Page 84 of The Cowboy and the Baby

Noelle instantly relaxed.

“Really?”

Channing sent a quick glance my way, adding, “But that doesn’t mean it’s going to be quick, or easy. These sort of battles are often prolonged affairs.” He flicked open a folder, glanced at the papers, and then elevated a few. He passed them over, and Noelle accepted them.

“Lily’s grandparents are proceeding with filing for custody, and have requested three things. First, a temporary placement.”

A beat passed before Noelle hissed, “They want to take her?”

“They can’t,” Channing immediately replied. “Not without a judge’s order, and they don’t have one. You have read their letter and know what they’re claiming, so I won’t bore you with a review of those.”

Noelle passed me the papers, having only briefly glanced at them. I quickly skimmed the pages, but my brain didn’t comprehend a single word. Noelle’s grip on my hand tightened.

“Doesn’t matter if what they’re claiming is true yet, just that they can claim it and make it sound concerning. They think they have leverage.” He raised a careless, almost bored brow. “They don’t have anything.”

Noelle leaned back in her chair, and I could see the whiplash of hope to terror in her eyes. Fortunately, Channing didn’t make her linger in the questions for long.

“The path forward is clear. They’re going to file, we’re going to respond with a firm defense. It’s my job to make it very clear that removing Lily from your care would be extremely disruptive to her and therefore not beneficial. Her young age makes that a little easier, since you are all she’s known since birth, and you have a verbal request from your sister to have her. We’re going to focus on that point, and then reassess when we see their response. If they continue to push, then they will have to prove that you are unfit.”

Channing met Noelle’s stare right on.

“They won’t be able to.”

She breathed out, and her grip relaxed again. My eyes trailed to Lily in the car seat, her eyes closed, asleep, the blanket tucked tightly around her.

“What do we do?” Noelle asked, gesturing between her and me. “I mean . . . is there something we can do that will help you? I could call my aunt Marsha and see if?—”

Channing held up a hand. “Not necessary yet. Let me respond to their filing and take us to the next step. My guess is that, when they have to prove you are unfit, we’ll see their resolve weaken. If they continue to push, I will make it very expensive and difficult for them to do so.”

“They have so much money.”

He shrugged.

“Every hurdle is a win, Miss Morgan. I’m here for the long haul.”

There was a firm promise in his tone. Not venomous or malicious. Not even protective, but competitive. In a way, this sort of tussle was a game, and Channing was a dog with a bone.

Good.

I was glad he was on our side.

“I understand this is a very quick meeting, but I don’t see any reason to waste your time reviewing big plans that might be unnecessary. We’ll respond to every allegation, and take the case from there one step at a time. Do you have any questions?”

Noelle frowned, searching, but shook her head. “No. Not that you haven’t already answered. But . . . thank you. For taking us on, for meeting us today. I feel better having met with you in person, and I feel better knowing that you have our backs, too.”

The edges of Channing’s face softened in the aftermath of Noelle’s sincere and heartfelt words. Gratitude dripped from every word she said, and it affected Channing, a man that I’d compared to suave granite.

“You’re most welcome, Miss Morgan, and you are not alone. I don’t take on cases that I can’t win, and I don’t tolerate bullies.”

He stood up. “I will update you when I have more information. You have plenty on your plate taking care of Lily, so I won’t bore you with unnecessary details, but I will keep you apprised when it is pertinent. If you have questions at any time, please let me know.”

28

NOELLE

The clinking sounds and murmur of a restaurant surrounded us after we left Channing’s office. It seemed ironic that we’d drive over an hour to only meet with him for ten minutes, but I was grateful to have met him in person, and for his swift and certain execution. Not to mention an opportunity to get out of the house and see these old mountain bulwarks again.

The break from our renovation monotony was welcome, anyway, and Lily had been excited with all the new noises. Snow threatened to spill from scudding clouds overhead. In an hour, darkness would settle, but we’d be almost home by then.