A Promise of Forever

by Sheryl Lister

Genres: Friendship; Small Town & Rural

Synopsis

Perfect for fans of Jill Shalvis and Before I Let Go, this heartwarming novel explores the sisterly friendship between a group of women and a second chance at love—all set in the idyllic small town of Firefly Lake. 

Terri Rhodes loves her husband—when he’s actually present. Their whirlwind marriage was a steamy fairy tale for about a year. They moved to Firefly Lake, made amazing friends . . . but over time, Jon’s legal practice and Terri’s work as an ER nurse have turned them into ships passing in the night. What she wouldn’t give to connect with Jon the way they used to before the long hours and unexpected tragedy broke both their hearts.

Jon can’t stand to see his beautiful wife in pain—or talk about his own. He couldn’t admit there was a problem until Terri got his attention in the worst way: by walking out. Jon will do anything to get her back, like leaning on their new friends in the Supper Club and taking her on dates that prove their chemistry is as hot as ever. He has to believe it’s not too late to prove to the woman he loves that his heart and ears are open. And that no matter what, he’s not giving up.

Release date: August 19, 2025

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Print pages: 352

Sample

I’m losing him. The three words sliced through Terri Rhodes’s heart. And she couldn’t let that happen. Seated across the dinner table from her husband, Jonathan, who had his head buried in his iPad and was typing away, she noted that they’d become virtual strangers, neither of them speaking, and barely eating. Terri took a moment to study him. With his walnut-colored skin, dark brown eyes framed by lashes a woman would kill for, and neatly barbered goatee, she thought he was even more handsome than the day they met. And even the dress shirt he wore couldn’t hide the hard, muscular planes of his chest and arms. The chest and arms that used to hold her close when he whispered, I love you. It had been weeks… or had it been months since she’d felt his nearness? And when was the last time he’d told her he loved her?

Sighing softly, she took a sip of her lemonade and wished she had wine instead. “So, how was your day?” she asked, attempting to fill the awkward silence.

Jonathan glanced up briefly and shrugged. “Fine. Busy. Just like every other day.” He forked up some mashed potatoes, shoved them into his mouth, and resumed typing.

Terri toyed with the roasted chicken on her plate, her appetite steadily waning. “I was hoping we could talk,” she said, trying once again to engage him in conversation.

His head came up again and he frowned. “Did something happen at the hospital?”

“No. I just wanted us to do like we used to.” When he didn’t reply, she ate a bite of her now lukewarm mashed potatoes. “There was a time when we talked about anything and everything. Now, I can barely get two words from you most days. Is there something going on that I should know about?”

“No,” Jon answered without looking up.

She sighed. “Do you even want to still be in this marriage?” Terri held her breath, not sure she really wanted the answer. She seemed to be the only one trying to keep the relationship together these days.

This time when he looked up, concern lined his features. “Of course. I don’t want anyone else but you, Terri. And if you’re talking about divorce, that’s definitely not something I want.”

She slumped against the chair in relief. It wasn’t something she wanted to entertain, either. “I’m glad we can agree on that, but things can’t continue like they’ve been these past several months, Jon. Maybe we should try counseling or something.”

Jon set the iPad on the table, picked up his glass, and drained half the contents. “We don’t need counseling. Every married couple has their ups and downs. It’ll work itself out.”

Terri stared at him incredulously. “You’re a lawyer, Jon, and you know better. Don’t insult my intelligence.” She stood, picked up her plate and glass, and carried them to the sink.

“Terri—”

“When you’re ready to have a conversation based in truth, let me know.” With nothing more to say, she pivoted on her heel and retreated to the back deck. Dropping down into one of the cushioned chairs that faced the mountains and a distant lake, she drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly in hopes it would cool her anger. She repeated the process a few more times, then trained her eyes on her beautiful surroundings as the sun dipped below the horizon. From the moment they saw the house, she’d fallen in love with the view and knew it would be her favorite place. It had also become her solace. Tears stung her eyes, and she blinked them back.

