Jadin looked at the clock. It was time for the ceremony to begin.
She could not resist a peek at her husband.
“What are you doing?” Jordin asked.
“I’ve been married to that man for five years. We’re renewing our vows, not getting married for the first time.”
Landon stood near the pastor, looking tall, dark and gorgeous, his physique the epitome of good health. Beside him was his uncle. Jadin was thrilled that Tim and his wife had traveled here to the wedding. Everything was as it should be, she thought.
The most unforgettable romantic tune of all time, “At Last” by Etta James, played as Jadin walked down the aisle toward her future.
* * *
“I stand today in front of our family, our friends and you, my husband, to reaffirm my marriage vows. Five years ago, we stood at a tiny chapel and said vows that were written for us. Today, I am not simply taking a vow—I am giving you a promise in words that are my own.
“Landon, I love you more than I could ever have imagined, and that love is enough to overcome anything that comes our way. I love you more today because of all that we have been through and because of your willingness to move forward with renewed commitment. I promise from this day forward to love and trust you even more as time passes. I promise to be there for you when you are sick, hurt, in need of comfort or when you just want to share your day. I promise to make you feel needed and appreciated for all that you bring into my life for as long as we both live.”
Landon’s eyes grew wet, matching her own tear-filled gaze.
He cleared his throat, then began speaking. “On our wedding day five years ago, I made a choice. It was the most important and significant choice of my life and I made it after a great deal of consideration. On that day, I chose you to be my wife. I knew that decision was final and irrevocable. As our lives have been affected by the ebb and flow of other lives and events, there were times we chose to go in different directions. I choose to stay married not because I feel obligated, but because of my love for you. This is not because a legal document says that I am your husband, but because I still want to be by your side more than I want to be anywhere else.”
He took Jadin by the hand and they turned to face their guests.
“We are here for a celebration,” Jadin said.
“We rejoice that five years ago, we had the good sense to marry one other,” Landon added with a grin.
Jadin glanced over at her mother and said, “Most of all, we celebrate that we are able to share this special once-in-a-lifetime occasion with the people we love most in this world.”
“Like my wife said, we celebrate a dream come true, and what makes it really special is that we are able to celebrate together with you—our family and friends.”
Jadin turned to face her husband once more.
“You may kiss your bride,” the pastor said.
“Gladly,” Landon responded with a grin. “C’mere, Mrs. Trent.”
Chapter 23
After the wedding, Landon and Jadin spent a week at the Double D Ranch in Roger’s Pass, Montana, which boasted thirty-three cabins.
Jadin leaned her shoulder against a column built from a tree that had been harvested in the nearby woods, while Landon secured their horses. She never tired of the majestic pines towering toward wispy clouds floating in a clear blue sky. Behind the trees, the mountains rose, their stair-step peaks cloaked in the first snow of the season. A few yards away from them, a clear creek crowded with trout was a favorite fishing location with many of the guests.
They found a spot to spread a blanket. Clara, the manager of the ranch, had prepared a picnic basket for them.
“So, what do you think of the Double D?” Landon asked.
“I actually love it here,” Jadin responded. “I’m glad we came here instead of going to some exotic island. I enjoy trying new experiences.” She took a bite of a fried drumstick.
“I love seafood, but I’m definitely not into fishing.”
Jadin agreed, “Yeah, I’m not interested in catching my own food.”
They finished their lunch, then rode the horses back to the ranch.
In the evenings, meals were served family-style. Everyone dined at long tables that held twelve to fourteen people, and they enjoyed simple country fare.
Landon sat across from her. He flashed her a smile.
“You two are just the cutest couple,” the woman seated beside her said. “Are you two on your honeymoon?”
“We’ve actually been married for five and a half years,” Jadin responded.
“Well, you two are a beautiful couple. My husband and I have been married forty years. You and your husband remind me of me and Dan.”
“Mrs. Darling, how long have you two owned this ranch?”
“It’s been in Dan’s family for three generations. When his daddy passed on, we decided to do some renovations and turn it into a resort. My Dan was never a fan of growing things out of the ground, but he loved the animals.”
After dinner, Landon and Jadin sat on the porch of their cabin, soaking in the moonlight.
“I can’t remember the last time I ate so much,” he said, rubbing his belly.
“Everything was delicious.” Jadin stopped rocking. “Are you really gonna enter the chili cook-off?”
Landon nodded. “I think I can win.”
She smiled. “Really? Why are you so confident? You’re a good cook and all...”
“You sound like you don’t have faith in me, sweetheart.”
“I have faith in you—I just want to know why you’re feeling so confident about this chili cook-off.”
