Deadly Vows (18 page)

France
Two weeks later

O
livia Jeffries scowled as she eyed her reflection in the mirror. She’d selected a pale yellow dress with an empire waist for the occasion, but it may not have been the best choice. Not only did the high waistline
not
camouflage Olivia’s burgeoning belly, the loose flow of the skirt seemed to emphasize the baby’s presence. She turned from side to side, flattening the material against her stomach and sighing, At least her hair looked good. She’d left it loose and curly the way Ford liked it, and the pastor’s wife had helped her fashion a crown of tiny white and yellow flowers.

She looked like a flower child. A very pregnant one.

She scowled again. Maybe she should scoop her hair up into a loose bun, lose the flower crown…

A soft knock sounded at the door of the changing room and it swung open, a pretty dark-haired woman hovering in the threshold. A few years older than Olivia, Julia Pothier had met her French husband on a mission trip to
Africa. They’d married a few years later and settled in his home country, planting a church an hour outside of Paris. It was a mile from the little town where Olivia and Ford had settled after they’d fled Chicago. There was no doubt Micah McGraw had known of the couple when he’d chosen where Olivia and Ford would begin their new lives. Having an American close by had made Olivia’s transition easier than she’d thought it would be.

She smiled at her new friend, motioning for her to enter the room. “I think I may need to ditch these flowers.”

“Why? They’re beautiful, and so are you. Besides, your husband is waiting.”

“Impatiently?”

“Only a little,” Julia responded, smiling.

“All right. I guess I can’t put it off any longer.”

“Would you want to?”

“No.”

“Good, because I made this just for you.” Julia handed Olivia a bouquet of white and yellow roses tied with a pale yellow ribbon.

“They’re beautiful. Thank you, Julia.”

“Every bride needs a bouquet.”

“Every bride isn’t five and a half months pregnant,” Olivia muttered, following Julia to heavy wood doors that opened into the nearly empty sanctuary.

Large and dimly lit, the building had been erected in the eighteenth century, abandoned in the 1970s and was now being brought back to life by the Pothiers. Over the past ten years, the couple had polished old wooden pews and wide-planked flooring. They’d replaced cracked and broken stained glass windows, and they’d filled the silent church with noise again. Their congregation was small, but
growing, and Olivia knew that the future would only be brighter for the little country church.

Just as it would be for her little family.

The trial was over. Vincent Martino had been convicted, and Olivia trusted the FBI to find him and put him in prison where he belonged. The past was behind her. The future ahead. All she had to do was embrace it.

She took a deep breath, stepping into the room.

Marcus Pothier stood at the front of the church, holding a Bible and speaking quietly to Ford. He stopped talking as he caught sight of Olivia and Julia, a soft smile easing the hard lines of his face.

Ford turned, his eyes widening as he met Olivia’s gaze. Her heart leaped in acknowledgment, her pulse racing with love. With joy.

He took a step toward her, might have walked the rest of the way up the aisle, but Marcus put a hand on his arm, holding him in place.

Music filled the room, soaring to the vaulted ceiling, echoing through the empty space. Not a traditional wedding march, but this wasn’t a traditional wedding. It was a renewal of promises. A fresh start with the only man Olivia had ever loved.

She walked down the aisle, met her husband there. Looked into his eyes as Marcus began to speak about love, about faith, about two people coming together as one. The ceremony was simple and short, the promises she and Ford exchanged heartfelt and straightforward. To put God first and then each other. To raise their child with faith and prayer. To support each other. To be there for each other. One promise built on another, the foundation solid and sure.

When it was over, Ford pulled Olivia into his arms, kissed her deeply.

“I love you, Liv.”

“I love you, too,” she said, meaning it more than she’d ever imagined she could.

Faith. Love. They went hand in hand, feeding off each other until one was the same as the other. The knowledge whispered through Olivia’s mind as Ford took her hand, led her from the sanctuary, out into the warm spring day and into their future together.

Dear Reader,

When Olivia Jarrod sees Vincent Martino murder his rival, she’s terrified but agrees to testify against him. Federal marshals assure her she’s safe, but Olivia has more than herself to worry about. She’s pregnant with her estranged husband, Ford Jensen’s, child. Protecting their baby is her priority.

Protecting Olivia is Ford’s.

He’s made a lot of mistakes during their marriage, but he’s determined to make things right. When he finds Olivia hiding in a small Montana town, he’ll risk everything to keep her safe.

Deadly Vows
is a story of peril and intrigue, but it is also a story of second chances. Like all of us, Olivia and Ford have regrets. As they face danger, they must let go of the past, forgive each other and step with faith into the future.

I hope you enjoy their story, and I pray that, like them, you will know the mercy of God’s grace and the joy of the second chances He offers.

Blessings,

1. Olivia has always dreamed of having children, yet she married a man who had no desire to be a father. What drew her to Ford? Would you ever give up one of your dreams for love?
   
2. How strong was Olivia’s faith when she met Ford?
   
3. Was it strengthened or weakened by their marriage?
   
4. As a witness under federal protection, Olivia must give up every part of her old life. That includes Ford. How does she feel about this? How would you feel if you were in her situation?
   
5. Does learning that she’s pregnant change the way she feels about leaving her past behind her?
   
6. In what way does Olivia’s situation make her more dependent on God?
   
7. Ford is attacked by Martino’s henchmen, and being close to death makes him reevaluate his priorities. What does he realize about his relationship with Olivia?
   
8. How does his desperation lead him closer to God?
   
9. Ford is shocked to learn that Olivia is pregnant. What are his reasons for not wanting to be a father? Do you think they’re valid?
   
10. How do his feelings about fatherhood change?
    
11. An underlying theme of this story is forgiveness. At what point is Olivia truly able to forgive Ford for the hurt he’s caused her? Have you had a hard time forgiving someone in your life? How did you overcome that?
    
12. The Bible tells us that we are to forgive others in the same way that God forgives us. What does this mean?
    
13. Why is that kind of forgiveness such a difficult thing to give?
    
14. What do you think will happen in the next books in the series?