Chapter 31
CHAPTER 31
A lex
I sat behind my desk with the chair turned, facing the window, staring across at the flower shop. Each day that passed hurt a little more. I heard my office door open, so I turned around.
“Excuse me, Alex. Shaun Kind and Asher Remington are here.”
“Excellent. Send them in,” I said, standing up from my seat. “Shaun.” I smiled.
“It’s good to see you again, Alex.” We lightly hugged. “You remember Asher Remington.”
“Asher, it’s good to see you.” I extended my hand.
“It’s good to see you too, Alex.” He placed his hand in mine.
“Have a seat.” I gestured.
“This is a beautiful town. I can honestly say I’m shocked that I’ve never been here,” Asher said.
“Thanks. It can be a paradise for some people.” I smiled. “So, are you two ready to take a ride to the future home of Athena Harbor?”
“We certainly are.” Shaun grinned.
After grabbing the canister with the plans, we hopped into my Mercedes, and I drove out to the land. I took the plans out and spread them across the hood of my SUV. Shaun and Asher looked them over while I took a call from Owen.
“What’s up, Owen?” I answered.
“Hal Cummings is backing out of the property deal.”
“Why?”
“He said we’re ripping him off. He wants us to reduce the price.”
“No. He’s the one trying to rip us off. You tell him the price stands as is, and if he doesn’t want to pay it, we’ll find someone who will.”
“He’s not going to pay it, Alex. We’ve been sitting on that property for five years. Maybe we should reduce it.”
“I’m not reducing it. Cummings is smart. He’s playing the game. He pays what we say, or he’s out of luck. Let me know what he says.”
After ending the call, I returned to where Shaun and Asher stood.
“Well, what do you think?” I smiled.
“We see an opportunity to make a lot of money.” Shaun grinned.
“I think investing in Athena Harobr will be very lucrative for all of us,” Asher spoke.
“Your design for the town is flawless, Alex, and I can envision it just standing here,” Shaun spoke.
“It sure is peaceful here.” Asher placed his hands in his pants pockets and walked around. “I think the first house to be built might be a vacation home for my family.”
“I was just thinking the same thing,” Shaun said.
We drove back to the office, and I had an idea.
“Why don’t you two bring your wives to dinner at my house tonight? We can barbecue, drink some beer, and talk.”
“Sounds good to me.” Shaun grinned. “I’d love to see Harbor Estates.”
“Count Everly and I in.”
I t was five-thirty when the doorbell rang. Wiping my hands on the dishtowel, I walked over and opened it.
“Welcome.” I smiled, gesturing for everyone to come in.
“Alex, I’d like you to meet my wife, Jenni. Jenni, this is Alex Harbor.”
“It’s wonderful to meet you, Alex.” Jenni smiled, extending her hand.
“The pleasure is mine.”
“And this is my wife, Everly,” Asher spoke.
“Everly, it’s nice to meet you.” I extended my hand.
She placed her hand in mine and oddly stared at me as she gripped my hand.
“Everly,” Asher said, taking her hand from mine.
“Too late, Asher,” she said. “It’s nice to meet you, Alex. What a beautiful home you have.”
“Thank you, Everly.”
“Hey, Dad.” Lucy flew down the stairs.
“Lucy, I’d like you to meet Shaun and Jenni Kind, as well as Asher and Everly Remington. This is my daughter, Lucy.”
“Hi.” She smiled.
“Aren’t you just a beautiful young lady.” Jenni grinned.
“Thank you. Dad, Isabelle’s stepmom, is here.”
“Okay.” I kissed the top of her head. “Have fun, and I’ll see you tomorrow.”
I grabbed a bottle of wine for the ladies and three beers for us guys. While grilling the burgers and sausages, I noticed Everly standing at the shoreline, staring out into the ocean.
“She must really love the view,” I said to Asher.
He let out a long sigh. “I don’t think that’s it. Listen, I need to tell you something about my wife.”
“Okay.” I flipped the burgers.
Before Asher could say what he wanted, Everly stepped onto the patio and stared at me.
