Page 130 of The Holiday Heartbreaker

Over his eyes.

And then he got out of the truck and it all became clear. Black from head to toe, with black gloves and black boots.

He was dressed as a pirate.

Then Benny scrambled out of the SUV. “Brody!”

“Benny,” Brody said.

“Benny!” And then Benny looked away from Brody, and at her, and the smile that lit his face filled her with joy.

He went running toward her, and she scooped him up into her arms, twirling him in a circle. “I’m so glad you’re home.”

“Me too. It was too long,” he said. “Dad said next time I could just come for Christmas and go home after if I want to.”

“Very reasonable of your dad.”

The door opened, and Carter got out. “Hey Elizabeth,” he said.

“Did you have a good Christmas?” she asked.

“Yeah,” he said. “We did. It was great. Benny has a bunch of stuff in the back of the... I was just going to get it. Am I missing something?”

“Definitely,” Brody said, not taking his eyes off Elizabeth. “You’re definitely missing something.”

Carter went around to the back of the SUV. Opened it up and took out Benny’s backpack, and several more bags full of presents.

“I’ll see you later,” Carter said after he had left the bags on the porch. “Love you, Benny,” he said, reaching out and giving Benny a hug.

“I love you too, Dad.”

And that was why she knew it was worth it. No matter how much it hurt when he was gone. No matter how hard it was. It was worth it because he loved his dad.

And love was an everexpanding thing. It didn’t have to be small or selfish. And it didn’t take. His loving Carter didn’t take any love from her.

Love just grew. And she could find it in her to... To love Carter as the father of her son.

To not be so hurt.

Because she wasn’t missing anything. She wasn’t wistful anymore that they had to share custody. That they didn’t share a household. Because how could she be?

She had been trying to fit herself into a space that she didn’t fit in.

“You look different,” Carter said, stopping and looking at her for a moment.

“Yeah. I am. I’m sure I’ll be talking to you a little later today.”

“Okay...” He looked like he wanted to ask questions, but also like he realized it wasn’t his place to ask those questions.

To give him some credit.

“See you.”

“Yeah,” he said.

And then he got in his SUV and drove away, leaving her with Benny, and the pirate.

“You might be wondering why I am dressed so nicely,” Brody said to Benny.

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