When she had proposed them having dinner tonight, she had hoped it would remind Jon of the times when they had promised to eat together at least three nights a week, despite their busy schedules. Obviously her husband hadn’t gotten the same memo, because over the past two years their time together had steadily dwindled and she could count on one hand how many evenings they’d sat down to have dinner. Jon had taken on more cases at the law firm where he served as a senior partner and arrived home later and later as the months passed. Not wanting to come home to an empty house, she’d begun to take more nursing shifts in the emergency room. They’d moved from Los Angeles to Firefly Lake almost four years ago, hoping to put their year-old whirlwind marriage back on track. It had worked for a short time. But now? Terri had no idea how to make it better, since she had yet to figure out a way to get Jon to even acknowledge they had problems.

Terri had done everything she could think of to put the spark back in her marriage, from leaving sweet notes to planning intimate dinners, but nothing seemed to be working. She startled when her cell buzzed in her pants pocket. Digging it out, she smiled when she saw her friend Serenity Cunningham’s name on the display.

“Hey, girl,” she said when she connected.

“Hey. How did dinner go?”

“It didn’t. Jon had his face buried in his iPad the whole time, and I couldn’t even engage him in a simple conversation.”

Serenity’s heavy sigh came through the line. “I’m so sorry, Terri. I thought for sure that since he agreed to be home for dinner, you two would be able to talk about your problems.”

“According to him, we don’t have any.” She told Serenity what Jon said about their issues working themselves out and her leaving him at the table.

“Okay. Wait. What does he mean they’ll work themselves out? Girl, please tell me he didn’t say something that ludicrous.”

“I wish I could, but yeah, he said it. I don’t know what to do, Serenity. He said he doesn’t want a divorce, and I absolutely don’t want it, either.” She sighed, leaned her head back, and closed her eyes. “But I feel like I’m all out of options.”

“There has to be something left to do, especially since neither of you wants to end the marriage. I have to say I’m really glad to hear that, because I truly believe you two belong together. Let’s discuss it next Saturday at supper club.”

Terri smiled. One of the best things about her move had been the friendship with Serenity and their two other friends Natasha Hayes, who’d reconnected with and married her high school sweetheart a couple of months ago, and Dana Stephens. Because of Serenity’s love of cooking, the women had started what they lovingly called Serenity’s Supper Club. They got together at least twice a month and caught up over great food, wine, music, and lots of laughter. “Do you think you should still be doing all this cooking with the baby coming soon?”

“Girl, please. This child isn’t due for almost five weeks, so I’m fine, especially now that I’ve stopped working.” Serenity worked as a nurse in the town’s doctor’s office. “Besides, you know Gabriel is more than happy to help me out.”

“I just bet he is,” Terri said with a chuckle. Gabriel’s sister, Andrea, had been the fifth member of their supper club until she relocated due to a job promotion and asked Serenity to help her brother get acclimated to small-town living. She couldn’t help remembering all the tension between Serenity and Gabriel when he moved in next door to Serenity. However, with them both being foodies, the two had worked out their differences and were now happily married and awaiting the birth of their first child.

“With Thanksgiving being a little over three weeks away, I figure I’ll keep it easy. I’m thinking bacon-wrapped filet medallions because the guys are always talking about needing something more filling. Hmm, maybe I’ll add crab-stuffed shrimp. They can be wrapped in the bacon, too. And because you and Natasha keep raving about them, I’ll make the bruschetta—chicken, bacon, and ranch, and beef tenderloin with caramelized onions—along with two or three kinds of salads. Gabriel said he’d fry some chicken wings for us. And before you say anything, no, I’m not cooking for Thanksgiving. Nana and Gabriel will handle everything this year.”

Terri laughed. “Mmm, you know me well. My mouth is already watering thinking about that bruschetta, and oooh, that man can make some fried chicken.” A brisk breeze kicked up and Terri shivered. She reached for the purple hand-crocheted blanket she’d made at one of their supper club meet-ups earlier in the year and wrapped it around her. “Do you need me to help with anything?”

“Nope. Is Jon coming?”

She sighed. “I don’t know. He said he was when I asked yesterday, but after tonight…”

“Well, don’t worry. I’ll have Gabriel or Antonio talk to him.” Serenity paused, then said, “For what it’s worth, I do believe Jon loves you. I see him watching you sometimes when he doesn’t think anyone’s looking. I hope you two can get past this.”

