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

by Belle Calhoune

  “Oh, you’re going to pay for that!” Kit vowed, bending over and picking up an armful of snow and sending it in his direction. He let out a howl of laughter when she missed him by a mile. He was laughing so hard he clutched his belly. Bam! Suddenly, he had a face full of snow.

  “Ha!” Kit said, pointing her mittened finger at him. “Not so funny now, is it?”

  “That was a cheap shot. Faces are off limits.” He ran his gloved hand across his jaw. “I need to keep this face in prime shape for all my endorsements.”

  Kit stuck her tongue out at him. “Ugh. You have such a big head, Jayden London.”

  Jayden groaned. “Gimme a break. How many times have you told me that? I’m not the one who just put on lipstick and mascara before she came outside.”

  Kit let out a roar. She raced towards him and threw more snow at him. Rather than a snowball, it was a flurry of snow. He reached out and grabbed her by the waist, then tripped over his own feet in the process. They both landed on the snow with a thud. Jayden turned toward Kit. He was surprised to see her giggling. Their faces were so close to one another. Mere inches! Her lips served as an invitation. Kiss her! A voice inside his head urged him. He closed the distance between them and placed a searing kiss on her lips.

  Oh, it had been so long since he’d kissed his wife. The glorious scent of her filled his Nostrils like warm honey. She exuded a warm, vanilla smell. Her lips were still as soft and inviting as they had always been. Her lips tasted like maple syrup. Mmm. Kissing Kit felt like coming home. It was familiar and exciting at the same time. And she was kissing him back! He wasn’t imagining it either.

  Suddenly, he felt Kit pushing him away. She quickly scrambled to her feet and brushed the snow away from her outfit. She put her hands on her hips and glared at him.

  “Why did you do that? We’re not on a romantic trip, Jayden. We’re not dewy-eyed newlyweds. We’re getting divorced. And kissing me just complicated things.” She turned away from him and stomped toward the house, closing the door behind her with a fierce bang.

  Jayden lay on the ground for a few moments, his mind reeling from what had just happened. Why had she gotten so upset with him? Kit had definitely kissed him back! She had been willing and able. It had been a great kiss! Then she’d flipped out on him and left him in the snow feeling like a fool. Was Kit really over him? His heart constricted at the notion that she no longer loved him. Clearly, the kiss hadn’t been that great for her. Ouch! It really wounded his pride and hurt his heart at the same time.

  When he finally entered the cabin Kit was kicking off her boots and shrugging out of her coat. The look on her face was mutinous. It made Jayden feel like an idiot for believing there was still something between them, something worth fighting for.

  Suddenly, he felt completely defeated. Broken. He wasn’t a man who gave up on things, but if Kit couldn’t even share a kiss with him, how was he going to convince her to call off the divorce? Why was he even fighting it at this point? They had been through some really painful things together. Somehow those times hadn’t strengthened their union. They had given up on each other and on their marriage. Perhaps he just needed to accept the inevitable.

  Kit was standing by the kitchen table, her brow furrowed, her expression intense. Once he’d taken off all of his gear, Jayden turned toward Kit. She was giving off strong vibes of resentment.

  He let out a ragged sigh. He was done fighting. It was a wrap. Jayden felt powerless to stop the tide going against him.

  Lord, give me the strength to accept the end of my marriage.

  “So, where are the divorce papers?” he asked Kit. “We might as well sit down and sign them together since that’s what you came here to do.”

  Kit bit her lip. She shook her head. No words escaped her lips.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked.

  “I can’t,” she said in a low whisper.

  “Why not?” he asked. “Isn’t that why you came to the cabin in the first place?”

  “I don’t have them!” she answered in a raised voice. “I thought I’d packed them in my suitcase, but when I looked last night they weren’t there. I’ve looked and looked everywhere. I must have left them at home.”

  Jayden felt his eyes widening. “You didn’t bring the divorce papers? Are you serious?”

  “Don’t look at me like that, Jayden!”

  “Like what?” he asked.

