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A Soldier’s Return
For four years, Ruthie Chandler avoided the man who broke their engagement—and her heart. But when her antiques shop mistakenly sells his ailing grandmother’s doll, she comes face-to-face with the man she never forgot. Teaming up with Gray Bristow on this important mission won’t be easy, but Ruthie suspects it’s exactly what the disillusioned veteran needs. The doll is the key to Gray’s family’s past—and possibly his future. And it may be what finally brings the ex-soldier home to faith…and to Ruthie.
Southern Blessings: Three friends find hope and love in Virginia
He owed her an explanation.
He needed to justify—to her as well as to himself—what he had done.
She reached for his hand, then seemed to think better of it. “Tell me, Gray.”
Her tone was kind. Soft. Caring. Infinitely patient.
She tugged her sleeves down to cover her hands.
“Go inside,” he said just as gently. “You’re cold.”
He had heard that when people got frostbite, the thawing hurt more than the actual freezing. All the more reason to stay frozen where he was. If it hurt this bad now, what might his heart feel like if he let the warmth back in?
“I’d rather stay out here with you.”
He pulled off his jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders. He resisted the temptation to leave his arms around her, but it was as if that brief contact had pried open a long-shut door to something inside him that he felt shouldn’t be examined.
Because if he did, he’d start questioning whether he’d done the right thing four years ago.
Unexpected Reunion
Carolyn Greene
We went through fire and water,
but you brought us to a place of abundance.
—Psalms 66:12
Why have I found such favor in your eyes…?
—Ruth 2:10
This book is dedicated to the memory of
my dear friend and fellow author Charlotte Lobb (a.k.a. Charlotte Carter), who loved, challenged, and treasured all those who were fortunate enough to know her, whether in person or through her stories.
Acknowledgments
To Day Leclaire, with gratitude and affection,
for 23 years of friendship, brainstorming,
learning, and laughter.
And much appreciation to Yuko Kimura-Koenig
for checking my use of Japanese words.
Any mistakes are all mine.
And thanks to my editor, Melissa Endlich,
for loving my idea for the Southern Blessings series and welcoming me into the Love Inspired fold.
Contents
Chapter One
It wouldn’t have been so hard to go through boxes of the elderly Bristows’ belongings if they hadn’t included the Japanese kissing dolls that used to sit on top of the piano where their grandson Gray Bristow had taught her to plunk out “Chopsticks.”
Ruthie Chandler touched the small porcelain faces together so the two pairs of puckered lips met once again. The boy doll’s premolded hair still showed evidence of having been darkened with a black marker to look like Gray. The girl doll’s locks carried the remnants of a red marker and her face sported brown hand-drawn freckles like Ruthie’s. Some gentle cleaning should easily remove the marks—if not the memories—from the smooth white finish. She expected the charming, nostalgic set to sell quickly and move on to a new home where it would foster new memories.
Ruthie set the pieces aside and wished it was as easy to set aside the bittersweet memories they stirred in her.
In the adjoining shop, Savannah must have noticed something on her face or in her demeanor. The pretty blonde moved past the wedding dress on display and joined her, where she peered over her shoulder at the pair of dolls in her hand. She didn’t say anything at first. Didn’t need to.
Her friend had been with her at Wednesday night Bible study the evening she’d received the Dear Jane letter from Gray four years ago, so Savannah must have recognized the shell-shocked expression that apparently had crept back onto her face. Ruthie mindlessly rubbed her thumb against her left ring finger where the white-gold engagement ring used to sit. Back then her world had been filled with hope for a future with the man who’d been the Boaz to her Ruth.
A sentimental romantic, Ruthie had loved the part of scripture where the biblical Ruth asked the kindly Boaz, “Why have I found such favor in your eyes...?” and the happy ending where the couple blessed her mother-in-law, Naomi, with a grandson named Obed. She had imagined the baby she and Gray might have someday—a child with her then-fiancé’s dark hair and almond-shaped eyes, which hinted at his grandmother Naoko’s Japanese heritage. A child he would protect. A child she would teach to savor the memories of its growing-up years. A child they would raise in the church and who would love God.
Unfortunately, her then-fiancé’s emails from Afghanistan had become short and to the point...which she had told herself was for reasons of military security. But that hadn’t explained their platonic tone. The messages she’d received during the three months prior to the breakup could have been written to his sister. Something had happened just before that Thanksgiving...something Gray had alluded to but couldn’t, or wouldn’t, tell her.
Savannah had offered to make her wedding dress, one she claimed would be as beautiful as the bride. It would have been beautiful, no doubt. But it hadn’t come to pass.
Her friend’s compliment had made her blush at the