Page 83 of Carpenter's Christmas Bride

He got up and came around the table to kneel in front of her, cupping her cheek in his hand.

“MacKenzie,” he told her. “You’re disciplined, determined, and you have a heart of gold. You don’t need me to show you that you’re a person of substance. You should know that already, right down to your soul, and never doubt it again.”

She burst into tears, and he held her close.

“Don’t cry,” he said helplessly.

“I’m h-happy,” she sniffled.

“Okay, then,” he said, chuckling. “Go ahead.”

He held her, stroking her hair until she was all cried out at last.

“Eat your dinner,” she said, pulling back and wiping the happy tears from her cheeks. “We need to get some sleep so we can keep up with Walt tomorrow.”

“Yeah,” he said, getting up. “The roads will be rough by now.”

“Walt’s in the guest room,” she offered. “We have twin beds in there for when my cousins used to visit. You’re welcome to sleep over if you don’t mind sharing a room with him.”

“Yeah?” he asked.

“Definitely,” she told him.

“I’d love that,” he said. “Thank you.”

“Oh, it’s selfish on my part,” she teased. “I was worrying that the weather was so bad I wouldn’t see you on Christmas.”

“Too late,” he said.

She glanced at him in question, and he tapped his watch.

“Merry Christmas,” he told her with a smile.

She glanced up at the clock over the kitchen sink and saw that it was just past midnight.

“Merry Christmas,” she replied, a sense of wonder filling her heart.

Kenzie had enjoyed so many wonderful Christmases over the years. But she was certain that this year would be the best of them all.

25

KENZIE

Kenzie entered the ballet theatre for the first time as a married woman after she walked over from the ceremony at the little church with Walt and Aidan.

While the wedding itself had been sweet and simple, with just their immediate families in attendance, she could already hear that the theatre was bustling with activity for the reception.

“Ready?” Aidan asked her softly as they stood in the lobby.

“Yes,” Walt said excitedly from his place between them.

He was very eager to go in and see his new family members, including his Great-Grandma Lee, who had patiently listened to him regale her with stories about how he danced like the Rat King with Kenzie just before the wedding ceremony.

“Me too,” Kenzie said, smiling down at him before she glanced up at Aidan.

They both looked so handsome in their suits. And she felt prettier in the wedding gown her new in-laws had loaned her than she had in any tutu she’d even worn. Kenzie was proud to be wearing a piece of Webb history, and Aunt Leticia was tickled to have proof that she had been as slender as a real ballerina when she married Simon.

Aidan opened the door to the theatre, and they stepped inside to a space filled with all their favorite people. Kenzie’s parents waved to her from a spot in the corner where Reggie Webb was obviously spilling excellent gossip, talking with such passion that his arms were waving like windmills.

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