A Ring and a Promise

A Ring and a Promise
Lois Richer

Five years ago, Abby Franklin thought she'd marry Donovan Woodward.But her first love walked out of her life. Now, he's back in town, with his motherless godchild, Ariane, in tow. Avoiding him is essential –and impossible. Because Donovan has rejoined the family business, Weddings by Woodwards…where Abby works as a jewelry designer.Then Abby meets Ariane, and something about the silent young girl draws Abby in. In spite of herself, Abby finds herself opening up her heart…to Ariane and Donovan.

“Abby, about that proposal.”

“I’m not going to talk about it, Donovan. It’s over. I’m over it. I’ve moved on. So should you.”

“You sound so hard. I don’t remember that about you.”

She stared straight at him.

“Time and circumstances do that to you, Donovan.”

He returned her look without flinching.

“Maybe you should tell me what you think happened that night, Abby,” he said, a quiet tension threading his voice. “What did your mother say?”

“What’s the point in rehashing that period of our lives? It’s over. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to get back to work.” Abby turned her back, pretending to concentrate on the ring in front of her.

A few minutes later, she heard the door close.

So Donovan was back.

So you avoid him, she thought. Keep yourself busy and away from him. Donovan never sticks to anything anyway. At least not the Donovan she remembered.

LOIS RICHER

likes variety. From her time in human resources management to entrepreneurship, life has held plenty of surprises. She says, “Having given up on fairy tales, I was happily involved in building a restaurant when a handsome prince walked into my life and upset all my career plans with a wedding ring. Motherhood quickly followed. I guess the seeds of my storytelling took root because of two small boys who kept demanding, ‘Then what, Mom?’” The miracle of God’s love for His children, the blessing of true love, the joy of sharing Him with others—that is a story that can be told a thousand ways and yet still be brand-new. Lois Richer intends to go right on telling it.

A Ring and a Promise

Lois Richer

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world,

but be a new and different person with a freshness

in all you do and think.

—Romans 12:2

This book is for Lesley.

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Epilogue

Questions For Discussion

Chapter One

Doing your best usually meant redoing. Abigail Franklin had learned that at her mother’s knee.

With a sigh, Abby squeezed her forceps, lifted the paste stone and dropped it in the center of her newest platinum setting for the third time.

“Looks good,” a voice offered.

“Good is never good enough,” she muttered. Then the familiar voice hit a nerve.

Abby’s fingers numbed. Her forceps slid out of her hand. She lifted her head and stared.

“Hello, Abby.”

He was back—after five long years.

Forcing taut muscles to obey, Abby slid from her stool and faced Donovan Woodward, the man who’d promised her the world. And never delivered.

Memories of that smile, all sparkle, charm and appeal, swamped her.