Bryan’s heart sunk, simply plummeted to his toes. He looked into Holly’s eyes, wondering if she was telling the truth, praying she wasn’t.

But he couldn’t deny the conviction he saw in her eyes. She wasn’t joking and she wasn’t exaggerating. She was being 100% honest. She didn’t believe in anything anymore.

And for someone who pretended to be Santa, nothing could break his heart more.

He looked down at her son, Bobby, and wondered if maybe, just maybe, there was a chance for her. After all, she had a kid who believed so fiercely that he risked getting in trouble so he could ask Santa for something for his mom. A woman who didn’t believe.

Bobby had to have gotten his faith from somewhere.

“Everyone believes in something,” Bryan argued. “Even as adults, we believe.”

He watched her eyes take him in, carefully searching his hidden face for clues as to who he really was. He couldn’t let her see though. She couldn’t know. He wouldn’t let her.

“Not me,” she argued right back. “I’ve got debt up to my eyeballs, a boss who thinks I’m a step above his slave, and haven’t had a man look at me twice since… well, you can probably guess.” She eyed her son meaningfully, as if to tell Bryan the last time a man had given her the time of day was when she got pregnant.

But that wasn’t the part that had him sucking in a breath and wishing he could run. Sure, finding out she was basically a virgin all over again made certain parts of him want to come to life, but his brain got stuck on the second part of her argument.

The part about her horrible boss. The one who treated her badly.

“If can’t be that bad. Maybe your boss thinks you’re indispensable.”

Her snort of derision was like a knife through his chest. He hated knowing she felt that way.

“If that were true he wouldn’t have me working around the clock, neglecting time with my kid, just so I can take care of him. The jerk has the nerve to leave early too, like he’s the only one with a life. He’s probably out with some model, telling her how hard he works and trying to convince her he’s a great guy.”

Bryan shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He couldn’t argue with her, even if it wasn’t true. Well, not all of it. If he argued she would know the truth. That her boss was the very same man she was complaining to. And that he wasn’t out with a model, but instead sitting with a single mom and wishing he could convince her he was a great guy.