Page 95 of Falling for Love

He dried off his hands and leaned against the counter beside me, his voice quiet but firm.

“Evie, I don’t mind the baggage. I’m sure I have some of my own.In case it’s not painfully obvious, I’m all in here. With you. With Hayden.”

His words sent a pang through my chest, and I felt the tears sting my eyes before I could stop them.

“Liam...”

“Talk to me,” he said softly. “What happened?”

I hesitated, but the weight of the secret was too much to carry alone.

“I got a letter,” I said finally, my voice barely above a whisper.

He straightened slightly, his eyes narrowing in concern.

“What kind of letter?”

“A legal one,” I said, the words feeling heavy in my mouth. “From Hayden’s dad. He’s filed for custody.”

The silence that followed was deafening.

Liam stared at me. The easy warmth in his expression was replaced by something sharper, more protective.

“I thought he wasn’t in the picture,” he said carefully.

“He wasn’t. He isn’t,” I said quickly. “He made it clear when I was pregnant that he didn’t want anything to do with Hayden. And now, out of nowhere, this.”

Liam let out a slow breath and shook his head.

His jaw tightened. “And he thinks he can just show up and take Hayden?”

“I don’t know what he thinks,” I admitted, my voice cracking. “But I can’t let it happen. Hayden is my whole world, Liam. I’ve fought so hard to give him a good life, a stable life. I can’t lose that.”

“You won’t,” he said firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument. “Not on my watch.”

“It’s not your fight, Liam. I appreciate what you’re saying, but this is something I have to handle.”

“Evie...” He paused, clearly trying to choose his words thoughtfully. “I get that you feel like you have to handle it alone. But you don’t. I’m here. Whatever you need, whenever you need it—I’m here.”

His sincerity took my breath away, and I couldn’t speak for a moment.

“Thank you,” I whispered finally, my voice thick with emotion.

He reached out and placed his hand over mine.

“You don’t have to thank me,” he said softly. “That’s what people do when they care about each other.”

The tears I’d been holding back threatened to spill, but I blinked them away, nodding.

“You’re too good, you know that?”

“Don’t let that get out. I’ve got a reputation to maintain.”

I laughed despite myself, the tension easing just a fraction. “And what reputation is that?”

“An ogre of sorts, drifting…a loner.” He winked at me, and I snickered, knowing no one thought that about Liam Harper.

He was always the guy who offered to lend a hand and flash a smile.

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