Dancing in Lake Mistletoe (Lake Mistletoe #4)

Chapter Nine

Mindi

I stretch my aching muscles as I step out onto the inn’s front porch. It’s been a long week of rehearsals. Soma has been kicking our butts. But the production is already coming together.

As I make my way down the steps, following the sound of the crowd, the air is thick with the smell of caramel apples, cinnamon, and the smoke drifting from the roasting pit across the street.

The Lake Mistletoe fall festival is magical, and everywhere I look, there are orange and yellow lights twinkling, tables overflowing with warm beverages and baked goods, and kids in costumes darting around, laughing as they chase each other. I make my way to the lakefront, where the carved pumpkins are getting set up along the shoreline. In about an hour, they’ll float them out onto the water, and their candlelit faces will bob along the surface like little glowing ghouls.

Ellen and I spent our evenings helping Trixie and Alice prepare their goodies for tonight. It was so much fun. I hate that Ellen is going to miss the festivities, but she left a couple of hours ago to pick up Kit from the airport.

It’s chilly, and I pull my scarf tighter around my neck, wishing I’d worn a warmer sweater. The breeze is crisp; it bites, but also feels refreshing. I skip across the road and walk over to the freshly carved gourds, glancing around and searching for familiar faces.

A voice—sweet and full of excitement—calls, “Mindi!”

I turn, and there, standing with her dad, is Josie. Dutch is grinning in that lazy way he does, one corner of his mouth tugging higher than the other. His dark hair always looks like he just ran his hands through it. There’s something about him that makes me stare for a beat longer than I should, and I want to run from the embarrassment.

“Hey there, kiddo. Look at you. What a pretty princess you make,” I say, trying to ignore the way my pulse jumps.

She looks up at me. “Daddy and I carved that one,” she announces, pointing to one of the pumpkins with a silly face.

“Oh, see, I thought that one was the coolest.”

Josie beams.

Keller and Bob begin loading the entries onto the wooden lily pads.

“Can I go watch with Cobie?” Josie asks, looking up at her dad with pleading eyes.

“Yes, but stay with Sela and don’t get in the way.”

She sprints down to the shore.

Dutch watches her, shaking his head as her tiny plastic heels get caught in her princess gown. “I’ve got my hands full, keeping up with her tonight.”

“I’m sure. Being a girl dad isn’t easy,” I say.

His eyes come to me, and he quirks a brow.

“I might not be a dad, but I’ve been a girl my whole life, and I know how daunting we can be.”

He smiles, and I feel the flush in my cheeks go a little hotter. It’s been like this every time I run into him. He probably thinks I have some kind of condition.

“Are you staying to watch the pumpkin launch?” he asks.

“Of course. I’ve never seen a Pumpkin Piddle Paddle before. I wouldn’t miss it.”

“Well, I was just on my way to grab a candy apple for Josie before settling in to watch. You interested?”

He looks at me expectantly, like he wants me to join them. It’s a small thing, but I feel that invitation pull at something deep inside me. Before I can overthink it, I nod.

“You read my mind. I was just about to get a caramel apple myself,” I say, feigning nonchalance as my heart thuds a little harder.

His grin widens. “This way.”

He guides us to a table, his hand resting on my lower back as we weave through the crowd. The touch sends little sparks up my skin.

When we reach the candy apples, he picks out two coated with glossy, bright red candy.

“Which one would you like?” he asks me.

I go for the caramel with nuts. As he pays, he gives me a wink that makes my stomach do a little flip.

He hands me the caramel apple, and I take a bite of the crunchy treat.

“Good?” he asks.

I moan my approval as I nod. “Between Hal and Alice’s meals and all these sweet treats, I’m not going to fit into my Sugar Plum Fairy costume.”

His eyes sweep over me. “I don’t think you have a thing to worry about.”

“Thanks, but I’m going to have to up the cardio. Those leotards aren’t very forgiving.”

He shrugs. “I think curves are beautiful. Especially in leotards,” he says, his eyes sweeping me again. “Besides, I’ve been watching you guys this week. I think all those hours of dancing are cardio enough. I don’t know how you do it.”

“You’ve been watching us?” I ask.

“Not in a creepy way. It’s hard to miss when you’re up in the rafters, wiring spotlights,” he says.

I shrug. “It’s not as hard as it looks. We’ve all been dancing most of our lives. Our bodies are conditioned for long hours of rehearsals.”

“It’s impressive,” he praises.

We reach the shoreline, and he gestures toward a spot near the front. “Looks like they’re about to start.”

Together, we settle in, standing close enough that our shoulders touch. The lake is still, reflecting the clear night sky. People are gathering all around us, a hush falling over the crowd as Bob begins to send the pumpkins onto the water, each one lit with a small candle.

They drift out in clusters, their faces flickering with warm yellow light. It’s a sea of tiny, floating jack-o’-lanterns, each one casting an eerie yet beautiful glow across the water. I look over at Dutch, and he’s watching Josie. She’s standing close to the water’s edge, holding hands with her friend. Every time another pumpkin is launched, the two girls jump and cheer.

“There’s nothing like this anywhere else,” I murmur.

Dutch nods, his gaze shifting from the pumpkins to me. “There isn’t.”

The crowd claps as the last pumpkin floats out.

“Daddy,” Josie bellows as she spots us.

She and Cobie start up the hill with a couple on their heels.

When they come to a halt in front of us, he holds up the two apples.

The girls happily accept the treats.

“Mindi, this is Cobie’s dad, Isaac, and his girlfriend, Sela,” Dutch introduces.

“Hi,” Sela greets as she eyes Dutch.

“Mindi is one of Willa’s guests,” he explains, and there’s a warmth in his eyes when he looks down at me.

“Mindi. The ballet dancer, right?” Sela asks. “Hannah mentioned meeting you the other night.”

“That’s me,” I confirm.

“Sela is Bran’s little sister,” Dutch whispers in explanation.

“Oh, okay.” I nod as I begin to understand the interconnection of everyone in Lake Mistletoe. “It’s nice to meet you. I enjoyed our movie night very much, and Cobie is a delight.”

“I was just going in search of cider for Sela,” Isaac interrupts.

“I’ll help.” Dutch asks me, “You want cider?”

“Sure,” I say, nodding.

He and Isaac walk off, and I’m left standing with Sela and the girls.

“They’re going to be a sticky mess,” she says, shaking her head.

“Yeah, but it’s worth it,” I say.

Her eyes flick to me. “Do you have kids?”

“Me? No.”

“Me neither. Not yet,” she says. “But I’m getting lots of practice now that Isaac and Cobie have come into my life.”

“Is Cobie’s mom close?” I ask.

“No. She and her new husband live in Texas. But she and Isaac have a great relationship, so we get a lot of time with her.”

“That’s good. Dutch seems to get a lot of time with Josie too,” I note.

“Well, he’s a widower, so he’s a full-time dad,” she says.

“Oh, that’s—I didn’t know,” I reply.

“It’s okay. It happened a long time ago. Josie was just a toddler at the time. And he’s mastered the single-parent thing.”

“It sure seems like it.”

The guys return with steaming mugs, and the four of us take a seat on the lawn as we watch the girls play with a group of other costumed children.

“The lake is twinkling,” I muse.

The surface is shimmering with the reflection of the pumpkins and the stars filling the night sky.

Dutch looks up. “Yeah, I love nights like this. Winter is around the corner, and snow will be blowing in soon.”

“Already?” I ask.

“Yep. And if you think the lake is beautiful tonight, imagine when it’s transformed into a winter wonderland.”

“I can’t wait.”