“Jonah.”
He put a finger to her lips. “I love you. And I’m ready to take you at your word and stop trying to give you space you don’t want. Or need.”
Gloria swallowed.
Jonah reached into his pocket and withdrew the small square box with the word “Facets” written on it in ornate cursive. He popped open the lid and held it out. “Gloria Sinclair, will you marry me?”
Her mouth formed a little “o” and her eyes filled, tears brimming over to slip down her cheeks. She reached for the box with her good hand and gasped.
Jonah grinned. Since Gloria was a police officer, he hadn’t gone for a big, flashy solitaire, but the circle of diamonds had caught his eye. The jeweler had assured him that it wasn’t going to catch on anything. “It’s called an eternity ring. I thought it was perfect, because that’s what I want for us. Eternity.”
“Oh, Jonah. Yes. Of course I’ll marry you.”
He gently took the ring from the box and slid it onto her left hand. “We can get the size fixed—”
“Jonah?”
“Yeah?”
“Shut up and kiss me already.”
He chuckled and lowered his lips to hers. “Yes, ma’am.”
* * *
A Note from Elizabeth
Happy sigh. Isn’t it great that Jonah and Gloria realized what they had together and weren’t too scared to go after it? (Well, they finally went after it, at least.) Best friends who marry is my favorite trope – maybe because that’s what I’m living out here at home. I highly recommend marrying your best friend when you can.
Although we’re done with the Baxter Family Bakery stories, don’t worry.
If you’re ready for more friends who laugh, struggle, cry, and spur one another on to good deeds, then let me tell you a bit about Peacock Hill. Oh, you’re gonna fall in love with this gang!
Deidre McIntyre and her friends are headed to Peacock Hill in the Blue Ridge Mountains to renovate a dilapidated mansion and turn it into a Christian retreat center slash wedding venue.
Local handyman Jeremiah Crawford isn’t sure about the influx of Northern Virginians to his hometown, but the pixie-like Deidre sure is easy on the eyes. He’s been pretty content to wait for God’s leading in his life—surely the arrival of a woman who can swing a hammer is some kind of sign?
Deidre headed south to start over, away from the temptations that made it so easy to rely on herself instead of God. (Ouch. Anyone else feel that sting?) She absolutely wasn’t looking for love—but that doesn’t mean love won’t find her.
Why not come on down to Peacock Hill and make yourself part of the gang?
Read A Heart Restored today.
Want a free book?
If you enjoyed Donuts & Daydreams and would like to read another of my books for free, you can get a free e-book simply by signing up for my newsletter.
Author’s Note
Thank you for reading Donuts & Daydreams! I hope that you enjoyed it! I’m sad to be leaving Arcadia Valley behind as this book marks the end of my Baxter Family Bakery series. I spent many a joyful hour with the Baxters and they will forever hold a little piece of my heart. I know I’ll be looking for a way to give them a cameo here and there in future books, if only so we can check-in and make sure their happily ever afters are progressing as they should.
I would appreciate it if you’d help others enjoy it too by leaving a review! Word of mouth is how most people say they find new books to read, so I’d love it if you’d also consider telling your friends about it. Any success my books have is owed to readers like you who take the time to tell others about my stories. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.
Working on this project, with the five other amazing authors who are all writing in Arcadia Valley, has been an absolute delight. I love all the characters who fill up our little town, and I hope you will, too. Each of the ladies who are a part of Arcadia Valley has a great talent and a deep love for Christian fiction. I think you’ll agree it shows in the work they produce.
You can always keep up to date with my writing news via my newsletter. There’s a sign-up form at my website and also on my author Facebook page.
I continue to owe a huge debt of gratitude to my husband and sons for giving me the time to write, my sister for her unflinching support and encouragement, and my critique partners Valerie Comer, Lynellen Perry, Heather Gray and Jan Elder for catching all the times I use the same word six times in two paragraphs.
More than anything, I’m grateful that God continues to give me words and makes it possible for me to write them down.
I’d love to hear from you! You can connect with me on Facebook my webpage or via email.
About the Author
Elizabeth Maddrey is a semi-reformed computer geek and homeschooling mother of two who lives in the suburbs of Washington D.C. When she isn’t writing, Elizabeth is a voracious consumer of books. She loves to write about Christians who struggle through their lives, dealing with sin and receiving God’s grace on their way to their own romantic happily ever after.
Donuts & Daydreams Page 19
