The Love of Her Life: A Christian Romance (The Callaghans & McFaddens Book 3)

by Kimberly Rae Jordan

  The Love of Her Life

  By

  Kimberly Rae Jordan

  Copyright ©2017

  Kimberly Rae Jordan

  ISBN-13: 978-1-988409-17-7

  A man, a woman & their God.

  Three Strand Press publishes Christian Romance stories

  that intertwine love, faith and family.

  Always clean. Always heartwarming. Always uplifting.

  Cover designed by AMYGDALA DESIGN

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic or mechanical without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations being used in reviews or articles about the book.

  This is a work of fiction. The situations, characters, names and places are products of the author’s imagination, or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to locales, events, actual persons (living or dead) is entirely coincidental.

  This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment and may not be re-sold or transferred via any method to any other individual. If you are reading this eBook and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please respect the hard work of the author who has spent many hours creating this story for your enjoyment and purchase your own copy of this eBook. Please do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials by illegally downloading or sharing this eBook. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

  Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

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  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  Copyright ©2017

  Note to Reader:

  1

  2

  3

  4

  5

  6

  7

  8

  9

  10

  11

  12

  13

  14

  15

  16

  17

  18

  19

  20

  21

  22

  EPILOGUE

  Note to Reader:

  Thank you for choosing to spend some time reading THE LOVE OF HER LIFE. This is book three in The Callaghans & McFaddens series. Each book is a standalone story, but your reading experience may be enhanced by reading the previous books in the series. A HANDFUL OF FLOWERS is the prequel to the series, followed by A CHANGE OF HEART which is book one. Both are available through Amazon.

  I hope you enjoy reading THE LOVE OF HER LIFE!

  ~Kimberly Rae Jordan

  1

  Gabe Callaghan watched the wisps of clouds slip past the window as the plane glided through them, enjoying the sight of his hometown’s snowy landscape as it came into view. No matter where he traveled or what cities he visited, this one on the Canadian prairies would always be his home. Even with its frigid winters and mosquito-filled summer days, Winnipeg still held a special place in his heart. He may have craved adventure and spent more time away from the city than in it—especially of late—but his family lived there so as often as his adventures allowed, Gabe went home.

  The plane rumbled as the wheels were lowered, and the drop in altitude continued to make his ears pop. Gabe swallowed hard, shifting in his seat as his thoughts turned to what was to come. Considering his penchant for dangerous adventures, he knew that being afraid of something like a plane taking off and landing was a bit of a contradiction, but there was no adrenalin rush for him when the plane left or returned to earth, only anxiety and nervousness. Neither of which he enjoyed feeling. Give him a cliff edge or deep underwater cave any day of the week.

  Even though he hated the landing part of the flight, Gabe couldn’t keep from watching as the plane descended toward its destination. Judging from what he saw, the city had already received a snowfall or two, so there was definitely a white Christmas in his future. At least coming from Colorado, the cold and snow wouldn’t be too much of a shock for him, although it was going to be colder than what he had experienced in Denver.

  As he saw the edge of the runway through the window, Gabe tightened his hand on the armrest and squeezed his eyes shut, saying a quick prayer for safety. After the wheels hit the ground and the plane lumbered down the runway, engines roaring as the brakes slowed it down, he opened his eyes. He let out a long breath, grateful to once again be safely on the ground.

  Once the plane began taxiing toward the James Richardson International Airport, Gabe turned his phone back on and immediately found a text from his brother.

  Mitch: Only you would end up on the flight that’s two hours late. I should make you take a cab.

  Gabe grinned as he tapped out his reply.

  Mom would kill you if you did. Don’t be a baby and have a Tim’s double-double ready for me.

  Mitch: Demanding much?

  Never. And get me a chocolate glazed donut too.

  Mitch: Stop texting and get off the plane…

  Gabe glanced over to see the aisle packed with people eager to disembark. Being a couple of hours late meant that they had arrived after midnight, and he could understand why the passengers were eager to get off. He, however, didn’t feel a strong need to be in the press of people in the aisle, so he waited until most had cleared out before he retrieved his hand carry from the overhead bin and left the plane.

  When he finally reached the top of the escalator leading down to the baggage retrieval area, he paused to see where Mitch was waiting. It didn’t take long to spot his twin, and as Gabe had requested, he stood there with two disposable cups and a paper bag in his hands. Grinning, he stepped onto the escalator, shifting the strap of his backpack on his shoulder.

  As he pushed through the metal gate at the bottom of the stairs, Mitch came toward him, a smile on his face. They’d seen each other in August when their sister, Makayla, had gotten married, and they had Skyped regularly, but Gabe was always glad to see his twin brother in person. He was the older of the two, having been pulled from the womb two minutes before Mitch, and being the great brother he was, Gabe never let Mitch forget it.

  “Coffee and donut as requested,” Mitch said as they neared each other. “You owe me.”

