Page 21 of Sugar and the Skeptic
Giving her a smile, I take a moment to look at each woman in the face, noting that it’s not just Jade who’s dying with anticipation here. They’re all pretty invested in finding out if anything happened between Rafe and I. “Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news,” I start, struggling to hide my smile when they all start to groan, “but it seems I won’t be leaving Whisper Valley after all.”
It takes a moment for my words to catch up with their brains, but when they do, Serenity is the first to let out a squeal. “You’restaying?” She grips both of my arms with a little too much strength.
“Yes.” I nod enthusiastically, laughing when Jade and Yvette both start jumping up and down like they just won the lottery.
“Tell us everything,” Jade says, and of course I oblige, loving this feeling of having a group of girlfriends to tell all of my secrets to. Well, notallof my secrets. There’s a lot that happened with Rafe over the last few days that I’d like to keep close to my heart, but the main jist of it is that he is amazing, and I’m head over heels in love with him.
“—and as of lunchtime today, I’m moved in to his cabin,” I finish, giggling because this all seems so surreal. Wonderful. But surreal.
“That’s so exciting, Clementine,” Yvette says, grinning wide. “Do we know when the wedding is going to be? I want to get some practice in making a cake that’s safe for you to eat.”
“Oh, I think we want to spend a little longer getting to know each other before we take that leap. So you have a while. But thank you, that is really sweet, Yvette,” I say with a blush, so touched that her thoughts immediately went to something that helps me. I don’t think I’ve ever felt like I fit in somewhere so rapidly before. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever felt as though I fit in anywhere. It’s why I’ve spend the majority of my adult years on the road instead of staying in one place.
“How do you feel now that you’re retiring the VW?” Serenity asks, knowing how attached I am to my little home on wheels.
“Well, I don’t think she’ll befullyretired. Rafe seems pretty happy to hit the road with me for an adventure here and there. But for the most part, I think my VeeDub will be happy in her new home by the lake.”
“Oh, I just love a happy ending,” Jade says clapping her hands together.
“Do you really think that’s the end?” Serenity asks, picking up one of the candles I made and holding the jar up to the light. The colored stones catch the light and sparkle.
“Gosh, I hope not,” Jade says, her gaze moving to the jar along with Yvette. “What stones are those? They’re beautiful.” Serenity hands her the candle and she inspects it more intently.
“Oh, I found those in the lake at Rafe’s place. He said all the Valentine boys used to swim up there every summer and see who could find the biggest one. I can only find tiny stones now, though. They probably cleared it out.”
“How fascinating,” she says, lowering the jar to read the label. “And I see you’ve named it the Whisper Valley Special Reserve.”
I share a grin with Serenity. “Ren here helped me come up with that. And Millie helped us with the scent. We tried to capture a little something of everyone in the family to make it unique.”
She takes the lid off and inhales deep. “Oh, I love it. In fact, I’m going to be your first customer. How much?” she asks, reaching into her purse and cementing my earlier thoughts. These women are so kind and welcoming, and I can see them quickly becoming family. Something I always desperately wanted.
When I first came to Whisper Valley, I read my cards and they told me I’d find love. I thought that love was in the people around me when I walked into a wedding in progress, but now that I’ve found my place here, I realize that love was for me. Not only have I found my twinflame—or soulwink—in Rafe. But I’ve also found family in my budding relationships with these fast friends. I can’t wait to see what comes next.
And when I make my way back up to the cabin, I can’t wait to spend more time with my man. I find him waiting for me at the waters’ edge, sitting on a deck chair with a fire glowing in the cast iron pit, keeping away the cool breeze coming off the water as the sun goes down.
“Back from adventures with the girls?” he calls out as I wander over to him, the keys to his truck in my hand. I hand them to him.
“They’re all so nice. I’m glad you convinced me to stick around.”
“No one’s more glad than I am, Sugar,” he says, catching my hand before I can get too far and tugging me closer. I settle on his lap with my legs straddled either side of him and drape my arms over his shoulders.
“Yvette wanted to know if she should start practicing to make a wedding cake.”
His brow lifts up. “And how did you feel about that?”
“I don’t know. I was touched that she wants to go to all that effort to make sure I have something allergen-free.”
Rafe chuckles and nudges me slightly by squeezing my thighs with his hands. “I meant, how did you feel about her mentioning us getting married?”
“Oh…um…” I lick my lips, averting my eyes slightly as I try to come up with the right answer. But if I’m honest, I felt excited by the prospect. Yet another thing I never thought I’d experience. “I didn’t hate the idea,” I settle on instead. “But this has all happened so fast. I told her we were spending some time getting to know each other better before we took that step.”
“I like it,” he says, smiling.
“That I put her off?”
“No. The idea of us getting married.”
I pull back slightly and frown. “I thought you were against the soulwink because everyone was rushing into marriage?”
