Three Matchmakers And A Christmas Wedding (Hope Valley Book 2)

by Belle Calhoune

  Kit let out a ragged sigh. “We spent way too many years together to simply stop caring about one another. That’s not how it works,” Kit answered, her voice as soft as silk. Her voice blew over him like a cool breeze.

  “No, it isn’t. We just both go to our separate corners and sign away our life together. Isn’t that how it works?”

  They locked gazes. For a moment he was tempted to tell her that he wanted to give their marriage another try. Pride held him back. He had built up a protective wall around himself so he wouldn’t get hurt by his wife. Kit had made it clear on many occasions that she didn’t want to save their relationship. She was ready to move on, even if he wasn’t.

  “I guess,” Kit said with a shrug. She looked away from him and focused instead on her fingers. Jayden watched as she twirled her fingers around and around. “We went over our issues so many times and we couldn’t find a way to resolve things in a way that would work for both of us.”

  Jayden walked toward Kit, quickly swallowing up the distance between them. He reached out and cupped her chin in his palm, then lifted it up so he could look into her brilliant, cocoa colored eyes. “I just keep asking myself if we tried hard enough, Kit.”

  Kit brushed away tears from her cheeks. “That last miscarriage really did a number on both of us. It hurt so much. And I felt so alone, as if I was going through it by myself.”

  He fought against a rising sense of guilt and frustration. Still, after all this time it felt like she was blaming him for the loss of their child. He’d been on the road for weeks on end and, even in the aftermath of the miscarriage, he hadn’t been able to stay by her side. Kit had never completely forgiven him for it, nor forgotten.

  “I was there for you, Kit. Completely. Devotedly. I’ve never been as dedicated to anything in my life as I was to you. But at the same time, I had a job to do. I had to get back on the road. It wasn’t something I wanted to do. I had to do it for my career and the contract I signed.”

  Kit made a clucking sound. “You still don’t get it, Jayden.” She shook her head. “Sadly, I don’t think you ever will. When I needed you the most, you bailed on me. That more than anything broke my heart. And it signaled the end of things for us.”

  “That wasn’t the end for me, Kit. Things pretty much fell apart the day you stopped believing in me. That was my rock bottom!” Jayden said in a raised voice. Kit’s jaw trembled and he knew she was seconds away from tears. He threw his hands up in the air and retreated from the bedroom. What was the point in rehashing things? Whenever they were in the same orbit they tended to fuss with each other. It was frustrating and ridiculous. And even though divorce was the very last thing in this world he wanted, Jayden couldn’t seem to find his balance with Kit. Spending your life with another person wasn’t about perfection, but it surely wasn’t about arguments and grudges and tension. Perhaps they really had come to the end of the road.

  **

  Tasha tightly gripped the steering wheel and carefully made her way down Bear Mountain Road. As the snow got heavier and heavier, her prayers became more fervent. The roads were becoming slick. She was afraid the car might slide off the road.

  “Lord, please let us get back to Hope Valley safely,” she prayed out loud.

  “Amen,” Georgia murmured from the passenger seat.

  “Okay, guys. I feel really guilty right now. I think we may have gone too far.” Robin’s shaky voice came from the back seat.

  “No, don’t say that,” Tasha answered. “We did what we had to do in order to get those two in the same place for an extended period of time.”

  Georgia bit her lip. “I’m with Robin. Messing with their tires was all kinds of wrong. I feel like a criminal.”

  Tasha let out a sigh. “All we did was let a little air out of their tires. It was a means to an end. This way they’ll have to hash out their issues.”

  “I don’t know,” Robin said in a fretful tone. She stared out of the window. “This snow is getting worse and worse. We didn’t factor this in to the equation.”

  “You’re right about the weather,” Tasha answered, her voice sounding less confident than before. “But they’re safe and warm inside the cabin. We haven’t placed them in any jeopardy. We’re just goodhearted matchmakers.”

  “I wonder if Kit and Jayden will view things that way,” Georgia said, making a face.