  “Like there’s some sort of reason behind my not bringing the divorce papers.”

  He leaned toward her so that their faces were almost touching. “Is there a reason?”

  “Forgetfulness. Stress. There’s any number of reasons why I didn’t bring the paperwork,” Kit explained. “Don’t make a big deal out of it.”

  “Or perhaps you don’t want a divorce.”

  Kit let out a groan. “I knew you would say that.”

  Jayden reached out and placed his hands on her shoulders. He looked down into her beautiful brown eyes. “I’ll give it to you straight. I don’t want the divorce. We’re better than this, Kit. Don’t you remember who we are? How we came to be together? Our hopes? Our dreams?” Jayden choked up. Tears pooled in his eyes.

  Kit’s expression softened. “Of course I remember. It’s something I’ll never forget for as long as I live. It was the most romantic night of my life.”

  Chapter Four

  Back where it all began

  Four years earlier

  Denver, Colorado

  Centerpieces. Check. Champagne. Check. Sparkling cider. Check. The live band—Maroon Five. Check. Kit wielded her red sharpie like a weapon as she checked and rechecked her spread sheet. The Denver Yacht Club’s ballroom had been transformed into the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles, with lush floral arrangements, vibrant splashes of gold and cream throughout the room, gilt-edged chairs and mirrors dipped in gold filigree. She'd even arranged to have six archangels painted in gold strategically placed around the ballroom. Every spoiled brat's fantasy come to life, she thought wryly. Perfection didn't come without a price—she'd shed blood, sweat and tears over this event. It had to go off without a hitch.

  She wasn't taking any chances. Not tonight. After all, this event would make or break her career. It wasn't every day that an up and coming event planner was hand-picked by a man as powerful and rich as media mogul, Patrick Laughton, to plan his granddaughter's debutante ball. Laughton was a legend here in Denver, as well as all around the world. He was known for being demanding, grandiose and opinionated. He was a perfectionist of the highest order. His last words to her earlier this evening had been, “Don't disappoint me, Kit. I’m not a man who can abide being disappointed.”

  Gulp! Messing up wasn't an option. Not this time. Not when there was so much riding on her making this event a resounding success.

  There was only one obstacle standing in her way, she thought shrewdly. Celia Laughton. Patrick Laughton's granddaughter was known for being a giant pain in the butt. Despite the fact that her grandfather thought she hung the moon, Celia was known around Denver as PP. Pampered Princess. As legend had it, she was notorious for her over the top antics and demanding Diva behavior. She had wreaked havoc in Denver. Nannies. Wait staff. Teachers. Employees of her grandfather's media empire. Boyfriends. No one was safe from Celia's wrath if her lofty expectations weren't met. For that reason, Kit had tread lightly with her, not wanting to ruffle the feathers of the one person who could crush her dreams into dust. Kit had no intention of angering Celia on the night of her grand, once in a lifetime debutante ball.

  Never in a million years had she dared to dream she'd be standing in the ballroom of such an elite establishment, rubbing elbows with the crème de la crème of Denver high society. Politicians. Heiresses. Magnates. A famous opera singer. The room was practically crawling with distinguished people. God had been good to her. In the pit of her stomach she battled a queasy feeling. She had nothing in common with this A list crowd. There wasn't a single thing in this world that had been handed to her
—she'd had to fight tooth and nail for every professional opportunity that had ever come her way.

  She quickly checked her watch, a feeling of delight coursing through her as she realized that she'd made it through most of the evening without so much as a hiccup. The rest of the evening should flow flawlessly, she thought, since it was quickly approaching eleven o'clock. The culmination of the debutante ball was Celia being introduced on stage and serenaded by her favorite band. Various media outlets were on hand tonight, ready and willing to give Celia the one thing she wanted most—attention.

  A feeling of triumph coursed through her as the realization sunk in that she was nearing the finish line. A half hour to go and this thing would be a wrap. Patrick Laughton would be eternally grateful to her for the flawless execution of Celia's grand introduction to society. With his prestigious name, vast connections and financial backing, Life of the Party could become Denver's premier event planning business.

