“Have you talked to Alec?”
Sabina watched the bubbles rise in her champagne glass, then took a long sip. “No. I’ve been trying to decide how I feel. I do love him, Nana, but after all that happened, I’m not really sure that he loves me. What if he did fall in love with me because of the amulet and the potion?”
“Bina, you needn’t worry. The amulet is just clay with a few scratches in it, held by a piece of red yarn. And the potion was nothing more than honey and a bit of brandy.”
Sabina gasped. “Really? But I thought-”
“It is all…how do they say…smoke and mirrors. The man loves you and that much is true. Now, what are you going to do about it?”
Sabina felt emotion clog her throat. “Oh, Nana, I’ve been so stupid.”
“Yes, you have, Bina. Why don’t you be smart and go talk to that man of yours.” She nodded to her right. “He’s over there.”
“He’s here?” Sabina whirled around and immediately saw Alec, perched on the edge of the rooftop wall. He was dressed in a casual shirt and khakis, and even in the heat, he managed to look cool and composed.
“Dance with that young man of yours, Bina. He looks lonely sitting over there.”
“What is he doing here?” Sabina asked.
“Mario invited him. He tried a little matchmaking between the two of you and it didn’t work out. He thought he’d give it one last shot. This is his party, Bina. Make him happy and dance with Alec.”
Sabina straightened her spine and pasted a smile on her face, then slowly crossed the roof deck. Alec saw her and stood, taking a few steps toward her. They met in the vicinity of the dance floor, but Sabina found herself frozen in place, unable to move.
“How’s the ankle?” she asked.
“Great,” Alec replied. “And I’ve been sleeping well. No more bad dreams. And business has been good. Thanks for lifting the curse.”
A blush warmed her cheeks. “Alec, there was no curse. I have no powers. Absolutely no talent for anything that has to do with the psychic arts. In fact, until I met you, I wasn’t much of a believer.”
“What changed your mind?”
“I guess I couldn’t really believe that a man like you would fall for a woman like me. At least not in any natural way. I thought it had to be the charm I wore or the potion.”
Alec chuckled and shook his head. “Sabina, you are a very foolish woman. And you’re lucky I’m a patient man. I’ve waited my whole life to find you, and now that I have, I’m willing to wait as long as it takes for you to believe in my feelings for you.”
“I do believe,” Sabina said, tears flooding her eyes. “I do. I love you, Alec. And I don’t care what has happened in the past. All I care about is my future with you.”
He drew her into his embrace, then kissed her so softly and so exquisitely that it took her breath away. When she looked up at him, she saw the emotion in his eyes and knew that she wasn’t wrong. He loved her and he wanted her, for today and forever.
“I have something for you,” Alec said. He grabbed an envelope from his back pocket and handed it to her.
“What is this?” She opened the envelope and unfolded the papers. She recognized them immediately. It was the signed offer he’d made on her grandmother’s building.
“It’s yours. I’m going to buy the building from your grandmother and give it back to you. In return for the fortune you told me that first day in the shop. You said there was something I wanted. I think you used the word
“My grandmother’s building. See?” Sabina said. “I was right.”
“But that wasn’t what I wanted.” Alec paused, his gaze searching her face. “It was you. I wanted you.”
Sabina felt tears press at the corners of her eyes. She stared down at the papers, then slowly put them back into the envelope. “We’ve come full circle,” she said. “Your grandfather and my grandmother. You and me. And this building. Maybe this was meant to be all along.”
“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 fiancee 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 fiancee 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
