“I think it was,” Alec said, tipping her chin up until their eyes met again. Slowly, he bent forward and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. “I love you, Sabina. And I don’t care what it took to get here, but we are here. This is the beginning of our future together.”

“It feels right,” she said, a smile teasing at the corners of her mouth. “Do you really love me?”

“I do,” Alec said. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her long and hard.

“And I really love you,” Sabina replied breathlessly.

Alec glanced over his shoulder. “Do you think your grandmother would miss us if we skipped out early? My ankle has been feeling sore today and I really should get off my feet. And you do have that very comfortable bed downstairs.”

Sabina tipped her head back and laughed. “My grandmother would be deliriously happy to see us leave together. And I would hate to disappoint her. But then, she’s psychic. She probably knew this was going to happen all along.” Sabina wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed the spot below his ear. “Why don’t we mess with her a little bit? Let’s stay for a few dances.”

“Whatever you say, sweetheart.” Alec took her hand and drew her along to the small dance floor set up in front of the band. Sabina stepped into his arms as if she’d been dancing with him her whole life. As they swayed to the music, she stared up into the night sky and thanked the fates that had brought them together. She was glad she wasn’t psychic, glad that she didn’t see him coming. It made the surprise of falling in love all that much sweeter.


RUTA SAT AT A SMALL TABLE, a glass of champagne in front of her. She watched the couple dance to the small combo she’d hired for the party. A smile broke across her face and joy welled up inside her.

“They make a beautiful couple,” Mario said. “I was right. They belonged together.”

“You were right? But I was the one who saw it first. It was my amulet, my potion. You just drove the man around the city a few times.”

“I thought you told Sabina there was nothing to the potion and amulet,” Mario said.

“So I told a tiny white lie. What harm can it do? She’s never really believed. And I would rather see her happy with a good man than alone and confident in my talents. The charm and the potion worked. I am satisfied. This afternoon I saw a wedding in my crystal ball.”

“Maybe it was my matchmaking that got the job done.”

“We make good partners,” Ruta said, patting his hand. “Maybe after I close my shop, we can go into business together. There are plenty of single people in New York looking for spouses.”

“I don’t know. I have a fiancée now to think about. Do you think we could make any money at it?”

“You know, it was all my work that got you and Iris together. And you haven’t even thanked me.”

“How is it your work?”

“Remember that key chain I gave you for Christmas last year?” Ruta asked.

Mario reached into his pocket and pulled it out. Ruta held up the charm and Mario gasped. He’d seen the very same charm dangling from Sabina’s neck. “You gave me a love charm?”

“What harm could it do? Now look at yourself. You have a lovely fiancée and beautiful life ahead of you. You should thank me.”

Mario chuckled, then gave Ruta a hug. “Thank you,” he said.

Ruta blushed, then waved him off. “Go. Dance with your beautiful Iris. And remember, it isn’t how we come to love, it is that we recognize it when we find it.”

Vicki Lewis Thompson


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Julie Elizabeth Leto