  “You two need to toughen up,” Tasha said in a scolding voice. “When Kit and Jayden reunite, I’m going to take all the credit.” She sniffed. “I’m not sure the two of you deserve the title of matchmakers.”

  “I’m not sure I want any credit,” Robin muttered. “Kit is going to kill us. Not to mention what Jayden is going to have to say about it.” She let out a squeak. “I can’t believe I told him Kit went to Mexico for Christmas.”

  “I can’t believe how bad the snow is,” Georgia said, gazing out the window.

  “We’re almost home,” Tasha said in a cheerful tone. “We’re about half an hour away and I’m taking it nice and slow. Thank goodness for these snow tires and my all-wheel drive.”

  “Maybe everything will work out as we planned,” Georgia said. “Perhaps our plan will work out perfectly.

  Robin leaned forward in her seat and patted Georgia on the shoulder. “Oh, Georgia. That’s what I love the most about you. You’re an eternal optimist.”

  “Let’s all try to be eternal optimists regarding Jayden and Kit,” Tasha said. “Let’s pray for them and think good thoughts. Let’s remember how in love they used to be and the vows they exchanged at their wedding. It’s the most wonderful time of the year. Anything can happen at Christmastime.”

  “Yes, you’re right. It really can. When Riley came back to Hope Valley, I had no idea we’d fall back in love with each other and get married. It was such a blessing!” Georgia reached out and cranked up the radio. Kissing by the Mistletoe was playing. All three women began to sing along at the top of their lungs. Despite their worries, hope hung in the air. Each of them was praying that their matchmaking plan would work out for the best.

  What better Christmas gift could there be than to have a reunion between Jayden and Kit? To have love and light and reconciliation rather than discord and enmity?

  It would be God’s light shining in the darkness at the most precious time of the year.

  Chapter Three

  When Kit woke up the next morning, the delectable smell of bacon wafted under her nose. It smelled heavenly. For a moment she felt confused, until she remembered Jayden’s arrival at the cabin last night. It still felt a little disorienting. And she couldn’t figure out the exact reasons behind Jayden being here at the cabin, although the facts pointed at behind the scenes events. She was fairly certain Tasha, Robin and Georgia were responsible. Kit reached for her cell phone and dialed Georgia’s number, only to realize that she had no service. That was one of the down sides of being out in the boondocks. Cell service was not promised and tended to be unpredictable.

  Goodness! She was starving. The smells emanating from the kitchen were taunting her. Bacon was her all-time favorite food. She’d avoided leaving her bedroom last night after the harsh words she and Jayden had exchanged. Kit hated when things between them got so messy and acrimonious. That was one of the major reasons she had decided to file for divorce. Life was too short to be tied up in bitter feelings. It didn’t mean that she no longer loved Jayden, but she refused to live a life where anger replaced love.

  She had avoided things by falling asleep. But she couldn’t avoid him for much longer. It would be childish of her. She had to buck up and be strong. Signing these divorce papers would be the hardest thing she’d ever done, although she had realized last night that she had forgotten them at home. It was ridiculous considering it had been her major objective while vacationing at the cabin. It wasn’t like her to be so flighty.

  Kit heard her stomach grumbling and looked over at the clock. It was a little past ten o’clock and she’d managed to oversleep. A quick glance out
the window showed that the storm had left a great deal of snow and ice in its wake. It might be tricky for Jayden to drive home today.

  After grabbing her robe, Kit left the bedroom and padded down the hall toward the kitchen. She sucked in a deep breath at the sight of Jayden standing at the stove. The sight of him still took her breath away. With his closely cropped hair, warm brown skin, gorgeous face and an incredibly athletic build, he was the most good looking man she’d ever laid eyes on. Her dream guy! Or at least he had been until everything had crashed and burned.

  Jayden turned around with a spatula in his hand. The smile he flashed in her direction threatened to make her knees buckle. “Good morning. I hope you slept well.”

  She nodded, then said. “Morning. I slept like a log. And you? How was that mattress in the guest room?”

  “I slept quite well even though the wind was roaring pretty fiercely.”

