Page 72 of Carpenter's Christmas Bride

“He came all the way down here to see me,” Kenzie said, still stunned. “I thought those guys in New York would have half-forgotten about me by now.”

“He’s the one from the photo?” Mal asked.

“Yes,” Kenzie said. “Super nice guy. We’ve been dancing together forever, but he was moved up to principal before I was. I can’t believe he did this on his day off.”

Mal nodded without saying anything and Kenzie would have asked what was wrong if they hadn’t just arrived at the café. Mal pushed open the door, sending the bells jingling and releasing the warmth of the café and the scent of something delicious baking.

There was nothing for Kenzie to do but follow her inside.

“Hey, girls,” Holly Fields said, approaching them with a pot of coffee in her hand. “Kenzie, there’s a man waiting for you at the table by the counter.”

The waitress’s eyes were twinkling, and she nodded toward the table by the counter and coffee fixings station.

Sure enough, Dmitri sat at the table alone. He stood as soon as his dark eyes landed on her, smirking slightly in signature move that never failed to make all the ballet fans outside the stage door swoon.

“Oh,” Mal said. “Wow.”

Apparently, it was working on her, too.

In fact, a couple of people at other tables were openly staring now. And Kenzie could hardly blame them. With his tall, athletic form accentuated by a tailored leather jacket, and long dark hair brushing his wide shoulders, Dmitri was quite a commanding presence in a café full of patrons in blue jeans and Christmas sweaters.

“Butterfly,” he called to her in a deep voice that held just the tiniest hint of an eastern-European accent.

“Oh, Dmitri,” Kenzie said, moving to him as quickly as she dared. “I can’t believe you came.”

“No cast,” he said, opening his arms to her. “No crutches.”

“The doctor told me I don’t need the boot anymore,” she told him as she gave him a hug. “I just found out before coming here.”

“So does this mean we will see you back in training again soon, my dear?” Dmitri asked.

“I’m not sure,” she said. “This is my best friend, Mal. Mal, this is Dmitri, my ballet partner.”

“Nice to meet you,” Mal said awkwardly.

“The pleasure is all mine,” Dmitri said with a smirk. “Kenzie never told me that her little town was filled with such beautiful people.”

It was all Kenzie could do not to roll her eyes at him being such a ham, but Mal looked like she was going to faint.

“I, uh, should go,” Mal said, making no move to do so.

“Okay,” Kenzie told her. “I guess I’ll see you at the theatre?”

“Yes,” Mal said, blinking and turning to go without even looking at Kenzie again.

“That wasn’t nice,” Kenzie scolded Dmitri.

“What?” he asked, but his eyes were twinkling.

“I can’t believe you came all the way down here just to surprise me,” Kenzie said. “When do you have to get back?”

“Not until tomorrow afternoon,” he told her. “I booked myself a room at the local inn. Is it nice?”

“Very nice,” Kenzie said. “There isn’t any room service though, so don’t ask. Just pretty rooms, a nice view of the lake, and a sweet lady who runs the place.”

“Sounds enchanting,” Dmitri said. “So, when I asked if you’d be training again soon you said you weren’t sure. What aren’t you sure about?”

Kenzie frowned. She and Dmitri had shared the same dream ever since they’d met as teenagers. How was she supposed to tell him she wasn’t sure she wanted to dance again, even if she could?

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