Caroline looked, though, and she nearly melted with love for him. He looked like every dream she’d ever had of the man she adored, and she couldn’t wait to be his wife.

Watching Will leave the room, Addie clutched her doll and yawned. “I needed to find Wonder Woman,” she said.

“That was a dumb thing to do,” Flick said.

“Hey,” Caroline warned.

“Sorry,” he said quickly. He was growing so tall and confident. Today, in his tux and suspenders, he was beyond cute.

“Come here, you two,” she said, opening her arms to them. “I have something for each of us.” She took out Angelique’s cowrie shell bracelet. She’d carefully separated the triple strands to make three bracelets. “Your mama gave me these on a very important day. They’re made of shells from the beach in Haiti. She used to make them to sell when she was a little girl. We can each wear one to remind us of your mother and how much we love and miss her.” She fastened one bracelet on each of them.

Then she gathered the children in for a hug. Thank you, Angelique. She sent the thought out into the universe. Thank you.

“She’ll never leave us,” she whispered. “She lives in our hearts, okay?”

“That makes me sad,” Addie said, examining the bean-shaped shells of her bracelet. “This is supposed to be a happy day.”

“It sure is,” Caroline said. “If you see people crying, like Grammy Dot or me or . . . just anyone, it’s because we’re really happy.” With that, she looked around the room, strewn with makeup and hair products and bouquets and filled with women who meant the world to her—not just her sisters and mother, but the friends she’d made in the Oysterville Sewing Circle. They had all played a part in her journey. Even Sierra had reached out in a conciliatory gesture. There was a card from her, mailed from Sharm El Sheikh. Her name now appeared on the masthead of a major fashion magazine.

Georgia bustled over and took charge of them both, shepherding them to their places. The music swelled, and each member of the wedding party went down the aisle. Will and Willow, who was the officiant, waited under a driftwood arch.

Then Caroline found herself completely alone for a moment, about to take the biggest step of her life. She dwelled on all the things that had brought her to this moment—the devastating losses and dizzying triumphs and everything in between.

She didn’t hurry down the aisle but paced herself. She wanted to take in the warmth of the smiling faces turned in her direction. She felt so connected here, in a way she never had before, with the family she’d created in the aftermath of tragedy, the friends she’d made by reaching out and opening her heart.

She made her way to the end of the aisle and stood before Will. The whole world was in his face.

The music trailed softly away. A waiting silence descended. Will took both of Caroline’s hands in his.

Willow looked from one to the other. “Shall we begin?”

Author’s Note

Although this is a work of fiction, the issue of domestic violence is entirely real, and it can happen to anyone, regardless of age, gender, race, level of education, or income. I will be donating a portion of the proceeds from my royalties from this book to a nonprofit in my home county that provides safe, supportive, longer-term affordable housing for survivors of domestic violence.

If you need help, or if someone you know is in need, please reach out. In the United States, you can contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline: www.thehotline.org, 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), or TTY 1-800-787-3224. See also the Partnership Against Domestic Violence: www.padv.org.

Please note that these are not crisis response resources. If you need immediate assistance, contact your local authorities without delay.

Know that you’re not alone. Know that it’s real and it’s not your fault. And trust that you’ll be believed and supported.

Acknowledgments

Researching the subject matter for this book led me down a dark path, into the secret lives of women dealing with domestic violence. I cannot overstate the traumatic, toxic, and far-reaching effects of this syndrome. This novel illuminates only a glimpse of the issue, but my hope is that survivors everywhere will find a way to reach for safety. To all the women who shared their stories with me—thank you from the bottom of my heart for your candor, your bravery, and your determination to survive.

Thanks to my editor, Rachel Kahan, and the remarkable team of professionals at William Morrow—Liate Stehlik, Jennifer Hart, Tavia Kowalchuk, Lauren Truskowski, Alivia Lopez, Karen Hansen—for their enthusiasm for this book. Meg Ruley and Annelise Robey of the Jane Rotrosen Agency are, as always, pillars of strength and humor. For guiding me and my readers through the social media labyrinth, I am eternally grateful for Cindy Peters, Ashley Hayes, and Elizabeth Wiggs.

Thanks to Laura Cherkas for thorough and thoughtful copy editing and to Marilyn Rowe for proofreading.

My husband, Jerry Gundersen, is a real-life designer and a source of inspiration in more ways than words can express.