  Kit frowned. “Really? I didn’t hear a thing. I must have slept straight through it.”

  Jayden removed some scrambled eggs from the pan and turned back toward her. He jutted his chin in the direction of the table. “I made some bacon, eggs and pancakes. Why don’t you sit down so you can eat something?”

  Kit sat down at the kitchen table, listening to Jayden without question. It was such a familiar feeling to be sitting down to a meal prepared by her husband. He’d always been a fabulous cook and he’d always taken care of her needs. It was one of the things she missed the most about being with him. Kit had always felt protected.

  Jayden leaned over and placed a plate of hot food down in front of her. The smell was fairly intoxicating. She was practically salivating. Jayden sat down across from her with his own plate. Without questioning it, they both bowed their heads and Kit recited a prayer over their meal. Even though it had been something they’d done at every meal as a couple, neither one wanted to eat without praying over the food. It was nice to know some things never changed.

  They ate in compatible silence. When Jayden had finished, he wiped his mouth with a napkin, then locked gazes with her from across the table.

  “What? What’s with that look?” Kit asked.

  “Something funny happened this morning when I went to see how much snow had fallen last night,” Jayden said, his dark brows furrowed.

  “Don’t keep me in suspense. What was it?”

  “The tires on both of our vehicles are flat.”

  “What? How did that happen?”

  “I think it’s a safe guess that the same powers that be who convinced me to come to the cabin were responsible.”

  “No way!” Kit said in an angry tone. “They wouldn’t go that far. That’s ridiculous!”

  Jayden quirked his mouth. “Do you really doubt it or think it’s mere coincidence?”

  Kit swallowed a mouthful of eggs and shook her head. “I’m going to do bodily harm to them. Who do they think they are to do such a thing?”

  Jayden made a face. “Don’t you remember? They consider themselves matchmakers. The whole plan is to get the two of us to reconcile. In a way it’s kind of sweet, but not practical.”

  Kit put her fork down on the table with a bang. “Can you get cell service? I can’t even get a single bar on my phone.”

  “We never get service here. That’s one of the reasons why we used to love coming out here. It was always the perfect getaway. We used to love the tranquility and the ability to escape from the day to day grind.” Jayden heaved a tremendous sigh. “It was our haven from the world.”

  Kit smiled as tender memories washed over her. They really had enjoyed such an abundance of joy together. Not just here at the cabin, but back in Hope Valley, in Denver and all the places they’d traveled around the world. They had enjoyed sweet moments together. It had been a beautiful relationship. And faith had been a big part of it. For so many years they had been great together. And this cabin had been a very special place for them. Some of their most spectacular moments had happened right here in this cabin, as well as their most tragic. Two years ago, Kit had suffered a miscarriage at the cabin.

  Although it had been a devastating experience, Kit had always believed fervently that she would one day carry her and Jayden’s baby to full-term. Sadly, it hadn’t come to pass. Clearly, it wasn’t meant to be. Several miscarriages, numerous fertility treatments and endless amounts of marital stress had negatively impacted their marriage. While Kit knew that some couples gained strength through adversity, that hadn’t been the case with the two of them.

  And at the moment it made her feel completely bereft.

  “This cabin was a place where we could hope,” Kit said, trying to stuff down the emotions that were rising up inside of her.

  “That’s a good way of describing it.”

  Kit met Jayden’s gaze across the table. “Problem was, we were running away from our problems. We never addressed them, Jayden, which was our downfall. Perhaps if we’d faced them, we would have had a shot at staying together.” She threw her hands in the air. “But we didn’t. Which is why I came to the cabin in the first place. To sign the divorce papers so we can both move forward.”

  * *

  Jayden couldn’t help but hear the anger and tension laced in Kit’s voice. He hated that things were so broken between them. This woman was his everything. Still. Always. He couldn’t imagine a day when he wouldn’t be head over heels in love with her. Sure, they had gone through some serious storms. But wasn’t life about finding ways out of the darkness and back into the light?

