A Ring and a Promise

“I want to know about this New York project you’re working on.”

“Of course. Any time.” Abby turned, saw him. “Hello, Donovan,” she said, her voice as cool as an Arctic breeze.

“Hi, Abby.” His throat felt swollen, like a school boy’s. He drew Ariane forward to hide his sudden attack of nerves. “I want you to meet someone. Ariane, this is Abby.”

He’d been going to say, “my friend,” but dropped it at the last second.

“We’ve already met. Ariane stopped by a little earlier to check out my beads. Hello.” Abby stretched out her hand and gently shook Ariane’s. “Next time when you come we’ll make something really pretty. Okay?”

The little girl regarded Abby solemnly for several moments before nodding.

“You’re always welcome,” Abby told her with a smile, though it was clear she wondered why Ariane didn’t speak.

Brady and Brett came rushing up to invite Ariane to taste the punch. After a quick silent check with Donovan, Ariane followed, at a much slower pace.

“I hope she didn’t get in your way, Abby.”

“Of course not. She was just curious.”

“I should have told you this before but—” There was no easy way to say it. “Ariane doesn’t speak. She hasn’t since she witnessed her father’s accident. He was water skiing and another boat hit him. The doctors say it will take time before she feels able to talk again.”

“Oh, the poor thing.” Compassion glittered in Abby’s pretty eyes. “I wish there was something I could do to help her.”

Donovan frowned. A five-year-old conversation returned.

Abby detests kids. She puts on a good front, but she’s not interested in the things other girls are, like family. She’s totally focused on her future.

Could she have changed that much?

“We checked out her school this afternoon. She’s to start Monday morning.”

“I’m sure she’ll fit in beautifully.” Abby’s cool look was back. “You’ll do fine, Donovan. Excuse me. I want to speak to Sara.”

“Sure.”

Abby hurried toward his sister. The two shared a laugh before Cade offered them each a glass of the cranberry punch Winifred adored. Donovan felt as if Abby deliberately avoided looking at him when she turned to speak to Olivia.

“You’re frowning, Donovan. Is something wrong?” Winifred studied him with the same eagle eye she used to employ when he was a toddler in her Sunday school class. Her glance tracked to Abby.

“Nothing’s wrong.” One look told him she wasn’t satisfied with that response. “It’s just a bit awkward with Abby.”

“Bound to be, I imagine. You asked the girl to marry you, after all.” Winifred gave him a dark look. “Then you welshed on the deal. Still, you’re both adults now, pursuing your own careers. I’m sure you can get past it. Can’t you?”

The real question was, would he let the past influence the future?

“She seems so different.”

“Five years changes everyone. Including you. Now come over here. I want you to meet someone.” Her voice softened. “This is Art Woodward. He’s your grandfather’s stepbrother.”

“I didn’t know he had one. Nice to meet you, Art.” Donovan shook the older man’s hand and noticed how quickly the man’s other palm encircled Winifred’s waist.

“Neither did we know until recently. But we’re so glad Art’s here. He owns part of the local television station. He’s just come back from buying another in Tucson,” Winifred said.

“Well, that may come in handy for my publicity campaign,” Donovan teased. But his brain filed the look on his grandmother’s face, the way Art smiled at her, the sense of togetherness the two projected.

“Let me know what you need, Donovan, and I’ll aim to provide it,” Art told him. “But not tonight. This is a party and I want the first dance with this beautiful lady.”

Art and Winifred walked to the dance floor and slid into each other’s arms as if they’d been a couple for years. As they glided around the room, Donovan couldn’t help but admit they looked good together.

“What do you think of him?” Reese asked quietly.

“I don’t know what to think. Is he always that…friendly with Grandmother?”

“Pretty much. They’ve seen a lot of each other ever since he arrived and more so since she had her operation. She seems to adore him.”

“Who’d have thought?” Donovan looked for and found Ariane. She stood in a corner, sipping punch, her attention on Abby who was smiling and gesturing as she talked.

“Made your amends there yet?” Reese asked.

“I apologized. Abby said it didn’t matter, that she’d moved on.”

“You believe it?”

“I don’t know what to think. She’s changed a lot. More focused. Harder.” Donovan shrugged. “Not that it matters. I don’t have time for anything but my work here and Ariane.”

“Are you trying to convince me or yourself?” Reese held up a hand. “I don’t need an answer. But if you want to talk, I’m available. It’s good to have you back, little brother.”

“Thanks, Reese. I hope I can share some of the burden for this place.”

“Just don’t make the same mistake I did in thinking work is the panacea for pain.” Reese clapped a hand on his shoulder. “Take it from me, it isn’t. Think I’ll go dance with my wife.”

“You do that. Olivia’s a beautiful woman. You’re a lucky man.”

Reese shook his head.

“Not lucky,” he said firmly. “Blessed.”

Donovan watched him nudge Olivia, then murmur something in her ear. She smiled and inclined her head toward the twins who were staring at the welcome-back cake that sat on a stand at the front of the room. Reese looked as if he’d go and get them, but Olivia shook her head and lifted her hand to his shoulder. They stepped onto the floor with the comfort of two people who understood each other.

Winifred, with Art in tow, touched Donovan’s shoulder, drawing his attention to his parents. He watched his laughing mother tease his grimacing father, who was not following her lead on the dance floor.

“Everyone seems to have a partner but you,” Winifred murmured. “Why don’t you ask Abby to dance?”

“She doesn’t dance,” he said, and then wondered if that was still true. So many things he’d thought he knew for certain had changed. Abby dancing was probably the least of them.

“Even if that’s so, it would still be nice to ask her.”

“It would be a little awkward, don’t you think, Grandmother? Dating isn’t in my future and I’m pretty sure Abby’s focused on her contest.”