“Because we’re going to call around and collect chili recipes. Then we’re going to pick the one we think will beat out everybody else.”
Jadin agreed. “I’ll call my mom and Aubrie. You know my cousin probably has, like, ten different ways to make chili.”
“I’ll call Uncle Tim. His chili is pretty good.”
Jadin reached over and took Landon’s hand. “Teamwork.”
* * *
At the foot of the stone walkway, Jadin veered left to the area designated for the chili cook-off. It looked like hundreds of people were on the grounds for the annual contest hosted by the Double D Ranch. She had no doubt that hundreds more would venture in and out throughout the afternoon.
Folding tables had been set up for the cook-off contestants, with two entries per table. The ranch provided single-burner butane cookstoves. Everything else, from kettles to ingredients, was up to the contestants.
Jadin and Landon decided to enter just for the fun of it, although he really believed he had a chance at winning. He had gone to town to buy the supplies and ingredients needed for their recipe.
She was surprised when she saw the guest named Matt, who was staying in the cottage next to theirs, stirring a huge pot and chatting with his tablemate. He must be a regular, she decided. He had to have brought everything he needed to make his chili with him.
“Hey, sweetheart,” Landon said. “I think I have everything.”
“Okay, so we have four recipes. I know which one I think we should go with, but I want to see which one you’re going to choose.”
“I think we should use my mother’s recipe,” Landon said. “She’s from Texas and, man...that woman could cook some chili.”
Jadin laughed. “That’s my pick, as well.”
He kissed her. “Let’s do this.”
By the time the judges came around, they were ready.
“So, tell me about this recipe,” one of the judges said.
“This is my mother’s recipe,” Landon said. “She was born and raised in Texas. This chili is what Texans call a ‘Bowl o’ Red.’ You don’t put beans or tomatoes in it—just beef, homemade chili paste and a few flavorings. The key is letting the ch
ili simmer to avoid evaporating the sauce before the beef is tender.”
Jadin ladled portions into plastic bowls and gave one to each judge. She studied their faces as they sampled the chili, but their expressions were unreadable.
The judges moved on to their tablemate.
She looked up at him. “I’ve really had a wonderful time here with you. I’ve never ever been on a ranch before, so this is an incredible experience.”
“I’m glad I’m able to share this with you, sweetheart. My uncle and I love coming here, but I wanted to bring you, too. It’s relaxing to me.”
“I can see that.”
Later that evening, they sat on the floor in front of the fireplace, admiring Landon’s trophy for winning the chili cook-off.
“Congratulations, baby.”
“We’re a team. We did this together.”
Jadin leaned her back against him. “Everything about my life is perfect. It just doesn’t get any better than what we have now.”
“Oh, I don’t know about that,” Landon responded. “Turn around and face me.”
She did as he instructed.
Unable to resist kissing her, Landon crushed his lips against hers. Grabbing her neck to pull her closer, he pushed his tongue against her lips, demanding entrance.
Jadin’s breath quickened.
Liquid heat began pooling in her core as Landon deepened the kiss, pulling her so close that she could hardly tell where her body left off and his began. Her hands slipped up behind his neck.
Jadin smiled up at him, reveling in the promise of love, life and a future that looked brighter than any she could have imagined. “I thank the Lord for another chance with you,” she whispered.
* * * * *
Keep reading for an excerpt from Her Mistletoe Bachelor by Carolyn Hector.
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Her Mistletoe Bachelor
by Carolyn Hector
Chapter 1
“Donovan, I can’t thank you enough for letting me film this,” said Amelia Marlow Reyes, field producer for Multi-Ethnic Television. “Pieces like this are going to drive the website clicks up the charts.”
Shrugging, Donovan Ravens scratched the back of his head. As CFO of the globally successful Ravens Cosmetics in Miami, he understood why people were interested in the dynasty—the family, though, not him. Donovan ran numbers, approved budgets and attended company functions. These events, it just so happened, took place at fashion shows and photo shoots. With the company celebrating over fifty years in the business, marketing and advertising had changed. This social-media-savvy generation wanted an up-close look at the entire family through their website. It used to be family photos every other year and placed in traditional magazines like Ebony, Essence and Jet. Now the world wanted to meet each member of the family on a daily basis through Instagram, Twitter and reality TV. The updated website for Ravens Cosmetics offered short videos with a candid look into the life of each member of the family. “I guess. There’s not much interesting about my life.”
Amelia swatted him on the shoulder. She didn’t hit as hard as his sisters did, but the blow did sting through the thick blazer of his tan jacket. “Are you kidding me? The world is infatuated with you. You’re the mystery bachelor brother.”
