A Ring and a Promise

“I’d like to make something,” Olivia murmured. She drew two chairs forward, one obviously for Ariane. She sat down, then picked up the wire. “What do you do now, Abby?”

“It’s very simple. Choose the beads you like and thread them onto the wire. Like this.” Abby demonstrated, peeking to see if Ariane was watching. She was.

“I can do that.” Olivia slipped two on the wire, but then hesitated. “I don’t know what to do next,” she said with a wink at Abby. “Should I choose red or blue?”

Abby remained silent, pretending to be perplexed. After a moment, Ariane stepped forward, picked up one red and one blue bead and slid them on, placing a white one between.

“You’re absolutely right. That’s perfect. Thank you, Ariane.”

Ariane nodded. She smiled at Abby, then turned and left.

“Well, that was interesting.” Abby put back the beading tray. “I guess she’s here waiting for Donovan.”

“She looked lonely. I’m going to see if she’s all right.” Olivia hurried away.

Abby stared at the little bracelet Ariane had begun. She added a few twists, some bigger beads and little closures on the end. She laid the finished product on the cart. It was too girly for Olivia’s twin boys. Maybe she’d give it to Ariane if she came back.

“Donovan has her. She’s a sweet child.” Olivia picked up the bracelet, shook her head. “I had no idea you could create something like this out of beads. It’s lovely.”

“I only embellished on the red, white and blue theme she started,” Abby demurred, an idea flickering through her mind for her own collection.

“Ariane looked so defenseless that I wanted to hug her and reassure her that she’s not alone. She has a great big new family now. Of course, that would overwhelm her and I don’t want to do that, but as soon as I can, I’m going to have a chat with Ariane. Maybe I can slip in a few words about God.”

“God?” Abby’s confusion must have shown.

“You know, how God is always on our side. That we can always count on him. That we’re never alone,” Olivia prodded.

“Oh. Yes. That might reassure her.”

“You’re not really with me, are you, Abby? I can see you’re itching to get your fingers working.” Olivia grinned. “Go ahead. I need to talk to Reese, anyway. See you later?”

“Sure.” But Abby didn’t hear her leave. Her brain was too busy rehashing Olivia’s words.

God is always on our side. We can always count on him.

Was Olivia right?

Abby decided to take another look through the Bible that Donovan’s mother had given her last Christmas.

It would be nice to have somebody on her side.

Chapter Three

“Waiting for someone special, brother dear?”

Donovan studied his baby sister. Sara sparkled with happiness as she flitted around him like a pesky mosquito.

“Like maybe—Abby?”

Sara’s husband, Cade Porter, lounged a few feet away, ostensibly listening to Donovan’s mother chatter about something at work. But the man’s protective stance told Donovan that the tall, lean cowboy would know exactly where his wife was at any given moment this evening. Cade and Sara had been flashing secret messages back and forth with their eyes ever since they’d arrived.

“Let it go, pest.” He’d never get a better time to apologize. “I’m really sorry I missed your wedding, Sara. I should have been here and I wasn’t. I let you down because I let business overwhelm me. That was a stupid thing to do and I wish I hadn’t.”

“I was very mad at you for a while, Donovan.” Sara pouted for a minute, then smiled. “Very mad.”

“I deserve it.”

“But Cade pointed out that you’d be coming home someday and then I could get payback at my leisure. Which I will,” she promised. “Cade is a smart man.”

“Yeah, he seems okay. A little too ready to pounce maybe, but nice.”

“He’s wonderful. I love him and we’re very happy.”

“I can tell. You deserve happiness, Sara, and I hope you and Cade get it in spades.” Donovan hugged her close, wishing he hadn’t missed everything. Which was odd for him. Regrets were not a usual part of his life.

“I like Ariane,” Sara said as she drew away. “She’s a sweetheart, but I wish she’d loosen up. She looks so scared.”

“If you had this family thrown at you all at once, you’d be a little scared, too. Give her time and she’ll be fine.” I hope. “In the meantime, I think I’d better rescue her from Brett and Brady. They make me afraid and I’m not a little girl.”

“No, when it comes to women, you’re a big chicken, brother dear.”

Sara’s laughter followed him across the room. Donovan gave his father the high sign and soon Brett and Brady, Reese’s rambunctious twins, had left Ariane to regale their grandfather with tales of their afternoon at Cade and Sara’s ranch.

“Everything okay, Ari?” he whispered.

She said nothing, simply nodded. He might have been a complete stranger for all the attention she paid him.

“Hey, everyone.” Fiona’s voice cut through the hum of noise like a paper shredder. His mother had never required amplification. “Abby’s here.”

It had been easy to avoid Abby on Thursday because she was away. Donovan had stayed away all day Friday out of sheer busyness. But he wouldn’t be able to keep it up forever. They would have to work together sooner or later.

But that wasn’t why he sought her out now. Tonight he was going to introduce her to Ariane because he wanted the little girl to meet all of the people who worked at Woodwards.

“There’s someone I want to introduce you to,” Donovan whispered.

Ariane grabbed his hand and held on, fear filling her expressive eyes.

“Don’t worry. You’ll like her.” He straightened, glanced toward the door and gulped as if he’d been swamped by one of the waves off Big Sur.

Abby had always been pretty, but tonight she was stunning. Her streaked hair usually fell to her shoulders, thick and straight. Tonight it was drawn up on her head, adding to her height. Slim and graceful in a red dress that hinted at her femininity and offered a glimpse of elegant legs, she looked like a fashion model. Sparkling stones nestled into her earlobes as if they’d grown there. On one wrist she wore the bracelet he’d given her on Thursday.

This was not his old school pal.

“I’m so glad you’re back,” Abby said to Winifred, right before she hugged her.

“Thank you, dear.” Winifred touched her chin. “You look lovely.”

“It’s one of your creations. How could I not?”