One Silent Night (Romeo Family Romance #9) - Jennifer Youngblood

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“If you could just put aside your hurt pride and look at this rationally, you’ll see that I’m right. Aiden needs to be with his grandparents this Christmas.”

An inferno of heat flushed over Noelle’s cheeks as she tightened her grip on the handle of the shopping buggy. “Hurt pride?” Her voice rose to a screech. “Did you really just say that to me?” Her outburst caught the attention of a woman walking past in the aisle. Noelle offered a tight smile to the wide-eyed woman before lowering her voice, her words spilling out in guttural bursts through clenched teeth. “After everything that your son has done to me? I can assure you, Dottie, that this goes way beyond hurt pride.” She reached for a box of pasta and plunked it into the buggy. Her pulse was roaring like a jet engine propeller against her temples.

“Is it so wrong of me to want to have my only grandson with me this Christmas?” Dottie’s voice held a wounded tremble.

Noelle rolled her eyes. Her former mother-in-law was a master at playing the martyr to get her way. Well, it wouldn’t work this time. Noelle sucked in a breath, willing herself to calm down. “We’ve been over this a dozen times. Aiden and I went to Atlanta for Thanksgiving, and we’re spending Christmas here with my aunt and her kids.” Noelle hoped the finality in her tone would get the message through Dottie’s thick skull. Thanksgiving had been brutal. Her ex-husband, Kyle, had the nerve to bring his latest conquest to the gathering, Tiffany Wade, a twenty-year-old bombshell actress who was ten years younger than Kyle. Noelle had to watch him pawing all over the naïve bubblehead while picking at her turkey, which was bone dry and tasteless. Kyle’s affair with Tiffany had been the last straw in a long line of betrayals. It was what gave Noelle the impetus to dump his butt and move back to Franklin.

“I have an idea. Let Aiden go with us to Tybee Island for Christmas, and you can stay there and spend time with your aunt and her family.” Dottie’s voice was cashmere soft.

“No, that won’t work. I’m spending Christmas with my son,” Noelle countered as she looked at Aiden’s chestnut curls, bouncing in synch with his movements as he skipped along, staying a handful of steps in front of the shopping buggy. At five years old, Aiden was a bundle of energy. Noelle couldn’t take her eyes off him for one second without fear of him getting into something.

He glanced back over his shoulder. “Can we get some Popsicles?” His dark eyes lit with eagerness. Aiden was the spitting image of his father Kyle with his wide smile and curly locks. There was a cute smattering of freckles splashed across his nose and he was missing one of his front baby teeth. It was the first one that had fallen out.

Noelle nodded as she moved the phone away from her mouth. “If you’re good.”

He threw her such an adorable, cherubic smile that Noelle couldn’t help but grin. “It’s a good thing you’re cute, you little stinker.” He’d already caused her grief today.

“Is that Aiden?” Dottie asked. “Put him on the phone.”

“We’re in the grocery store,” Noelle countered.

“I don’t understand why you felt the need to move so far away,” Dottie sulked.

How many times was Noelle going to have to keep repeating the same conversation? “Franklin is my home. It’s where I grew up.”

Dottie’s voice grew pleading. “Your home is here with us. If you could just give Kyle another chance.”

A chortle rose in Noelle’s throat. “I’ve given him plenty of chances.” If Kyle were here, she’d punch him in the nose and then kick him in the groin.

“This thing with that kid actress is a passing fancy,” Dottie spouted. “Kyle is just going through a rough spot.”

“Really?” Noelle hurled out through clenched teeth. “What was his excuse for the other affairs?”

“T—that’s not fair,” Dottie blustered as her words rushed out. “I knew it was a mistake for you to go to work. If only you’d been home more, cooked regular dinners, paid attention to Kyle’s needs.”

A disbelieving laugh rose in Noelle’s throat. “Says the woman who lives off of takeout.” Dottie was delusional. No wonder Kyle was such a putz. He’d been coddled his entire life. Noelle was getting disgusted and weary with this ridiculous phone call. What about her needs? Dottie never even considered that Noelle might have feelings. What about commitment, love, fidelity? The only