  Don't get ahead of yourself, a little voice in her head warned. Let the rest of the evening play out before you take a bow. There's plenty of time for things to head South.

  Kit took a deep, calming breath and looked around the room as a feeling of accomplishment coursed through her. She was going to ignore the little voice in her head—the one that always nagged at her. She was two steps away from doing her happy dance. Yippee! She'd done it! She'd really gone and done it!

  ***

  Jayden London glanced around the ballroom with thinly disguised boredom. Although he considered himself a social being, debutante balls just weren't his thing. For starters, most of the females in the room fell into one category. Divas. That specific category didn't interest him in the slightest. He preferred a more down to earth woman. So far, the coolest thing about the party was being able to watch Maroon Five perform live on stage five feet away from him. Listening to Adam Levine belt out some of his favorite songs had been a mind blowing experience, one that was well worth the price of admission to this spectacle they called a debutante ball.

  His presence at Celia Laughton's debutante ball didn't mean he was in favor of all the extravagance and hoopla. In fact, he was not in favor of honoring eighteen-year-olds who regularly threw tantrums, believed as if the world was theirs for the taking and never uttered the words please and thank you. Instead of being introduced to society, Jayden thought testily, she should be introduced to performing hundreds of hours of community service. Perhaps that would make her realize that the whole world didn't revolve around her every little whim. Maybe it would show her how thankful she ought to be for the life she led.

  The only reason he'd made an appearance here tonight was because his parents had asked him to stand in for him at the event. While he was being bored silly, Leon and Janice London were delivering much-needed medical supplies to a village in the Sudan. The couple was on the other side of the world doing what they did best. And loving every minute of it, no doubt. They owed him big time, he realized. They'd clearly gotten the better end of the deal.

  Things had gotten a whole lot more interesting as soon as he'd spotted the looker standing next to the stage. Mm, he thought, his interest piquing. She was gorgeous. Tall. 5''7, he would guess. Curvy. She had a flawless face and figure. She could stop bumper to bumper traffic on the highway during rush hour. Her skin was the color of cafe au lait and it looked as silky smooth as butter. He let out a low whistle, determined to make her acquaintance before the night was over. If he had his way, she'd be agreeing to a date with him by midnight.

  He had to give her credit. She really marched to her own drum. Instead of being decked out in a formal, bejeweled gown like most of the women in attendance, the looker had chosen a simple black jumpsuit with a white tuxedo jacket. She was wearing a pair of strappy, bejeweled sandals on her feet. And instead of wearing diamonds around her neck, she was sporting a simple turquoise necklace. A rule breaker. An original. He loved that in a woman. In his opinion, it made women all the more intriguing when they were unique.

  He moved closer towards her, feeling like a panther stalking its prey as he studied her every move. She was standing off to the side surveying the room as if she wanted to memorize each and every detail of the event. Everything about her fascinated him—the serious expression on her beautiful face, the graceful slope of her neck, the way she was furiously writing on a pad of paper, the lustrous black hair she'd swept up into a sleek ponytail. Sensing his presence beside her, she pivoted her neck in his direction, her face a mask of cool indifference as she summed him up.

  Wide, cognac-colored eyes locked gazes with him. Attraction slammed into him with the force of a sledgehammer. He was almost dizzy with it, had to center himself from the brutal impact it delivered. It had been ages since he’d felt an instant attraction like this.

  “Hello. Can I help you?” Her voice was soft and lilting. Mesmerizing. It threw him for a loop, knocking him off balance so badly that he was grasping for words—something, anything to show the looker that he wasn't a total idiot. Normally, he was suave and confident. He hadn't felt this off-kilter since he was in middle school trying to impress Sally Samuels. And even then he'd been able to string together a reasonably intelligent sentence.

  Wait a second! He knew this woman. Matter of fact, he’d known her ever since he was a kid. It was Kit Jefferson, his childhood playmate from Hope Valley. Only she was all grown up now and simply gorgeous.

  For once in his life he found himself utterly speechless.

