Protecting Her(64)

He hugs him back. “Would you like to go throw the ball around before dinner?”

“Yeah! I’ll be right back.” He turns and runs out of the kitchen and back up the stairs.

Pearce takes me in his arms again. “Did you get a costume too?”

I laugh. “No. I think my trick-or-treat days are over.”

He leans down by my ear. “I was thinking more along the lines of a sexy nurse costume or maybe a French maid.”

“Hmm. I like that idea.” I smile. “I might have to go back to the store.”

We kiss again just as Garret runs into the kitchen. “Why are you guys always kissing? It’s gross.”

Pearce laughs. “You’ll understand when you’re older. I need to go change.”

While he’s upstairs, Garret starts taking the licorice and other candy from the pantry.

“Honey, we’re having dinner first,” I tell him.

“I know. I’m just getting it ready.”

He likes to help me set up the concession stand.

“Then let me get the table out.” I go in the laundry room and get the foldout table and set it up in the family room. “Okay, it’s all set.”

He already has the licorice arranged in a glass and the M&M’s in a bowl. He does it just the way I do.

“I’ll make the sign when I get back.” He yanks open the sliding door to the back yard. “Tell Dad I’m outside.”

“Okay, honey. I’ll tell him.” I smile as I watch him leave. He’s such a good kid.

And Pearce is such a great dad. Before we had Garret, Pearce was so worried he’d be a bad father. Holton never did anything with Pearce when he was a child so Pearce had no example of how to be a father. But he figured it out, and now he’s a great dad. And he loves being a dad. I think, in a way, having Garret allowed Pearce to relive his own childhood, which he never really had.

“You’re wanted outside,” I say as Pearce comes back in the kitchen, wearing jeans and a t-shirt.

“Then I better get out there.” He kisses me. “I love you.”

I smile. “I love you too.”

We have dinner, followed by movie night, which is like a party to Garret since it’s on a school night instead of Friday night. Then Garret goes to bed and Pearce and I have our own private party in our bedroom.





The next morning, I take Garret to school, then go to a meeting for a holiday fundraiser I’m planning with some other women in town. We’re raising money to help restore the historic church that’s just outside the town square. It’s a beautiful church and none of us want it to be torn down, which is what will happen if it’s not restored.

In the afternoon, I go to pick up Garret. He attends the private school Holton signed him up for years ago. I don’t like that Holton did that without consulting Pearce and me, but it turned out to be a really good school.

As I’m driving there, Shelby calls. I haven’t talked to her forever.

“Shelby, are you pregnant again?” I’m teasing her, because it seems like she only calls me when she’s pregnant. She and Logan now have three kids, a boy and twin girls. They live in New York. They moved there four years ago.

She laughs. “I’m not pregnant, but I know what you’re saying. I promise to call you more.”

“It’s okay. I’m just kidding. So how have you been?”

“Exhausted. But I love it. I guess you were right. I guess I’m the mom type after all.”

“I knew you were.” I smile. “How’s Logan?”

“He’s been working a lot. But we’re going on vacation next week. Leaving the kids with my mom.”

“I wish I could get Pearce to go on vacation. He’s always so busy with work that we never go anywhere. Maybe I could get him to go somewhere between Christmas and New Year’s when Garret’s out of school.”

She’s quiet and I check my phone. “Shelby, are you there?”

“Yeah. I um…I was just thinking, doesn’t Pearce always have some kind of conference for his company that week?”

“Yes, but maybe he could skip it this year. I don’t know. I have to talk to him about it.”

“How have his parents been?”

“They’ve been okay. They go in phases. Sometimes good, sometimes bad. But the past few months have been mostly good. I’ve continued to be overly nice to Holton and it drives him crazy. He doesn’t know what to do. I even made him a cake for his birthday. He wouldn’t eat it, but I don’t care. I’m still going to make him one every year. ”