“I do, too.” Terri didn’t want to consider the alternative.

Friday afternoon, Jon stood in his office staring out the window. He should be going over notes for at least two cases, but his mind was everywhere except work. It had been two days since the disastrous dinner with his wife, and he hadn’t been able to concentrate on anything since. They walked on eggshells around each other, only communicating when necessary. Jon had been more than a little shocked when she asked about divorce, but he was thankful that neither of them wanted it. He loved his wife with every beat of his heart and hated the distance, but had no idea how to bridge the steadily widening gap between them. Terri had wanted to talk, but he had never been good at sharing his feelings. When Jon was growing up, his father had drilled into his head that only a weak man allowed others to see his feelings. Now, Jon had buried his emotions so deep, he didn’t have a clue how to dig them out and open himself up.

Maybe he should’ve been more receptive to her suggestion of counseling. As quickly as the notion entered his mind, he heard his father’s booming voice: The last thing you need to ever do is sit in some stranger’s office and tell him about all your business. Nobody should know what goes on behind your closed doors except the folks in your house. Jon scrubbed a hand down his face and blew out a long breath.

Turning away from the window, he glanced at his watch and went back to his desk. If he planned to leave no later than six, he had two hours to get some work done. Lately, he rarely made it home before eight or nine—another point of contention between them. Four years ago, he’d been given an opportunity afforded to very few younger attorneys when his boss decided to open a small firm a few miles outside of Firefly Lake. Drake Hodges had felt it would be more cost-effective to have a dedicated office to handle cases in the area, instead of flying back and forth from LA. The job had come with a promotion to junior partner and promise of a senior partnership within three years. Since its opening, Hodges, Smith, Wildes and Rhodes had expanded to include two administrative assistants, a paralegal, and three associate attorneys, including a new woman who had joined the firm two weeks ago. Now as one of two senior partners, Jon felt like he had a responsibility to ensure everything ran well, which required more than the usual forty hours per week.

His head came up at the sound of a knock on his partially closed door.

“Got a minute?”

“Sure. Come on in, Selena.”

Selena Bailey crossed the space and took a seat in one of the chairs opposite Jon’s desk. “I wanted to let you know that Mr. Nelson’s attorney is requesting a twenty-five-thousand-dollar settlement, but I found something you might find interesting.”

“What’s that?”

“He’s filed similar lawsuits against at least twenty-seven other wineries, as well.”

Jon leaned back in his chair. “You have got to be kidding me.” Nelson had sued the winery over website accessibility issues due to his visual impairment, citing that the small, family-owned vineyard had violated the Americans with Disabilities Act by denying him full use and enjoyment of the site.

She slid a folder across the table. “See for yourself.” As Jon opened the file and flipped through the pages, she said, “A few of the wineries have already settled because they felt it would be cheaper than trying to go to trial.”

“I can see that,” he murmured, still reading. Significant billable hours and court costs could add up quickly. “Something about this just doesn’t sit well with me. All twenty-seven lawsuits read almost verbatim, and it feels like some kind of shakedown. Almost predatory.”

Selena lifted a brow. “You think Nelson is doing this just for money?”

“It wouldn’t be the first time someone’s done something like this for the sake of money.” Jon reached for his notes on the Henley Estates Winery case and scanned them. “I don’t see anything here that indicates they were notified about fixing the site before filing. In fact, it’s not mentioned in any of the other cases, either.”

“I spoke with Jeff Henley yesterday, and he said that never happened, because they would’ve jumped on it immediately.”

“Interesting. And all these lawsuits are being handled by one firm.” Something was definitely up. “I know we were considering settling, as well, but I’m wondering if we should think about going to trial. Nelson will have to prove that he’s suffered an injury because of the website’s accessibility issues, as well as prove he’s an actual customer. Did he attempt to purchase any wine or schedule a tour?”

She looked through her notes. “I don’t think he did. The first contact Henley received was when they were blindsided with the lawsuit. I’ll see about getting phone records as well as finding out whether we can trace Nelson’s internet footprints.”

Closing the file, Jon slid it back across the desk. “Sounds good.”

