“What about you then, Mrs. I-come-from-a-long-line-of-award-winning-pastry-chefs-and-have-a-best-selling-cookbook?” Jade says, putting her arm around Yvette’s shoulders who blushes. “My fellow Soulwink Society members are all amazing women, Ava. You’ve found yourself in good company.”
Dottie finishes pinning the crown in my hair, and we turn away from the mirror to face the others. “Soulwink Society?”
To be honest, I’d kind of forgotten all about Jade’s suggestion that the candles we’re currently burning around the room for ambience might have been the reason Duke and I found each other. She explains her soulwink theory to Dottie, and as I listen to her words for the second time, I wonder if maybe there’s some truth to them. This deep knowing I have inside me started the moment Duke and I met outside the yoga studio. I’ve never felt a connection so instant before, and maybe that ‘moment’ I spoke of before we agreed to go to dinner was the soulwink Jade talks about.
“That sounds like a bit like Cinderella’s glass slipper,” Dottie says with a skeptical frown after Jade finishes. “The idea that something as simple as a single shoe—or in your case, a river rock—could lead you to that one person you’re meant to be with. I mean, it’s beautiful to think about. But it’s hardly logical.”
Jade, and every other woman in the room smile knowingly at my soon to be sister-in-law. “I suppose it’s one of those things where you’ll know it when you see it,” Jade says.
A short silence falls over the room, and I’m quick to fill it up when I remember the gifts I made to thank this wonderful group of women for helping make my special day a reality.
“Speaking of the gems in those candles,” I start, moving over to my bag and digging inside for a paper bag filled with velvet pouches. “I put them in a rock tumbler and polished them all up so I could make you all a thank you gift.” I pull one leather-banded necklace from its pouch to show them. “I made you each a necklace with one to commemorate the candles since they were the reason I came here and met Duke in the first place.”
“These are beautiful,” Dottie says, holding it up to the light and admiring the rainbow of colors. “You’re so talented, Ava.”
“Oh, it’s nothing,” I say, finishing handing them out to looks of thanks and murmurs of appreciation. I’m beaming by the end of it because everyone puts theirs on and genuinely seems to love it. “Just a little something to show you all how much your efforts mean to me.”
“Oh, we’d do it again in a heartbeat,” Jade says, grinning as she holds her arms out to me. “Thank you, my dear, sweet friend.” We hug, and that one hug turns quickly into a massive group one. I feel so wanted and a part of something here.
“We have something for you, too,” Yvette says, picking up a white box and handing it to Jade.
“But you’ve already done so much,” I say as Jade hands it to me.
“You’re part of the sisterhood now,” she says with a wink. “So we’ll always be here for you the moment you need us.”
“Guys!” I open the pink ribbon around the box and lift the lid, finding a pink and black jacket inside that announces to the world that I’m a proud member of the Whisper Valley Soulwink Society. “Thank you. I love it.”
“Oh wow. Now I kinda want one of those soulwinks for myself,” Dottie says, glancing into the box as she fiddles with the gem around her neck.
“I’m sure your time will come before you know it,” Jade says.
Dottie opens her mouth to say something, but then there’s a knock at the door, and she rushes over to it and pulls it open slightly. “Oh, Theo. Hi,” she says, her hand flitting up to check her hair as Duke’s best man stands on the other side of the door.
He clears his throat before tearing his eyes away from Dottie and looking into the room. “I, uh, was sent to let you know we’re ready for you.”
“Thank you,” Dottie says, her voice kinda breathy now as her fingers move back to the necklace. “I’ll see you out there?”
“Save me a dance?”
“You bet,” she says, pushing the door closed behind her and letting out what can only be described as a wistful sigh. She turns to find all of us staring at her with grins on our faces. No one can deny the chemistry that crackled between them.
“What?” she says defensively before she sniffs at the air. “What is that smell? It’s like…the woods and citrus and… Is that those candles?”
My eyes go wide, and I look straight at Jade who holds her finger to her lips as she gives me a nod confirming that she thinks what I think.
Dottie can smell the candles.
Wrap me up and color me convinced, her soulwink is here and we all just witnessed it.
“Time to get you married to your man,” Jade says, handing me my bouquet before giving me another hug. “We’ll see you out there.”
And as I watch them all file out of the room, I take a deep, soul-filling breath as I look at myself in the mirror at my single self one last time.
“Time to become Mrs. Fox,” I say, grinning to myself as I head to the door and the bridal music starts.
DUKE
For a building that was full of dust, cobwebs and broken pieces of furniture a couple of weeks ago, the vineyard’s function hall now looks like a scene out of a Hallmark movie—romantic perfection.
