Page 37 of Carpenter's Christmas Bride

The guys had done a great job. She would be able to see herself from head to toe when she trained now. And as soon as Aidan put a barre up for her, she could get to work. She wanted to thank him, but there was no sign of either of the men.

She looked around and noticed a folded piece of paper wedged in the back door. She headed over and grabbed it, unfolding it as she stood by the door. It was a note, written on the back of a hardware store receipt.

Kenzie,

We finished up, but I didn’t want to disturb you while you were reading. This is it for today. I’ll be back tomorrow to install the barres.

-Aidan

Kenzie read the note a second time, and then a laugh bubbled out of her chest.

She never would have thought Aidan Webb would be a writer of thoughtful notes. And she hadn’t been reading. She had obviously been sleeping pretty hard if she hadn’t heard him come in to tell her he was leaving.

He hadn’t even shot her off a quick text. The man was really trying to let her sleep. Smiling to herself, she carried the note back to the kitchen and instead of throwing it away, she decided to use it as a bookmark.

I’m not being weird about it, she told herself. I just don’t have a bookmark handy.

She grabbed her books from the kitchen and carefully headed back into the family room with them, placing them gently on the table by the sofa, and chuckled again at the idea that Aidan must have tiptoed away when he found her asleep.

She pictured his frowning face as he jotted down the note, and she laughed again, charmed by his good manners.

In the mirror, another Kenzie laughed along with her. That version of her also had a sleepy look on her face, and her leg in a big boot. But she looked happy.

Kenzie had often been told she had a sunny disposition, but she had dismissed it. A lot of people were cheerful. It was nothing unusual.

But thinking about it now, she appreciated her nature. And it was thanks to Aidan making her see herself in a new light. She was lucky, really. What would it be like to always have a frown, and to greet every new situation with suspicion and dread?

But he’d been different today, back in the kitchen, when they talked about books. He was more relaxed with her now.

Her eyes were drawn back to the note in her hand again. He would be back tomorrow. Maybe there was something she could do to help him brighten his mood.

12

AIDAN

Aidan drove back into town the next day, thinking about Kenzie Forrest as Walt repeatedly sang the chorus of “Jingle Bells,” his sweet, husky voice carrying forward from the back seat.

Things were going just fine, and Aidan was looking forward to the holiday with his cousins. Walt was sure to love the traditional activities around town and the chance to get so much attention from the great big Webb clan.

Aidan knew he should be excited, but was feeling a little down for some reason.

It was partly that big job in the city that he wasn’t doing, and the irrational fear he got whenever a job was postponed or canceled that maybe his success was about to dry up. But he had enough savings tucked away to know that they would be just fine.

You’re down because it’s your last day working for Kenzie, a little voice in the back of his head reminded him. You won’t have any excuse to see her after this, unless you actually ask her out.

And he obviously wasn’t going to ask her out. He wasn’t looking for a relationship, and even if he was, she was going to fly back to New York the minute that boot was off.

I really need a social life, he thought to himself. When this job is done, maybe I’ll see if the guys want to shoot some hoops or go to the movies or whatever people do with their friends.

Aidan had never been the type to instigate social activities, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t start. He wanted to set a good example for Walt anyway.

“How’re you doing back there, bud?” he asked the boy, who had finished his version of “Jingle Bells” and begun one Aidan had never heard before that seemed to be about pirates.

“I’m going to Aunt Anna’s house?” Walt asked suddenly.

“Yes, do you like it there?” Aidan asked. “Do you like your great-aunt Anna?”

“She has cookies,” Walt said right away.

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