AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She’d had a shot at being deliriously in love and ruined it. She’d always believed that if her soul mate existed, then love would be enough.
Juliet and Dannie glanced at each other and a long look passed between them.
“You get the wine.” Dannie shooed Juliet toward the kitchen and then extracted a jewelry box from her purse.
Juliet returned with the wineglasses, passed them out and perched on the edge of the couch. “Open it, Elise.”
After handing the box to Elise, Dannie sat next to Juliet and held her glass of wine in her lap without drinking it.
Carefully, Elise cracked the hinged lid to reveal a silver necklace. A heart-within-a-heart charm hung from the chain. Surprised, she eyed the two women. “Thank you. But what’s this about?”
Dannie unclasped the necklace and drew it around Elise’s neck. The cool metal warmed instantly against her skin.
“You gave us necklaces during our makeovers,” Dannie said and nodded at Juliet. “We were about to embark on the greatest adventure of our lives. We had your guidance from the first moment we met our matches and it stayed with us every day, right here in silver.”
“Open heart.” Juliet pointed at Dannie’s necklace and then at her own. “Hearts holding each other. Simple but profound messages about love. We wanted to return the favor.”
“I had no idea those necklaces meant so much to you.” Tears threatened again and Elise blinked them back. “What does mine mean?”
Juliet shook her head with a small smile. “That’s for you to figure out at the right time. That’s how it works.”
“We can’t tell you. Just like you didn’t tell us.” Dannie put a comforting hand on Elise’s arm. “I wish I could make it easier for you because honestly, working through the issues I had with Leo was the hardest thing I ever did.”
Nodding, Juliet chimed in. “Finn and I are so much alike, it was nearly impossible to compromise. But we found a way and it was so worth it.”
Elise fingered the larger heart with the smaller one nestled inside. Her match was a disaster, not like Dannie’s and Juliet’s. She’d known their matches were solid from the beginning. Of course, it was easier to see such things from the outside.
What was it about matters of your own heart that were so difficult?
That was it. A heart within a heart.
The necklace’s meaning came to her on a whisper, growing louder as her consciousness worked through it, embraced it. The large heart was the love between a man and a woman, which had the capacity to be huge and wonderful, eclipsing everything else.
But inside the larger heart lay a smaller heart.
I have to love myself too.
The fat girl inside hadn’t vanished when Dax poured chocolate chips over her. Or when he admitted he was falling in love with her. Because it wasn’t enough.
She had to be enough, all by herself, with or without a man by her side.
Until she believed she was worthy of loving a man like Dax and allowing him to love her in return, she wasn’t his soul mate. She wasn’t his perfect match.
Not yet. But she could be.
“I get it. The necklace,” Elise clarified, and took the other women’s hands in hers, forming a circle. “I know how to get my happily ever after, or at least how to shoot for it. Will you help me?”
“Yes,” they said simultaneously.
“You have a plan,” Dannie guessed.
Elise nodded slowly as it formed. “Wakefield Media has a box suite at AT&T Stadium, but Dax never goes. He hates the Cowboys.” She didn’t recall when he’d shared that information. During one of their marathon profile sessions, likely. “But I need him there on Sunday. Can you have Leo make up some reason why they both need to go to a game?”
“Of course.” Dannie smiled mischievously. “Leo will do anything I ask. I finally got two pink lines this morning.”
“You’re pregnant?” Elise gasped as Juliet smiled and kissed Dannie’s cheek. “No wonder you told Juliet to get the wine.”
“We’re not announcing it. I’m only telling you two because I had to tell someone.” The glow only made Dannie more beautiful. “But enough about me. I’ll get Leo and Dax there.”
“Thanks.” Elise squeezed both of their hands. “You are the finest ladies I’ve ever had the privilege of meeting.”
* * *
The last thing Dax wanted to do was go to a Cowboys game. But Leo insisted and they’d only recently resurrected their friendship. How could he say no and not offend Leo?