Selena peeked at her watch, then stood and picked up the file. “Since it’s almost five, I’m taking off on time for a change.” She walked to the door and turned back. “You should do the same. I’ve only been here a short time, but I know you put in way too many hours, Jon. Go home and take that beautiful wife of yours out on a date.” She gestured to the photo on Jon’s desk. “Have a good weekend, boss.”

“You do the same.” After she walked out, his gaze strayed to the picture. It was one of his favorite shots of them. It had been taken the day they moved into their new home here in Firefly Lake. Terri had insisted that they needed to take a selfie from their amazing deck with the mountains and lake as a backdrop. Jon studied the face of the woman he loved. Her dark brown eyes sparkled in her beautiful honey-colored face, and the wide, teasing smile she wore was the same one that had captured him from the first. She’d been so happy. What he wouldn’t give to go back to that time.

His cell chimed with an incoming call, interrupting his trip down memory lane. Jon frowned when he saw Gabriel Cunningham’s name on the display. After Gabriel had moved to town last year, they’d become pretty good friends, and they might have been better ones if Jon had reached out more. They typically texted, so Jon’s heart rate kicked up as he wondered if something had happened. “Hey, Gabe. Everything okay?” he asked when he picked up.

Gabriel’s laughter came through the line. “Yeah, man. I figured I’d call this time to make sure you’ll be at the supper club dinner tomorrow.”

Jon dragged a hand down his face, his heart slowing. “I—”

“You’ve missed the last couple. And before you give me some crap about working, it’s a Saturday, Jon. Man, you’ve got to take some time to chill. I can tell you’re close to burnout, along with some other things. And I know Terri would love to have you there,” he added.

Burnout didn’t come close to describing all the things swirling in his gut, and yeah, he knew his wife wanted him there. He recalled the look of hurt in her eyes each time he’d canceled. “I’ll be there.”

“Great. Then Antonio and I won’t have to come and drag your butt to the house.”

He chuckled. “That won’t be necessary.” Jon had not only canceled on his wife often, but had also canceled on getting together with Gabriel and Antonio.

“I’ll hold you to it. Later, my brother.”

“Later.” He disconnected and stared at the photo again. If he didn’t do something, he was going to lose his wife, despite her not wanting a divorce. And that was one thing he could not handle.

Are you almost ready?”

Terri glanced up from where she sat buckling her ankle boots and stared at Jon. “Just about.” She’d been on pins and needles all week waiting for him to find one excuse or another to skip out on the supper club dinner, but he hadn’t, and she was finally starting to relax. She buckled the other boot, stood, and reached for her jacket. The temperatures had dropped over the past couple of days and barely reached sixty degrees.

“Here, let me help you.”

He took the jacket and held it for her. His fingers brushed the nape of her neck when he moved her shoulder-length hair and his touch sent a flurry of sensations through her. She shivered.

“Cold?” he asked, turning her to face him and rubbing up and down her arms.

She looked up at him. “No, I’m good.” He continued to stare at her, as if he wanted to say something. After a long moment, Terri said, “Are we leaving?”

Jon nodded, then stroked a finger down her cheek. “I know things aren’t good between us, but no matter what, I love you, Terri.”

Hearing him say the words put a sheen of tears in her eyes. “I love you, too.”

He smiled faintly, then placed a soft kiss on her lips. “We’d better go.”

The sweetness of the kiss poured over her like molasses. Her heart was so full, she could only nod. He gestured her forward, and they went out to the car. Terri sat silently in the car for the short drive, trying to process Jon’s show of affection and feeling a small measure of hope. After parking, he came around, extended his hand, and gently pulled her to her feet. He continued to hold her hand as they made their way up the steps leading to Gabriel and Serenity’s home.

The door opened seconds after Jon rang the bell, and Gabriel smiled. “Come on in.” He kissed Terri’s cheek and pulled Jon in for a one-arm hug. “Glad you made it, my brother.”

Jon laughed. “I figure I didn’t want to find out whether you’d make good on that threat.”

Terri divided a questioning glance between the two men, but neither said anything. “What threat?”

“Nothing,” Jon and Gabriel chorused.

