Chapter 2
Chapter Two
Artio
As much as I love my job at Corvid Valley Retirement Home, I am very much ready to take the next few days off for a New Year’s getaway to Branwen Beach with my cousin and brothers. My promotion to Activities Director last spring was an enormous accomplishment, but boy am I tired right now.
Looking up at a knock on my office door, I see my assistant, Brynn, standing in the door frame with an eager smile.
“Well??” she says, bouncing on her feet.
I have been dreading seeing her today. And I am annoyed with myself for letting her convince me to go on a blind date with her landlord.
“I’m sorry, Brynn, but it did not go well.”
“Whaaat? Nooooo,” she whines, slumping into the chair in front of my desk.
I can’t help but laugh at her pouting lower lip.
“For some reason, I don’t hit it off romantically with other shifters.”
“Bear shifters, you said. He’s a ground squirrel,” she responds, crossing her arms like a petulant child.
“Well, apparently those, too.”
“OK, fine. Dang. He was cute, though, right?”
“That I’ll give you,” I say with a laugh.
“Alright,” Brynn says, standing back up, “Do you need me for anything? If not, I want to get home a little early to prep for my New Year’s Eve party. If that’s OK.”
“It is,” I say, grabbing an envelope from my pile. “Will you drop this off with the head chef first, though?”
“You got it, boss.”
I take the familiar route over Ravenhart Mountain to get to Branwen Beach for my brief vacation.
Both of my brothers, plus our cousin, live there.
Every time I visit, they try to convince me to move there.
But, as much as I love the quaint town and its paranormal-haven status, I am too happy with my current job position to leave Corvid Valley.
I pull up in front of my youngest brother’s apartment. He must have a sixth sense, because I get out of my jeep to him yelling at me out of his open window.
“Finally! What took you so long?” Orson shouts at me.
He buzzes me upstairs and tackles me with a bear hug when the door opens.
“I don’t see you enough, sis.”
His enormous arms muffle my laugh.
“I don’t remember you liking me this much when we were kids,” I tease.
“That’s because you shifted so early. I was jealous. Here, let me take that.”
Orson grabs my duffle bag and walks it into his guest room. His apartment is within walking distance from the beach, but without a view. It’s a cute and cozy home, though.
“Where are we meeting Artina and Theo?” I ask.
“Believe it or not, Artina scored a New Year’s Eve dinner reservation at Mare Pacificum. Someone canceled, and she was first on the waitlist.”
“Nice,” I say, flopping onto his couch.
“Damn, sis, you seem worn out. That job is working you too hard.”
“I’m working me too hard.” I argue, “Maybe my new year’s goal should be to find a better life balance.”
“Artina will be happy to lecture you about that during dinner, I’m sure,” he quips.
We have a late dinner reservation, which is perfect since we’ll be staying up well past midnight. The restaurant’s atmosphere is festive, and it helps me shake off some of my fatigued grumpiness.
“Yay!” my cousin shouts as soon as she sees me walk in, running to give me a hug.
Theo, my other brother, strolls over and pries her away so that he can also give me a squeeze.
Our table is up on a landing, which allows us to look over the other diners’ heads and view the ocean in the moonlight.
“There are bonfires all along the beach and fireworks at midnight.” Artina says as she pours herself more wine.
“So no speakeasy this time? Because, good if so. I had like a week-long hangover last year.”
Artina smirks at me and pours me another glass of wine as well.
“I figured we could do something new.”
Dinner is delicious, but unsurprising since I have never eaten a poor meal here. When we get up to leave, Artina tosses a heavy-looking cooler at Theo.
“Damn, cuz, what’s in here?”
“Champagne, so be careful.”
Mare Pacificum is located directly on the beach. Leaving the restaurant, we head down to the shore, toward the blazing bonfires scattered along the sand.
“Is Mair going to be here tonight?” I ask my cousin while we walk arm in arm.
“Nah, she has princess duties for the holiday. That’s happening more and more, now that Murphy is getting ready to ascend to the throne.”
“Wow. Can’t believe they are finally there. Seems like it was a topic of conversation for so long.”
“Yeah. I know she’s nervous, but I think she will make a kickass queen to the merpeople.”
“And Murphy. Imagine being so in love that you are willing to rule a kingdom with your wife because you just so happened to have fallen in love with the king’s only daughter.”
Artina sighs dreamily.
“What’s up?” I ask.
“Oh, nothing. Well, something. I have just come to terms with the fact that I am sick of being alone. I see what Mair and Murphy have built together, and I want that as well.” She says, while quickly adding, “Without the royal responsibilities, of course.”
“Yeah, I know what you mean. I got suckered into a blind date and it went horribly. I am wondering if I am meant to just be single. Which is fine, I guess. I like my life, you know?”
Artina squeezes my arm.
“Yeah, I know you like it. But wouldn’t you like to love it?”
Looking over at my cousin, I allow myself to nod. Seeing this, she perks up.
“Maybe this new year, we should both open ourselves to accepting love? Positive thoughts, you know? Manifest the crap out of it?”
Laughing, I pull my cousin in for a hug.
“OK, deal.”