  “I know you wanted solitude here at the cabin. I hate to break it to you, but you’re stuck with me until further notice. In addition to our tires, the snow accumulation is pretty intense. The roads aren’t clear. There’s just no way out for me.”

  He was stumbling over his words. How could he pretend to be sorry about being stuck?

  the cabin with Kit? He’d missed her so much. Even though there had been so much discord between them, Jayden knew there was a wealth of other things—love, respect, history, regret.

  He watched as Kit’s jaw dropped. “W-we’re snowbound together?”

  “So it seems,” he drawled. “Unless you know of someone who can make it up these mountain roads and plow us out? There’s almost a foot of snow out there.”

  “Whoa. They said it might snow, but I had no idea this kind of storm was coming.”

  “You know how unpredictable the weather is in these parts. And without radio or television, it’s almost impossible to keep up on current events.”

  “I’m starting to rethink that no television, no landline policy, although service is pretty bad in this area. It’s always been kind of entertaining to consider ourselves roughing it.”

  Jayden chuckled. No television. Or house phone. Sporadic cell service. Somewhere there was a little radio, but they had never had an occasion to use it.

  “This isn’t really roughing it, Kit. This cabin is pretty plush.”

  Kit rolled her eyes. “It’s lovely here, but I do love certain creature comforts that I can’t get here at the cabin. Such as television.”

  “Television is overrated. Except for football.” He let out a chuckle. “The best thing about being here is being able to get outside in the fresh clean Colorado air. And the views from the backyard are amazing.”

  She ran her hair through her hair, pushing it away from her face. “You’re right. There’s nothing like the view of the mountains. And, call me crazy, but the air does feel fresher here at Bear Mountain.”

  For a moment neither of them spoke. It seemed as if they were both thinking about the past and all the memories they had made at this special place. Jayden wasn’t the type of man to be fanciful, but it practically hummed and pulsed in the air around them.

  “Want to go build a snowman?” Jayden asked, winking at her. “Come on. It’ll be fun.”

  Kit’s eyes widened. “A snowman? Do you really want to go outside in the freezing cold to play in the snow?” Kit asked, shivering as she glanced outsi
de at the snow still swirling around.

  “Have you gone soft on me? I was already outside this morning checking out the snow situation. That’s how I realized our cars had been tampered with. Let’s just say there’s a nice chill in the air, but you won’t freeze or anything.” He stood up and jerked his chin in the direction of the coat rack. “Come on. Live a little.”

  With a groan, Kit stood up and said, “But it’s so toasty warm in here.”

  “I’ll make us some hot cocoa when we come back inside. Scout’s honor.”

  “Will you put white chocolate in it?” she asked, the soft expression on her face resembling a small child.

  Jayden shook his head. “You’re in luck. I brought some with me.”

  “All right. I need to put some clothes on first” she said, letting out a groan before walking over toward her bedroom door and heading inside. While she was gone, Jayden busied himself clearing up the breakfast plates and washing the pots and dishes in the sink. By the time he finished, Kit had returned. She was dressed in thick snow pants and a turtleneck. He began putting on his coat, hat and gloves as Kit did the same.

  The moment they headed outside, a blast of cold air confronted them. The temperature had clearly dipped since he’d ventured out earlier.

  “Brr,” Kit said, wrapping her arms around her middle. Jayden couldn’t seem to take his eyes off Kit. In her white parka jacket and hot pink hat, she looked beautiful. Her cheeks were rosy from the cold and dark strands of her hair peeked out from under her hat. How in the world was he going to move past Kit? It just wasn’t happening. He couldn’t imagine loving another woman. She was it for him. Perhaps God had placed them in the same place at the same time so they could both realize that they needed to hold on tightly to their marriage. But could he convince her? Could he show her how sorry he was for all his mistakes in their marriage? His arrogance and selfishness?

  He didn’t know how to go about it, but in this moment he knew what he needed to do. Jayden bent down and picked up a mound of snow, then formed it into a perfect snowball. He hurled it in Kit’s direction. It landed with a thwacking sound on her chest.