She really wanted to know, but left it alone. Whatever Gabriel had said to get Jon here worked for her. Smiling, she rubbed her hands together. “Ooh, I smell fried chicken.” They followed Gabriel to the kitchen, where Serenity stood at the counter dicing chicken and bacon. “Hey, girl.” She hugged Serenity’s shoulders. Terri shrugged out of her jacket.

“Hey, Terri. Hi, Jon. I’m so glad you could make it tonight,” Serenity said.

Jon greeted Serenity with a kiss on her upturned cheek. “Looks and smells good.”

“It’ll taste good, too.”

“I have no doubt because it always does. I’m going to see if Gabe needs some help with the setup.”

“I’ll wash my hands and help you, Serenity.” Terri followed Jon’s departure, then washed her hands in the kitchen sink and dried them on a paper towel.

Serenity shook her head. “You don’t need to help. I’m just about done. All I have to do is assemble everything and pop the dishes into the oven.”

“Good. Then we can assemble them and get it done faster, so you can sit your little pregnant behind down.”

“Whatever,” she said with a roll of her eyes and a smile.

“Okay, what do you want me to do first?”

“You can stuff the shrimp with the crab mixture, wrap them in the bacon, and place them on that cookie sheet.” Serenity pointed.

Terri moved the pan within easy reach and picked up the first shrimp. She chuckled.

“What?”

“You know, there sure is a lot of bacon on this menu. Bacon-wrapped stuffed shrimp. Bacon-wrapped beef tenderloin. Chicken, bacon, and ranch bruschetta.” She waved a hand over the waiting appetizers. “I guess Gabriel was right about bacon making everything better,” she said with a grin, referring to the time shortly after Gabriel and Serenity had met and gotten off on the wrong foot.

Serenity’s mouth fell open, and she shot Terri a mock glare. “I can’t believe you’re bringing up old stuff,” she muttered.

Terri playfully bumped her friend’s shoulder. “I couldn’t resist. I’m just happy the two of you worked out your differences.”

“Yeah, so am I. And he’s been so amazing throughout this pregnancy.”

A brief pang of envy and sadness rose, but she forced it back down and concentrated on her task.

Serenity finished assembling the bruschetta and washed her hands. “Enough about me. Any—” The doorbell sounded. “That’s probably Natasha and Antonio. Be right back.” She started toward the front.

“I got it, babe,” Gabriel said, intercepting Serenity and placing a quick kiss on her brow.

She came back to the counter. “I might as well wait for Tasha before asking my question so you’ll only have to answer once. Too bad Dana won’t be here this time, otherwise we’d wait for her, too.”

Terri and Serenity shared a smile. “Did Dana say when she’d be back?” Although Dana worked as the town’s mechanic, she had been gone for the past two weeks playing piano with a symphony orchestra.

“Sometime next week. She wasn’t sure which day, but this will be her last series for the year.”

“I’m here!” Natasha came into the kitchen with her arms spread, hugging both Serenity and Terri.

“Oh, my goodness. You look so good,” Terri said. “That LA trip must have been more than just work.”

Natasha glanced over her shoulder at her husband, Antonio. “Much more.” The women all screamed with laughter. “But I did work my butt off during the week getting the color schemes for each apartment done.” She had secured a corporate interior design project in Los Angeles and had been traveling back and forth for the past few months.

“Hey, ladies,” Antonio said, kissing both Terri’s and Serenity’s cheeks. “Looks like we’re having a feast… as usual. Need any help?”

“No, but thanks for the offer,” Serenity said. “You just go hang out with the guys, so we can have some girl talk.”

Antonio glanced at Gabriel and Jon, who laughed. “I guess I’m getting kicked out of the kitchen.”

Gabriel said, “Grab a drink and follow me.”

The women waited until the men left, then Serenity turned to Terri. “Okay, what’s been going on with you and Jon?”

Terri wrapped the last piece of shrimp in bacon, sealed it with a toothpick, and put it on the pan before answering. “Nothing since we talked last week.” She went over to the sink to wash her hands. “We’ve pretty much only been communicating when necessary, but that’s it.” She shrugged.

Serenity placed the pans in both ovens and set the timer.

“Wait, what did I miss?” Na. . .