  Gabe took his cup and the donut bag then gave Mitch a one arm hug. “Thanks, little brother.”

  Mitch rolled his eyes. “Ready to go?”

  “Actually, I have a checked bag to pick up.”

  “Really? You usually travel pretty light,” Mitch said as they began walking toward the baggage carousel.

  “Eh, it’s Christmas. I bought some presents,” Gabe admitted. He wasn’t a big one for buying gifts, but for some reason, he’d decided to pick up a few this year.

  “Well, wonders never cease.” Mitch took a sip from his cup. “And here I thought I’d need to put From Mitch and Gabe on the gifts I bought, like I usually do, and send you a bill for half.”

  The baggage claim conveyor belt started up with a kick. Gabe glanced around, not surprised to see that he and Mitch were garnering a bit of attention. It wasn’t a rare occurrence when the two of them were together. Between their height—and looks, if he was honest—and the fact that they appeared almost identical, they usually had more than a few people watching them.

  Mitch, however, seemed oblivious to it. “I told Mom you could stay at my place tonig
ht, so they didn’t have to wait up.”

  “I’m not sleeping on the couch, dude, so I hope you have a king size bed now.” Gabe watched as the bags began to circulate around the carousel, keeping an eye out for his own.

  “Yeah, no worries. I inherited Grace’s old bed when her condo sold. It’s a nice big king size bed.”

  Gabe bent over and grabbed the handle of his suitcase, hefting it off the conveyor belt. Mitch took it from him and pulled the handle up. Wheeling it behind him, Mitch led the way to the exit, weaving among the other passengers who were standing around the baggage claim area.

  Bracing himself for the cold, Gabe took a deep breath before walking through the rotating door into the cold wintery night. The snow sparkled a bit like diamonds in the lights that shone overhead. Though he wanted to appreciate the beauty of it, the cold definitely detracted from sparkly snow. Instead, he just focused on following Mitch to his vehicle, taking sips of his coffee as he walked. Gabe was relieved to see the vehicle was running, knowing he’d appreciate the warm interior when he climbed in.

  “How long are you sticking around?” Mitch asked as he guided his SUV out of the parkade a few minutes later.

  “I had planned to stay until after the new year, but honestly, this cold is making me want to leave tomorrow.”

  “Just keep drinking Tims. That’ll warm you up from the inside out,” Mitch said as he lifted his cup to take a quick sip.

  Gabe continued to drink his own coffee, watching as familiar scenery slipped by on their way to the apartment block their father owned and where several of their siblings and friends lived. One of the apartments was to have been his, but since he traveled so much, Gabe hadn’t felt the need to take up space. It had worked out, though, since his family had recently done an apartment shuffle and the one that would have been his was now inhabited by one of his sister’s best friends.

  He loved Winnipeg since it signified home for him, but he wasn’t sure he’d ever live there permanently since he needed more adventure than the prairie city had to offer. It was okay to come and visit for a short time, but for the types of things he liked to do, he needed mountains or fast flowing rivers, at the very least. Which meant he was more likely to settle down in British Columbia or Alberta on the north side of the border or Colorado on the south side, but he was always happy to come home to visit the family.

  This time he had business to attend to as well. If he was going to be able to continue to travel, he needed to touch base with a few of his friends with whom he was in partnerships. New things had come up over the past few weeks that were better dealt with in person than through emails or Skype calls.

  The windows of the apartments in the building were all dark when they arrived. In spite of the caffeine in the coffee, Gabe felt exhaustion begin to seep into his body as he followed Mitch through the back door and into his apartment. It didn’t take him long to change into a pair of pajama bottoms and a T-shirt. Mitch followed suit, and then he pulled out a blanket for Gabe before they crawled into the large bed that now dominated Mitch’s room.

  “That should keep you from stealing my blanket,” Mitch said as he pulled the duvet that had been covering the whole bed over to his side. “I swear, if it’s missing when I wake up, you’re on the floor.”

  Gabe chuckled and wished he had the energy to do something about it, but he’d been up since six that morning so getting into any mischief would have to wait. “Your blanket is safe. For tonight.”

  It didn’t take Gabe long to fall asleep, exhaustion finally taking its toll.

  “Where are you going?”

  Maya St. James flinched at the sound of her mother’s voice behind her. She paused for a moment, schooling her features into a pleasant expression—or what she hoped was a pleasant expression—then turned around to face her mother who was already dressed for the day in a long sleeve fitted dress and pumps. Her face and hair were, as always, impeccably done.

  Yuka Zevardi took her role as Maya’s mother as seriously as she did her role as wife to one of the richest men in the world. It was a rare occurrence to catch her mother without her hair and makeup done and wearing a designer outfit. Though Maya understood why her mother was that way, she didn’t want to live that life herself. Unfortunately, her mother stubbornly refused to accept her choices.