“All right, Amelia,” Donovan chuckled, knowing she was being kind by not calling him a playboy. As much as Donovan resented his celebrity status, he did not let it stop his dating life, and Amelia knew it. “You already got me to agree to this, you don’t have to butter me up.”
Amelia pretended to be shocked and lifted her left hand to her heart. Her diamond wedding band flashed under the hallway lights. Donovan heard she’d gotten married a while back to a great guy named Nate Reyes. Given the smile she’d sported all day, Donovan would have guessed she was a newlywed. Amelia’s large brown eyes stretched wide, her mouth forming a perfect O. “You can’t take a compliment, can you?”
“Let’s be honest, I’m not the average pretty boy like Marcus or Will.” To prove his point about his brothers, Donovan aimed his long index finger toward the scar that ran down his face, from his left eyebrow to his black beard.
Amelia rolled her eyes. “That only adds to your mysteriousness.”
“Whatever,” Donovan mumbled before handing over the keys to his two-story condo to Amelia’s film crew.
A bulky man with a camera strapped to his shoulders entered the foyer. Another crew member, a woman, carrying a long stick with a furry thing at the end—a boom—followed. Amelia filled the delay with chatter about the next step of filming. Some dude named Vickers tried to contradict everything Amelia said, seemingly pissed off she was there.
Donovan shrugged, still not caring what the old man wanted. Amelia was a friend of the family and the only person he’d agreed to work with on this ridiculous spotlight his sisters, Dana and Eva, thought would be good for the company. The plan was for every member registered to the RC website to gain access to the family via day-in-the-life videos of each one of them. The new line of men’s lotions and shaving creams needed to be promoted, and what better way for product placement than in the home of a family member who was also an executive at the company?
“It is tedious. I understand. But to pick up seamlessly from earlier, we need to get your full facial expression as you come inside,” Amelia explained.
Someone inside his apartment knocked on the door.
“Wait,” said Vickers, “your girlfriend is in there, right?”
The term girlfriend made him queasy—flavor of the month, sure. They’d dated on and off again with no commitment in sight. Tracy needed a place to crash while her apartment was being painted. She knew the camera crew planned to be here this morning but she swore she’d be gone. Since they dated more on than off and he allowed her to stay at his place unsupervised, he shrugged his shoulders, acknowledging the G word might be appropriate. “I guess,” Donovan mumbled.
“Wouldn’t it be nice if you were to propose to her on camera?”
Fusing his brows together, Donovan took a step back. “Hell no. Amelia?”
Amelia wedged herself between the producer and Donovan. “We agreed—no staged surprises,” she said to Vickers.
The dark brown–skinned man adjusted the gold-wired glasses on his face. “Think of the ratings.”
“Think about me walking away from this project right now,” said Donovan. He took a step back but Amelia
turned to face him and grabbed him by the front of his pin-striped Oxford shirt.
“You’re not going anywhere, Donovan,” she said then turned her attention to the other man. “We’re not pulling any surprises. Vickers,” she snapped. “Didn’t you do your research? The women in his life never make it to girlfriend status. He’s only been with Tracy for, like, two months or so.”
Six weeks, Donovan mentally corrected her. Once more than a month had gone by without Tracy asking for a spot in a fashion show or a photo shoot in a magazine or asking about getting involved in the family business, Donovan had allowed her to spend the night with him there. Typically, after an evening together, he made sure to send a woman in a waiting limousine filled with roses without a promise of a second date. The D word. Donovan did not take women out to fancy restaurants but rather met them out and about. He avoided being photographed as well as being seen with the same woman twice. Better to end things with them sooner than later once they realized that they didn’t want to be tied down to a scarred monster.
When Donovan first received his permit at sixteen, he made a foolish mistake trying to avoid an object in the road and ended up overturning his car. He was fortunate to walk away alive, but his head hit the driver’s side window, shattering the glass, and then his face slammed into the steering wheel, leaving him with a gruesome scar down the left side of his face. Donovan scratched his face and recalled the first time a girl he liked had told him the truth. No one would ever want to wake up to a face like his every day. Once, on a blind date, he’d overheard a woman complain to her friend for setting her up with Scar but then console herself with the idea of getting access to the Ravens fortune if she became pregnant. Donovan knew he’d never trust that a woman would want him for him, not his family’s fortune. Knowing he was a Ravens, women still threw themselves at him. Who was he to turn them down?
So maybe women didn’t want to see his scarred face every day, but as he got older and more serious about the family business, women aggressively pursued him. Usually they wanted a modeling job at Ravens Cosmetics, an office position or the chance to marry into the family. He was well aware of the fact that being seen with him brought notoriety and other modeling competitors. The way he saw things, it was a win-win situation.
Another Chance with You Page 17