Page 4 of Carpenter's Christmas Bride

When she’d gotten hurt, Kenzie had been sharing a small apartment with four other dancers, in the kind of neighborhood where the landlord was willing to look the other way at having so many young women sharing what was technically supposed to be a one-bedroom place. Kenzie hadn’t had control of the music or the television in months, and night or day, there was always the sound of someone on the phone, or doing stretches with an online video.

But those little sacrifices had always felt worth it. And besides, Kenzie didn’t mind. She liked dancing, and her colleagues, and she wasn’t exactly a material person.

Being back in her childhood home felt like another world. After she’d unpacked and settled down last night, Kenzie hadn’t been able to sleep. It was too quiet here, and too strange knowing that she was completely alone in the house.

It was hitting her now that all this time, even though she’d been out on her own, she hadn’t really been living the life of a normal adult.

“Hey,” Mal said gently. “Are you sure you don’t want to come out for dinner with the girls tonight?”

Kenzie felt a pang of guilt. And she knew that her emotions always showed on her face. That was helpful onstage, but not so much in real life where you didn’t always want your friends seeing your existential crises.

“Thanks, but it’s my first full day home,” Kenzie said, plastering on a smile. “I want to get settled in. And hey, I was hoping to get a contractor over here as soon as possible to put in mirrors and a barre so I can start training again. But everyone I’ve called is booked until after New Year’s. Do you know anyone?”

“I can ask around,” Mal said, nodding. “But I’m guessing a lot of people want projects done in time for Christmas, so you might have to wait.”

Mal’s eyes went worriedly to the boot on Kenzie’s foot. Kenzie guessed that she was probably wondering if she should be training yet.

“That’s okay,” Kenzie said. “I’m not going anywhere. At least not quickly.”

She looked pointedly at her crutches, and Mal giggled.

Mal started telling her something about Honey Peterson, and Kenzie listened and asked questions as she got a whole round of gossip about each of Mal’s friends and their misadventures.

By the time Mal headed out, Kenzie was feeling really good.

She stood by the door for a moment, looking out at the backyard once more. The swings on her old swing set drifted in the breeze and the bare tree branches formed a canopy overhead. In the summertime, they would be heavy with lush green leaves. But it was beautiful to have so much nature close, even in the wintertime.

Her injury had been a setback. But it had opened up so many opportunities to try things she’d never really had a chance to before.

She was going to eat good food, relax, hang out with friends, and maybe even go on a dream date with a sweet guy…

Now she just had to figure out where to find one.

2

KENZIE

Kenzie pulled up at the Co-op Grocer’s, feeling pleased to get a spot so close to the side entry doors. She remembered the summer they had added the big button that operated the side door for easier wheelchair access. She’d never thought that button might come in handy for her own use, but she would certainly be glad for it now.

Getting out of the car and reaching back in for her crutches and her bag was a challenge, but she managed without too much trouble.

She was allowed to drive with the boot on her left foot, but it made her a little nervous, and she hadn’t driven in forever. Now that she was standing safely on the sidewalk, she stopped and took a moment to look around and appreciate the town.

When she was a little kid, she had assumed that every town had pretty candy canes hung from the lampposts at Christmastime, and that all shop owners got excited about the season, putting up lights, pine bough garlands, and holly wreaths.

A little time in the world outside Trinity Falls showed her that wasn’t the case. And now that she was home, she was determined to enjoy every bit of the town’s holiday spirit.

Though she longed to walk around the village, she knew shopping might wear her out when she had to navigate using crutches and a cart at once. So, she satisfied herself with admiring the beautifully creative window display at the Co-op, and the sweet Santa and reindeer opening oversized fortune cookies that had been beautifully painted on the front window of Bowl of Joy next door.

Thanksgiving had barely come and gone, and already Trinity Falls village felt like Christmas. Soon, she would be getting her exercise in by walking around town in the evening to admire her neighbors’ displays too.

Humming a tune to herself, Kenzie headed over to where the carts were and tried to figure out how to proceed. She could walk with both crutches, or push the cart with both hands, but walking and pushing at the same time was going to be tricky.

After thinking it over, she decided to put one crutch in the cart while she kept the other under her left arm and used the cart to support part of her weight with her right hand.

It was slow going for her, but hopefully shopping in the morning on a weekday meant it wouldn’t be crowded and she wouldn’t slow anyone else down too much.

She pressed the big button and smiled when she saw the glass door glide open. But she frowned when she realized how much time it might take for her to get in and worried that the door might close again before she, the cart, and the crutch made their way inside.

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