Martha Mason - Two Rings, One Heart

Cover Page

Excerpt “You’re the last person I expected to see at the door…” Megan stared at him, dazed. “What are you doing here, Mitch?” “I came to town on business. I thought I’d come by and see the kids…and you,” he added. His dark brown hair was tousled as usual and a bit of gray showed around the edges. He was looking very fit and handsome. She gave up the pretense. She felt unhinged, and it showed. “Maybe it would be better if you just left,” she said crisply. “I just wanted to see all of you. I didn’t come to cause any trouble, Megan.” Finally her eyes met his. He was intently watching her. In his eyes she saw a sadness that had never been there before. “I couldn’t stay away any longer. It was time to come back,” he said softly.

About the Author MARTHA MASON has spent the major portion of her adult life being a stay-at-home mom. Now that her children are grown, she has time to pursue things she has never done before—like writing. “I prayed, asking God what I could do with my time, and unexpectedly I was led to writing. This surprised me, because I never had any aptitude for writing. Composing a note to go on the refrigerator was a major task.” Martha is delighted with writing Christian fiction. Knowing life isn’t always perfect, but that things always turn out right if she puts her trust in God. She feels this career change was “inspired.” Two Rings, One Heart is her first novel. She plans to keep writing, enjoying the new direction her life is taking. Smith Mountain Lake is where she resides with her husband, Boonie, and her mother-in-law, Beverly. She has three children—Chris, Amy and Andy. With the lake in her backyard, there is always plenty of company. She is also looking forward to the construction of the church she attends. She says the Lord, her family and friends gave her the encouragement she needed to write this book.

Title Page Two Rings, One Heart Martha Mason www.millsandboon.co.uk

Epigraph And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. — Ephesians 4:32

Dedication To “Boonie,” Chris, Amy, Andy, Beverly and all my family and friends who believed in me and encouraged me in untold ways. I love you all.

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

Dear Reader

Copyright

Megan stared at him, dazed. “What are you doing here, Mitch?”

“I came to town on business. I thought I’d come by and see the kids…and you,” he added.

His dark brown hair was tousled as usual and a bit of gray showed around the edges. He was looking very fit and handsome. She gave up the pretense. She felt unhinged, and it showed.

“Maybe it would be better if you just left,” she said crisply.

“I just wanted to see all of you. I didn’t come to cause any trouble, Megan.”

Finally her eyes met his. He was intently watching her. In his eyes she saw a sadness that had never been there before.

“I couldn’t stay away any longer. It was time to come back,” he said softly.

has spent the major portion of her adult life being a stay-at-home mom. Now that her children are grown, she has time to pursue things she has never done before—like writing. “I prayed, asking God what I could do with my time, and unexpectedly I was led to writing. This surprised me, because I never had any aptitude for writing. Composing a note to go on the refrigerator was a major task.”

Martha is delighted with writing Christian fiction. Knowing life isn’t always perfect, but that things always turn out right if she puts her trust in God. She feels this career change was “inspired.” Two Rings, One Heart is her first novel. She plans to keep writing, enjoying the new direction her life is taking.

Smith Mountain Lake is where she resides with her husband, Boonie, and her mother-in-law, Beverly. She has three children—Chris, Amy and Andy. With the lake in her backyard, there is always plenty of company. She is also looking forward to the construction of the church she attends. She says the Lord, her family and friends gave her the encouragement she needed to write this book.

www.millsandboon.co.uk

And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

— Ephesians 4:32

To “Boonie,” Chris, Amy, Andy, Beverly and all my family and friends who believed in me and encouraged me in untold ways. I love you all.

Memories. Old memories, always flooding up from the past Megan Whitney had built a new life, but the past was always coming to haunt her. Reminders of a life years ago and the husband she had loved and trusted.

Why couldn’t she just let it go? Maybe it was because of the kids. But they were a blessing. No, it was deeper than that It was the promises. The vows she had made to God and to Mitchell.

Megan realized she felt this way every time she had a confrontation challenging her moral values. This time not only had her integrity been questioned, but by the end of the encounter she was being accused of causing her husband’s departure. Was it true? Had she been the problem all along?

The day had started out as usual for Megan. She got her two children off to school. Afterwards she opened Meadow Flowers, a once-small florist’s shop that she had built into a flourishing nursery and landscape business.

In the morning, she made flower arrangements. After lunch, she delivered them and went to do a final inspection on a landscaping job. From there she went to the high school to pick up her sixteen-year-old son, Zack.

Zack drove his mother to the Division of Motor Vehicles. He was finally old enough to get his driver’s license. Coming out of the building, he proudly showed his mother the license. To him it meant freedom to come and go without his mother escorting him. “See Mom, it’s official. I can drive now. Aren’t you happy?”

“Overjoyed! Now you can do the evening deliveries.”

“Aw, Mom!” Zack groaned. “Can I have the truck after that?”

“We’ll see,” she said, smiling faintly.

The last stop was a meeting to complete a landscape proposal. Megan’s day had been hectic, but she didn’t complain. There had been lean years in the past, when it had been hard to make ends meet.

Faith in God was her foundation. She had learned to pray, work hard and hold on. Now she no longer had to scrape to make a living. God was faithful.

Zack parked the company van like a pro in front of the newly completed building. Megan grabbed the proposal. “I know you’re anxious to try out that new driver’s license, but try to wait for me.”

Zack grinned wickedly at his mother as he changed the radio station. “Don’t be too long or I’ll just have to leave you here!”

Inside the building Megan found the owner, Mr. Carlyle, and waited for him to finish a phone conversation. He was a nice-looking man in his mid-fifties. She knew he owned several large properties in the area and was quite wealthy.