clock. The lights are on a timed system with the majority of the accent features going off for the night. Don’t worry—the outside lights on everyone’s homes, as well as the pathways, are motion activated, in case you need anyone for...well, anything.”
Meaning she was to go to him? The queen would give up the throne first. “Well, as I was saying, I should get upstairs and answer some of those questions.”
Liam studied her in silence. Was he going to insist on being part of this discussion? Missy honestly didn’t think she had the strength to include him, as terrible as that sounded.
Not after everything that had happened today.
Being back in Destiny, staying in the boathouse, standing so close to him she could reach out and touch—
“Yes, I guess you should,” he finally said. “Let me take the bags up for you.”
“I’ll take them.” Casey reappeared, clomping down the stairs. “Sorry for popping off like that. I think the time difference has me a bit knackered.”
“If memory serves, that means tired, right?” Liam asked with a grin, handing over the luggage. “And apology accepted.”
Casey smiled, and then turned to head back upstairs. “You coming, Mum? Wait until you see the loo! There’s a giant claw-footed tub that sits in front of a huge glass window looking right out over the water.”
Missy faltered, grabbing at the handrail as she started to follow. She swung her gaze back to Liam, even as she called after her daughter’s departing figure. “There—there is?”
Liam retreated, the shadows not completely hiding the way his mouth lifted at one corner. “When I said it didn’t look the same, I wasn’t talking about the entire space. Some things are exactly how they used to be.”
* * *
It was after midnight and she should be lost in dreamland, but Missy couldn’t slow her mind enough to allow sleep to come.
Her talk with Casey had gone surprisingly well, her daughter handling the story of what happened all those years ago between Missy and Liam with ease. Of course, her anger with her grandparents was palpable, mixed with even more tears over her grandfather’s recent death, leaving the poor girl confused about what she should be feeling.
Still, she seemed more interested in what had happened sixteen years ago here in Destiny. Missy shared some of what her time here had been like. But after one too many yawns from Casey, Missy had pleaded exhaustion herself and shooed her daughter off to the smaller of the apartment’s two bedrooms.
After checking and finding her daughter sound asleep, Missy then took that bubble bath she’d been longing for, memories be damned. So what if the tub stood in the exact same spot it had sixteen years ago?
The antique hadn’t been in working order back then. Not that they had let that stop them on a stormy afternoon, lining the tub with old quilts and sharing a picnic there, the roomy fixture big enough to fit both of them comfortably. So comfortably that they’d—
Okay, so the bubbles did little to relax her. Nor did the cup of Earl Grey tea she’d made after finding a selection of loose teas and a darling little pot in the cozy kitchen.
Setting the empty cup in the sink, Missy crossed the parlor, drawn to the French doors that led to the covered porch. She hoped a few moments in the fresh air would clear away her whirlwind thoughts as she slipped outside, closing the door behind her.
She tightened the sash on her dressing gown. The air was cool as she walked to the porch railing, drawn by the full moon lighting up the night sky and dancing over the gentle current of the river-fed lake.
Leaning forward, she gazed up at the stars shining overhead, so clear and bright. Not a sight she saw often from her London neighborhood. Years ago, her first glimpse at a Wyoming sky at night had made her feel much as she felt right now.
Lost and alone. Small. Insignificant. The same emotions that had swamped her the day she’d discovered she was pregnant and had no idea who the baby’s father was.
She’d prayed it was Liam. Hoped and prayed for weeks, even after her parents and Stanford had learned about the pregnancy. She’d debated constantly over getting in touch with Liam while having no idea how to explain the crazy situation.

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