Chapter 5
Athena
“As long as your heart is beating, there’s hope.”
—Eloisa Hobby
More than anything in the world, Athena wanted her sister back in her life, but mending their relationship wouldn’t be easy.
She understood why Calista walked away from everything.
The stress and humiliation her sister suffered at the hands of their father became untenable on that horrible day at Chevron.
How could Athena ever hope to span the cavernous gap between them?
The problem? She was here, and Calista was back at the dock with Eloisa.
She shouldn’t have gone ahead in the golf cart with Thornton and Orion.
She should have walked back with her sister, but she wore these damned high heels.
Her image-conscious ego pushed her to dress her best even when traveling because she never knew when she’d run into a fan or the media.
But now? Silly how her adherence to a fashion code drubbed into her by her father prevented her from hanging back with her sister.
Maybe it wasn’t just about the shoes, though. Perhaps it was that old habit of putting appearances first, meeting family expectations. Daddy said a true professional looked the part at all times.
Benjamin claimed he was hard on them because he wanted the best for them. “It’s because I love you, Sugar Baby,” he would say, and she believed him because what else could she do?
Still, a layer of uncertainty peeled off the onion as she wondered how much of her father’s influence had kept her hog-tied to a life she wasn’t even sure she still wanted.
Speaking of, she needed to decide if she cared to stay on Hobby Island for a month.
If so, she needed to cancel tournaments, and that was a whole mess with lasting repercussions, but if Calista stayed and they could work through their rift, then by gosh, she’d do it.
“This is B my husband, Paul; our two daughters, Artie and Orion; and my son, Beck. I’m very blessed.”
“How wonderful,” Athena said, struggling to mask her sarcasm.
“It is.” Luna didn’t act as if she picked up on the mockery, and Athena felt terrible for her attitude.
Athena cleared her throat. “While you were sitting with my mother, none of you thought to reach out and give me or my sister a call?”
Why was she being so prickly? Luna was a kind, warmhearted woman who helped Demetra as she lay dying. She should be grateful, not angry and resentful.
Luna’s face shadowed, and a brokenhearted expression came into her eyes. “She asked us not to.”
“Could you direct me to my room, please,” Athena asked before she needed the tissues in her purse.
“Oh, I can do much better than that. Let me show you the way.” Luna’s exuberant smile lit up her face again. She grabbed a key from the pegboard behind the desk and led Athena up the stairs.
Luna bounced up the steps, her paintbrush-adorned bun bobbing with each step. The foyer featured a stunning seascape that continued across the upstairs walls. Gentle waves in various shades of blue and green lapped at a golden shore dotted with tiny, perfectly rendered seashells.
As they ascended, the scene shifted to depict the island’s lush landscape, with towering jacaranda trees in full bloom, their purple flowers cascading down the verdant hillsides.
Athena trailed her fingers along the railing, her eyes widening as she took in the walls. She stopped dead in her tracks.
“Holy mackerel . . . are those walls actually moving?”
Luna glanced back, a grin spreading across her face. “Only if you’ve had too much of Dot’s special punch, but I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“It’s incredible.” Athena stared at the seascape giving the illusion of ripples. Schools of fish darted between coral reefs, and was that . . . “Is that Sebastian from The Little Mermaid hiding behind that anemone?”
Luna’s laugh echoed through the stairwell as she motioned Athena forward. “Good eye! The muralist likes to throw in Easter eggs.”
Athena spun slowly, taking in the 360-degree view of an underwater paradise. “Whoever painted this is an absolute genius. It’s like being inside a snow globe, but instead of snow, it’s . . . ocean?”
“An ocean globe? Fantastic idea! I’ll pitch that to the gift shop.” Luna winked. “And thanks, by the way. It’s always nice to be called a genius.”
Athena’s jaw dropped. “Wait, you’re the muralist? You did all this? By yourself?”
“Well, the fish helped a little. They’re excellent color consultants, but yeah, painting’s my thing. I love running the inn, but art is my passion, and sometimes you just need to cover a wall in bioluminescent jellyfish, you know?”
“Oh, totally. I do that at least once a week,” Athena deadpanned, then burst into genuine laughter for the first time in what felt like years. “Seriously, though, this is amazing. You’re the Michelangelo of marine life.”