  “I’m going to work, Mama.” Maya clenched the strap of her purse, the leather edge pressing hard into her palm. “Like I do every day.”

  “I have told you to quit.” Her mom walked toward Maya, her heels clacking on the marble floor. “Why are you still there?”

  Maya had tried to avoid her mother each day when she left for work which meant that sometimes she left super early and spent an hour or so at the Tim Hortons near the office until it was time to go to work. The argument was old, and Maya wearied of having it whenever she failed to escape the house early enough.

  “I’m not going to quit, Mama.” Maya straightened her shoulders and met her mother’s dark gaze straight on. “I like what I do, and my employer says I’m doing a good job.”

  Her mom crossed her arms and settled her weight on one slender hip. “Why are you doing this? You don’t need to work, and by working, you’re taking a job from someone who might need it more than you do. Are you comfortable with that knowledge?”

  Maya frowned at the twinge of guilt she felt at her mother’s question. “I don’t even know if anyone else applied for the job, but they made the decision to hire me. To give me a chance.”

  “Why do you insist on working?” Her mom stared at her, her dark gaze intent. “You don’t need to.”

  As Maya tried to keep her irritation from showing, she said, “I need to get out of the house. I can’t just sit around in my room doing nothing.”

  “You could come with me and learn about things like fundraising and charitable organizations,” her mom said. “Those are honorable things.”

  “Mama, I know they are honorable things, and I’m involved with several of them, but what I’m doing is good too. You have something to do that you enjoy, I should be able to have that same privilege. I love my job, and I’m working with good people.” Maya lifted her chin. “I’m not going to quit.”

  Before her mom could respond, her phone rang. She fished the phone out of her pocket and pressed it to her ear. Maya took advantage of her mom’s distraction to give a quick wave and escape out the door into the large heated garage where her car was parked. The car she’d bought by herself after much research. It was yet another thing her mother had objected to, but Maya had stood her ground, and surprisingly, her father had sided with her.

  She hit the switch to open the large door behind her car. There were three other vehicles in the garage which was a bit ridiculous since it was only her mom and dad who lived with her in the house.

  Thankfully, her mother’s distraction hadn’t made her too late, so Maya was able to go through the drive-thru to get herself a coffee and a toasted bagel with cream cheese. It was a cold day, but Maya didn’t mind. She never complained about being out in the weather because there had been a time when she hadn’t been able to go outside at all, so she didn’t take it for granted now.

  When she finally settled behind the receptionist desk at C&M Builders, Maya smiled at the sense of belonging that filled her. She checked her email—the one they’d set up for her when she’d started working in August—and began to jot down notes on what she needed to work on that day.

  A short time later, the front door of the office opened, and Maya looked up to see Mitch Callaghan walk in, bringing with him a gust of cold air. He unwound a dark blue scarf from around his neck as he stomped his feet to rid them of snow, then approached her desk, a wide smile on his face. Maya smiled back, but then her smile faded into confusion as she took in the man’s appearance. It looked like Mitch had visited a tanning salon, had his hair highlighted and grown out some scruff since the previous day.

  “Well, aren’t you a beautiful addition to the office,” he sai
d with a wide smile, showing off his even white teeth.

  “Uh…” Maya frowned, a little uncertain how to take the change in Mitch. In the almost five months she’d been working at C&M Builders, Mitch had never flirted with her. And while she didn’t have a lot of experience with the opposite sex, she was pretty sure that flirting was occurring.

  “Don’t harass her, Gabe.”

  Gabe?

  Maya’s gaze bounced between Makayla Collins and the man standing on the other side of the desk. His grin grew even wider as he went to Makayla and wrapped his arms around her.

  “I didn’t know you were coming into the office today,” Makayla said as they stepped apart.

  “I called Bennett a little bit ago and got his permission to use the boardroom to meet with Forrest and Tennyson.” Gabe swung back her way, his blue eyes vibrant as they stared at her. “So, I’m guessing this is Grace’s replacement.”

  “Well, actually, we don’t view her as a replacement as we hope she’ll stay with us even when Grace comes back.” Makayla gave her a smile. “Maya, this is Gabe, Mitch’s twin, in case you couldn’t tell. Gabe, this is Maya St. James.”

  Gabe reached his hand across the desk. When Maya slid her hand into his, Gabe’s fingers closed around hers and didn’t let go. She could feel the roughness of his skin against her palm. And the warmth and strength of his hand as he held hers.

  “It’s a great pleasure to meet you, Maya St. James.” He continued to hold her hand, his grip firm but gentle. She, no doubt, could have freed her hand if she’d been so inclined. “Where have you been all my life?”

  Maya felt her eye brows rise and figured they must be up near her hairline, even as heat flooded her cheeks. She had to admit that she was a bit confused by her reaction to the man, but he didn’t seem to be suffering from the same malady. Or was that just the way he was with everyone? It seemed to be at complete odds with Mitch’s more reserved personality.