Full Circle

Prologue and Chapter 1

Prologue

Gabrielle Webster gazed across the desk at Clint Jackson, listening to the blizzard howl past the office windows of the Circle J Ranch. The room was dark except for the candles that Clint had found in a closet somewhere.

"Clint, do you remember when you told me that if you love something, truly love it, you have to be willing to let it go? Otherwise you'd interfere with God's plan for its life?"

Clint studied her a moment before answering. "I was talking about a rabbit, Gabby. We were 11."

"Yeah, I know. But right now, I'm talking about me." She paused, feeling a lump rise in her throat as she met his dark brown eyes. "We're 17 Clint. And as much as I love you, as much as I miss Miller's Creek, I can't accept this ring." She reached out and placed the diamond on the desk between them. "I can't marry you. Not yet. I need to go back to Danington, figure out what God has going on for me."

Clint stared at the ring, his jaw working as he fought his emotions. "You mean back to Austin Reese."

Gabby had to admit, at least to herself, that Austin was a big part of her decision to turn down Clint's proposal. But he wasn't the only reason. "I mean all of it." she whispered.

When he looked up at her there were tears falling down his cheeks. Gabby's chest felt tight, as if her heart really was breaking. "So this is it then? This is the end of us?"

Gabby wanted to sob at the finality of it. Could there ever really be an end to Clint and Gabby? They'd known each other their whole lives. How could that end? But she nodded. "Please don't hate me Clint. I still love you. I still want you in my life. I think we just have to step back, grow up a little. Experience other things."

"Gabby," his voice caught as he spoke, "I could never hate you." He reached out and picked up the ring, holding it so it caught the candlelight. "Please keep this. I don't want it back. I could never give it to anyone else."

He stood up and walked around the desk, taking Gabby's hand and pressing the ring into her palm. Then he walked out of the office without another word.

Gabby wept, listening to the wind and snow lash against the windows. It didn't come close to matching the storm in her heart.

                                                                        Chapter 1

5 Years Later. . . .

Clint felt his throat constrict when Gabby stepped into the aisle, holding the arm of her step-father Kirk. The paper plate in her hands wobbled to the side, top-heavy with ribbons and bows from her bridal shower. She made a face at her bridesmaids but didn't bother to fix her "bouquet". Her face radiated happiness, her smile wide and eyes sparkling. Clint thought she looked beautiful and this was only the dress rehearsal! He glanced over at Austin, wondering if the bride was having the same effect on him.

He was the groom, after all.

Austin, too, was grinning from ear to ear, his happiness evident. Clint smiled to himself, the moment bittersweet. One glance over at Gabby's matron-of-honor told him that she knew exactly how he felt. Samantha King, Sam for short, had been one of their closest high school friends back in Miller's Creek, Montana. She remained so to Clint even after Gabby moved to New York. She had married another friend of theirs, Nathaniel King, or Thane as everyone called him. The two helped him manage his family's ranch, the Circle J.

Sam was very intuitive, almost to the point Clint believed she was psychic. She always seemed to know what he was thinking or feeling. When no one else understood or knew what to say, she did. She smiled back at him now, an echo of his own feelings.