“I’m so sorry, Alex.”
“Excuse me?” I spoke in confusion.
“I’m sorry about what happened to your sister.”
“How do you know about that?” I narrowed my eye. “Wait, I’m sure one of the town residents told you.”
“That’s what I wanted to tell you,” Asher said. “Everly has a gift. She’s psychic.”
“You know I hate that word, Asher,” Everly said.
“What?” I chuckled. “I’m sorry, but I don’t believe in psychics.”
“I know.” Asher sighed. “I didn’t either when I first met her.”
“We need to talk after dinner,” Everly said, placing her hand on my arm before walking away and joining Jenni at the table.
I didn’t know what to make of the situation or what she wanted to talk to me about, so I tried to ignore what she said the best I could. After we ate, I went inside to get the dessert I picked up from Annie’s. Realizing I didn’t have my phone on me, I ran upstairs to see if it was in the bedroom and saw the door open to the room that used to be Athena’s. Standing in the doorway, I noticed Everly sitting on the edge of the bed.
“Everly?”
“She wanted to show me her old bedroom.”
“Who?” My brows furrowed.
“Your sister.” A soft smile crossed her lips.
I was starting to think this woman was batshit crazy and unstable.
“I’m sorry, Everly, but I don’t believe?—”
“I know you don’t, and that’s okay. Her bed was a canopy bed with a pink gingham comforter. A white dresser sat there, two nightstands on each side of the bed, and an armoire sat on that wall over there. The walls were a soft pink, and sheer white curtains hung above the large windows. When the two of you used to play hide and seek, she’d open the top to the window seat and hide in there.”
“How the hell do you know all of that?”
“Athena told me.”
I swallowed hard as my heart beat out of my chest.
“Let’s go cut that cheesecake.” She smiled, walking out of the bedroom.
I stood there for a moment, feeling paralyzed after what she said. Pulling the door shut behind me, I went downstairs, grabbed the cheesecake from the island, and took it outside.
“Jenni and I are going to take a walk down to the beach and explore,” Shaun said.
“Okay. Enjoy the views,” I said. “Another beer?” I asked Asher.
“I’ll go get it. You two can talk while I make a phone call.” He stood up and went inside the house.
I looked across the table at Everly.
“Let’s go down to the beach.” She stood up and grabbed her wine glass.
“So, this thing you have is real?” I asked.
“It is. The second we landed in South Carolina, I saw her. She came to me and begged for my help.”
“Help?” I furrowed my brows. “Help with what?”
“You, Alex. She wants me to tell you that what happened was not your fault, and you must let go.”
“It was my fault, Everly. If I hadn’t?—”
“Shh.” She placed her hand on my shoulder as we stood in the sand. “It was not your fault, and there was nothing you could have done. Even if you tried to save her, you wouldn’t have been able to.”
“You don’t know that!” I spoke through gritted teeth.
“Alex, I do know that. I saw it. You’ve put your entire life on hold, refusing to let love inside your heart because you think you don’t deserve happiness.”
“I don’t deserve happiness. Athena doesn’t get her happiness in life because of me. Why should I get mine?”
“Because it’s what she wants, and she can’t move on until you forgive yourself.”
“What are you talking about, Everly?”
“Athena has been bound here since the accident, and it’s your tremendous amount of guilt that’s holding her here.”
“After the accident, I swore I could feel her. Sometimes, I’d hear her laughter or feel a breeze in the house when the windows were shut. I thought I was going crazy.”
“You aren’t crazy. Did all of that stop when you left Harbor Falls?”
“Yeah. It did.” I glanced at her.
“And what about when you returned?” she asked.
“The memories were more vivid than before. I could still hear her laughter, and I’ve dreamt about her. Is she still here?”
“She is.” Everly smiled. “She wants me to tell you that she disapproves of how you live your life. Who’s Hannah?”
“A woman I’m renting the guesthouse to. We were involved for a little bit, but things were starting to spin out of control, and I had to end it.”
“Athena told me to tell you that you’re a coward.”