name is Ariane.”
Something flickered through Abby’s expressive eyes, but it was gone so fast he couldn’t decipher it.
“She’s seven.”
“Seven?” Abby blinked.
“I’m her godfather.” He saw her disbelief. “Improbable as that may sound, it’s the truth.”
“I see.” Abby kept staring at him.
“She is the daughter of my very best friend. George’s death was a shock to all of us.” It still hurt to think of that vibrant man silenced in a boating accident. “Ariane’s mother died of cancer when she was two. There was no other family. I couldn’t leave her a ward of the state. Besides, I’d promised George that I would take care of her.”
He paused, collecting his emotions from those horrible weeks.
“I’m very sorry.” At least Abby sounded genuine.
“I just wanted you to know. You never seemed like the motherly type, so you probably can’t understand my actions, but I knew if I could bring Ariane home, then the family would help her.”
“That was very generous of you.”
Abby had closed him out. She said the right words, but her heart wasn’t in them. She just wasn’t interested. Her focus was on her ring.
Like that was unusual. Jewelry had always come first with Abby.
She was packing away her tools.
“Donovan, I’ve got to go. There are a thousand things on my plate and I’m way past the time I’d allotted for working tonight. Maybe we can talk more another day?”
“Sure.” He nodded, watching as she locked her project in a small personal safe near her desk. “Sorry I bothered you.”
She didn’t say anything and he wondered if she’d even heard. But after a moment she turned, smiling at him.
“Sorry. I had an idea for the contest.”
“Totally career focused, as usual.” He didn’t bother to mask the disparaging tone lacing his words. “It really matters that much to you?”
“Yes, my career matters to me. Just as much as yours does to you,” she said, defiant in her own defense. “One way or another, I intend to get my chance in New York.”
“I’m sure you will.” Irritation chased confusion and a hint of hurt. What had he expected?
“Because you’ll be working here, I guess I’ll see you around,” she said as she flung on her coat. “Will you lock up?”
“I’m leaving now, too. I must get back to Grandmother’s. Ariane and I are staying there, for now.”
“Oh.” Abby trailed behind him to the back door and set the security alarm. But outside, standing on the step, she hesitated.
Donovan didn’t know why, so he waited.
“Does it seem weird to be back?” she whispered.
“It seems right,” he answered just as quietly. “God used George’s death to remind me of how much I need my family and their love and support in my life. Especially now that I’m to care for Ari.” He paused to study her. “I hope you can understand that, Abby.”
“Understand that family matters? Of course I understand that. Or are you trying to tell me that you’re not interested in picking up where we left off five years ago?” Her smile was hard and forced. “Believe me, Donovan, neither am I.”
He was making matters worse. Donovan wished he’d never left his office.
“My family is very important to me,” he said.
Abby jumped on that.
“So is mine. I might not have the family support that you have, Donovan, but the past five years have taught me one thing.” Sparks flew from Abby’s hazel eyes.
Donovan opened his mouth, but didn’t get a chance to speak.
“If I’m going to get to New York, I’m going to have to do it on my own. Alone.”
With that she walked away into the night.
Chapter Two
Abby’s words helped Donovan decide his course of action.
He would avoid her as much as possible while he figured out how to do his job and be a father to Ariane. Maybe later, somewhere along the way, he’d figure out a way to breach the chasm between them without getting caught up in the past.
It was a fine decision.
Unfortunately, his grandmother blew it out of the water on Thursday evening when she called him into the living room after he’d tucked in Ariane.
“Sit down, dear. I made some coffee.”
“You’re not supposed to be drinking coffee.” He shook his head at her. “And don’t say it’s for me. I don’t drink coffee this late at night.”
“I’m allowed this much.” Winifred liberally laced her half cup with cream. “Have you settled in? Ariane’s all right?”
“We’re fine, Grandmother. Thank you for hosting us.” She had something on her mind. He could see it in the sparks lighting her eyes. “I hope we’re not putting you out too much.”
“I’ll let you know when you do.” She tapped the spoon on her saucer twice before she set it down and leaned forward. “You and Abby talked? There aren’t going to be any problems between you?”
Not if he stayed away from her.
“Well, after five years, it was a little difficult to squeeze everything into a couple of fifteen-minute discussions,” he temporized. “But I’ve apologized and Abby said she didn’t want to hark back to the past. We’re both professionals. I think we can do our jobs at Weddings by Woodwards without conflict.”
“I see.” Winifred leaned back and sipped her coffee, her eagle eyes trained on him. “You never did clarify why you left town so quickly after proposing to the girl.”
And he wasn’t going to explain now.
“First you announced your engagement and then, bang, you were on the next flight to Europe, a job for which you had already turned me down.” Clearly Winifred wanted an explanation.
“I—uh, realized I’d made a mistake. So I corrected it.”
“The way you did it seemed kind of hard on Abby.”
“What did she say?” Donovan asked curiously.
“Abby?” Winifred shook her head. “Nothing to me. I overheard an argument between
