Page 22 of Sugar and the Skeptic
He tilts his head to the side. “That was before I experienced how deep this connection really is. There’s no denying that what we have is the real deal.”
“OK. So what are you saying here, exactly?”
“I'm saying that I’d like you to be my wife, Clementine.”
My cheeks pinch, I’m smiling so hard. “I’d like you to be my husband, Rafe.”
He chuckles. “Then it’s settled. We’re getting married.”
“Are we? I don’t remember being officially asked.”
“Oh, you want me to get down on one knee, do you?”
“It could help,” I say, giggling as I get off his lap and walk backward a couple of steps. “I could even give you a little incentive.” I reach down and lift my dress up and over my body, tossing it toward the open door of my van that we’re currently using like a mountain-style pool house. It makes for the perfect lazy day together by the water.
“Playing unfair, are we?” he says, getting up and whipping his shirt off over his head. “Two can play at that game.”
I laugh and strip away my underwear, tossing it to the side and I run to the water and splash my way in. He’s hot on my tail, and from the feel of his body against my back, he’s just as naked as I am.
“If you go too deep, I can’t get down on one knee,” he says. And I turn in his arms then watch as he lowers himself into the water.
“Clementine. Sugar.” He lifts his hand and between his fingers, a slight glint reflects off a ring and I gasp. “I can’t imagine a single day beyond this without you. Will you marry me?”
He holds the ring up a little higher and I realize the gem is none other than the stones from the lake, all polished and set into a silver band. It’s gorgeous.
Wrapping my hands around his, I lower myself into the water in front of him. “Yes, Rafe. I want to marry you because I feel exactly the same. You’re my other half, and I can’t live without you.”
“Fuck, I love you, Sugar,” he says, emotion in his voice as he slides the ring onto my finger.
I throw myself against his body and hug him tight. “I love you too,” I whisper, kissing him with everything I have in me and then some. And it’s not long before our twilight swim becomes a very naughty splash in the shallows as we show each other just how perfect together we really are.
EPILOGUE
Rafe
Five Years Later
Whistling as I leave the bakery, a tray of coffee—two regular and one almond milk—in hand, I head straight to the yoga studio where I know my wife is just finishing up with a reading. Something she does quite regularly now that her website is doing great and word has gotten around town about how intuitive she is.
But I could have told them all that. Clementine has a gift, and it’s through her cards and candles that she shares it with people. I’m constantly in awe over how much joy and hope she creates in this world, and I’m beyond blessed to be the main recipient of that.
While I fought against my feelings for her in the very beginning, giving in to them when I did has been the greatest turning point of my life. I opened my heart and welcomed the other half of me into my world, and I haven’t looked back a day since.
Of course, my cousins and siblings had a field day when they found out I was head over heels for Clementine after just a few days knowing her. But by the time our wedding rolled around six months later, they’d quit calling me the skeptic and just started celebrating the fact that every single Valentine was now settled and in love. Whatever it was that brought us all together, be it the phenomenon of soulwinks or twinflames, we’re all incredibly grateful. It’s just a shame that in the five years since, it seems as though that spark of magic in the air of Whisper Valley has faded away. Jade and all the other ladies in the Whisper Valley Soulwink Society had hoped the wink would move on to a new family, or maybe they’d learn it was widespread and a lot of couples in town just knew the moment they saw each other. But no matter how many questions they asked, or how much attention they paid, they couldn’t find another couple who felt the same magical connection we all did. And now that Valentine babies are starting to populate the mountains, we are starting to think that we’ll have to wait until our kids are grown to find out if the soulwink ever makes a return. Such a shame. It feels kind of greedy to keep something so wonderful all to ourselves.
“Oh my, you sell those candles here too,” an unfamiliar voice says as I step inside the studio and find Sugar at the register ringing up her client. She catches my eye as I let the door swing closed behind me and gives me a secret smile. I give her a wink then move over to where Serenity is restocking some of the shelves.
“I come bearing gifts,” I say, offering her a coffee which she gladly accepts.
“You are a good man, Rafe Valentine. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise,” she says, taking a sip of the hot liquid and letting out a happy moan. “Yvette makes an amazing latte.”
“She does. Both Sugar and I drink it black at home, but whenever we’re in town, we get one of these and a few sneaky treats since Yvette started making her allergen free range bigger.”
“It’s amazing how many people are struggling to find good food to suit their sensitivities. Clem has really opened our eyes up to that. Did you notice the bar has more options too? And they always have gluten free rolls on hand for burgers.”
“Which is amazin’ since Sugar loves her burgers.”
“Don’t we all?” she says with a laugh as she thanks me again for the coffee and heads into the practise room to sanitize some mats, so I turn my attention back to where Clementine is still speaking with her client.