  ***

  Kit looked up from her spread sheets, transfixed by the sight of the man standing two feet away from her. The sheer impact of him almost made her do a double take.

  The Adonis standing before her was a little slice of heaven. Six feet, broad shouldered, with a rugged physique that added an edginess to the tuxedo he sported. His face wasn't classically handsome, but a little bit more rough around the edges. His skin was the color of roasted chestnuts. His nose was a little off kilter in the middle, as if it had been broken some time ago but never fixed by a plastic surgeon. It gave him character, she realized, lending him an air of danger that pulsed in the air. His hair was low cut to his scalp while his eyes were dark, inky pools. His smile showcased full, kissable lips and a dazzling pair of pearly whites that would make a dentist proud. And dimples! Lord, the man had dimples for days. He was just standing there staring at her with the strangest expression on his face.

  Suddenly, recognition washed over her. She hadn’t seen him in years, but she knew without a doubt it was him. It was Jayden, her childhood friend from Hope Valley. All grown up and gorgeous.

  “Do you remember me? Jayden London.” His voice was low and rich. It gave her goosebumps.

  “I know who you are.” The words quickly tumbled off her lips. “It hasn’t been that long, has it? The last time we saw one another was high school graduation if I’m remembering correctly.” She grinned at him. “You’ve made quite a splash in the NFL. The folks back home can’t stop talking about you.”

  He graced her with a beatific smile that made her knees weak. “Are you a football fan?”

  “Not really,” she admitted. “I've just seen your face all over the place though. Billboards. Commercials. People magazine. The tabloids. My daddy is a big fan.”

  He frowned at the mention of scandal rags, his brows coming together in the middle of his forehead. He flashed her a look of annoyance that made her want to giggle. Even with a scowl, the man was a feast for the eyes. Eye candy as her sister Robin would say.

  “Don’t believe what you read in the tabloids. I remember your dad from when we were younger. He was a cool guy. I remember all those play dates over at your house while our Moms were having tea parties upstairs.”

  Kit threw back her head and laughed. “How could I forget? We used to play wedding. I loved that game.”

  Jayden scrunched up his nose. “That was always painful for me. Even to this day I don’t like play acting, although I put a good face on for commercials.”

 
“I’ve seen you in quite a few. I remember that pajama ad that used to air on every channel. Calvin Klein wasn't it?” Kit smirked at the memory of the ad campaign that had been the talk of the town in Hope Valley. Everyone had gotten such a kick out of it. Jayden had been the quintessential hometown boy who had made a big splash in the world of sports.

  “Ralph Lauren, actually,” he said with an easy smile. He leaned toward her and said in a low voice, “I’m not a big fan of those modeling gigs, but they pay the bills.”

  She grinned back at him. “The folks back home think you’re the bees’ knees. It’s not every day a hometown boy makes good. But you probably already knew that. Even back in high school when you were breaking state records on the football field, most of the girls had massive crushes on you.”

  “Really?” Jayden asked, chuckling.

  His eyes flashed with amusement and he raised an eyebrow, his curiosity clearly piqued by her comment. She couldn't believe she'd said that! For starters, she was on the clock. She never got chatty or distracted when she was working an event and now she was taking a walk down memory lane with Jayden. And it wasn't like her to act all flirty and coy. She couldn't stand women who acted like that. The next thing she knew she'd be batting her eyelashes at him and acting like a ditz. What was it about Jayden that was causing her to act this way? She’d known him ever since childhood. Sure, he was handsome. Good looking and fit and famous. Who was she kidding? He was mesmerizingly gorgeous. But, he still fell into a category of men she avoided like the plague. Athletes. They were in her never-ever, not if her life depended on it category. Not to mention the fact that she needed to keep her eyes on the prize.

  This event needed to go off without a single hitch. She didn’t need to get distracted by Jayden.

  “You still haven't told me what you’re doing in Denver. Are you here for Celia’s party or do you live here in town?” Jayden’s soulful voice intruded upon her thoughts like the smooth rhythms of a jazz band.