Page 68 of Carpenter's Christmas Bride

Kenzie frowned. She felt special when she was with Aidan. And she adored Walt. Was she really supposed to want to go out to some fancy dinner with Aidan and leave Walt at home every time?

Maybe it’s not meant to be true love if I’d rather stay in for a family night…

“Anyway,” Mal said, “I think the real big news is that your boot is coming off tomorrow. How are you feeling?”

“Nervous,” Kenzie admitted. “And excited, I guess.”

“I’ll be right there with you,” Mal said. “No matter the news.”

“Thank you, Mallory,” Kenzie said, suddenly feeling super emotional. “You’re the best.”

“Right back atcha’,” Mal laughed. “Now get some sleep. We’re going to find a way to live it up afterward no matter what they tell you.”

And for as much as Kenzie had fretted over the news she would get tomorrow, it suddenly seemed a lot less important to her.

20

AIDAN

Aidan carried Walt up to bed as soon as they got home from Kenzie’s. He still felt like he was in some beautiful dream where the three of them had just enjoyed a peaceful night at home and ended it feeling happy.

Could our lives be like that all the time?

But he was getting way ahead of himself. Kenzie didn’t even know what her future in dance might hold yet. This was no time to be dreaming of proposals and honeymoons and quiet winter nights at home.

“Daddy,” Walt murmured as Aidan put him in his bed. “I was in trouble at camp.”

“That’s okay,” Aidan told him firmly. “I got in trouble when I was little too. It’s hard to sit still all the time.”

“You didn’t go on your special date,” Walt said.

Aidan had warned Walt in the morning that he might be going home with Aunt Leticia because Aidan wanted to take Kenzie on a special date, if she said yes.

That had been quite the conversation. Aidan had to tell Walt he liked Kenzie so much he wanted to spend some grown-up time with her, and they’d talked about what that meant, with Walt referencing enough princes and princesses in Disney movies that Aidan found himself grateful to his aunt and uncle for watching so many of them with Walt.

“It’s okay,” Aidan told him. “We can go on a fancy date another time. We had so much fun with you, right?”

“Kenzie never went to a special dance,” Walt went on sadly.

Aidan didn’t like to see his son feeling sad, but he was honestly kind of impressed that he’d been paying enough attention to have a grip on some of the grown-up stuff that had been discussed.

“Well, she missed some fun things that kids do because she wanted to dance,” Aidan explained. “She loves ballet. So she wanted to do that instead.”

He wasn’t doing the best job explaining it. Telling Walt that Kenzie missed a dance because she wanted to dance was bound to lead to more confusion. But Walt didn’t seem to get hung up on that part.

“Can she do fun stuff now?” Walt asked.

Aidan opened his mouth to explain that she couldn’t really go to the prom now. But then he stopped himself before he could say it. Maybe she couldn’t go to the prom. But why couldn’t she go out for a special night in a pretty dress?

“I don’t know,” Aidan said. “I mean I guess I could take her out dancing.”

“Yes,” Walt said sounding happier. “Kenzie loves to dance.”

“Should I make a plan?” Aidan asked, ruffling the boy’s soft hair. “To take Kenzie dancing in a fancy dress?”

“Yes, okay,” Walt said, nodding with solemn eyes. “That will make Kenzie happy.”

“Okay,” Aidan said. “You get some sleep now, and we’ll have a fun day tomorrow.”

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