Page 31 of Carpenter's Christmas Bride

Walt had clearly enjoyed a good night’s sleep, because he was his usual energetic self. It took all of Aidan’s patience to get him into clean clothing, with his teeth brushed, and at least a little toast in his belly without breaking anything or having a total meltdown.

“You saved up all your good behavior for Aunt Anna today, right?” Aidan had asked Walt as they got into the car and the boy had nodded but Aidan wasn’t sure he believed him.

Too late now, he told himself as he approached Kenzie’s place.

And Anna Webb would never tell on him. She was so sweet about watching the boy. Thankfully Aidan wouldn’t have to lean on her for long. Soon, Walt would be in a “winter break camp” over in Springton Valley and Aidan was hopeful that they would keep the kids busy enough to run off Walt’s energy. They certainly had plenty of outdoor space for the kids to play in and wear themselves out.

Walking around to the back of Kenzie’s house, he was reminded that she was living in her childhood home right now too. They had that in common, if nothing else.

Don’t look at her like that, he coached himself. Don’t even think about her like that, like you’re looking for common ground.

“Hey,” she said, opening the door for him before he had a chance to knock.

“You’re up early,” he said, noting that she wasn’t in pajamas this time.

Her pretty sweater and jeans were perfectly modest and no different from what his little cousin, Lucy, was probably wearing today. But somehow she looked so much like the vision of the wholesome girl-next-door he’d always imagined falling for, that it almost hurt. He swallowed hard and reminded himself to keep it together.

But she laughed, and the throatiness of it reminded him somehow of Walt. That small likeness surprised him enough that he forgot himself and looked her right in the eye.

A little zing of electricity passed between them and that wild waterfall began crashing in his chest all over again, her image shimmering in the haze.

“So, you wanted to look around and get the lay of the land?” she asked, breaking the spell.

“Yes, definitely,” he said, dragging his eyes from hers. “I might need to move the furniture a bit just to see what I’m dealing with on the walls.”

“Fine by me,” she said. “I’m going to go start some coffee. Let me know if you need anything.”

“Sounds good,” he said, inwardly grateful that she was leaving the room. The last thing he needed was to make a mistake on the job while his head was full of nonsense.

He headed to the first wall, grabbed his stud finder out of his bag, and got to work. As soon as he started finding anchoring spots and making notes on his pad, he felt like himself again. Everything else always melted away when Aidan was working with his hands.

He knew his parents had been disappointed when he didn’t go into engineering. He’d had good grades in high school, and he liked math. But sitting at a desk all day for another four years of college sounded horrible, and it would only lead to a lifetime in another desk.

Trade school was expensive, but his parents had grudgingly paid. He was glad they had seen him find some success before they passed away. He still treasured his memory of the Christmas when his dad had pulled him aside to tell Aidan how proud he was of him for knowing what made him happy, and working hard to build the life he wanted.

He might not be so proud of me this last year, he thought to himself as he marked down another note.

It was hard to stay upbeat when it felt like the life he’d dreamed of giving his son was being pulled away.

Walt had the same issues Aidan had when it came to sitting still and behaving like other kids. Now he had only one parent to help him and advocate for him. And if they moved home permanently to get extra family support, it would also mean that everyone would remember that Aidan had been the same way. Maybe the school principal wouldn’t listen if Aidan said Walt needed extra help because she’d remember that Aidan hadn’t been able to control himself either.

Maybe I needed extra help, he thought to himself.

But that couldn’t be true, because his parents would have gotten it for him.

It’s a phase, he told himself for the hundredth time. I figured out how to do what I had to do, and Walt will too.

Before he knew it, he had all the info he needed for the job. When he finally looked up from his notebook, he saw that Kenzie was back. She had seated herself quietly at a small table on the other side of the room and was reading a book.

“All set?” she asked. “I made plenty of coffee if you’d like some.”

How was it that everything she said and did made him like her even more?

She’s leaving, he reminded himself. You can’t like another woman who leaves.

“Thanks,” he said, his worries making him impatient. “I need to get into town though. I’ll start tomorrow, if possible.”

“Sure,” she said. “I’ll be here to let you in.”

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