Chapter 17
Athena
“True strength lies not in facing the tempest alone, but in finding the courage to lean on others and dance through the rain.”
—Eloisa Hobby
Athena paced her room at the Lavender Lark, her mind racing faster than a golf ball off a pro’s driver.
She’d done it. Canceled her LPGA tour for the rest of the year. Her fingers twitched, muscle memory reaching for a golf club that wasn’t there. The weight of her decision pressed down on her, heavier than any golf bag she’d ever carried.
The thought made her want to laugh hysterically, vomit, or both, which would not be a pretty sight and definitely not cover material for Golf Digest.
Okay, Athena, you’ve decided. Now what? A new hobby? A vision board? Mental breakdown?
That last option seemed likely. Better choice? Find Calista and share this monumental news because canceling your entire career wasn’t quite enough drama for one day. Too bad she couldn’t just text.
Athena stopped at the front desk to see if Calista had returned, but Luna hadn’t seen her. Not knowing what else to do, she borrowed a scooter and set out for Crafters’ Corner and arrived to find a small crowd gathering at the boat dock.
What was up? Curiosity piqued, Athena followed the group.
The murmuring grew louder as she neared. People sounded concerned or shocked. Anxiety rippled through Athena. Although she had no explanation for her fears, she pushed through the collective to uncover the source of the commotion.
At the pier, being helped off a battered sailboat that looked as if it had gone ten rounds with the Kraken, were a stumbling Calista and Reid.
Athena let out a gasp and rushed forward. Clearly, her sister and Reid had been through hell and back—clothes sodden, hair wild, exhaustion etched into their faces. Relief and fear collided, and she quickened her pace. People stepped aside, letting her through.
“Calista!” Athena hurried down the pier.
Her sister, soaked, shivering, gave her a weak smile. “Hey.”
“Oh my god, are you okay? What happened?”
“Long story.”
Athena didn’t even think. She just scooped her sister into her arms. The scent of sea clung to Calista, mingling with the faint trace of the perfume she wore.
The same perfume Demetra once used when they were little.
It was a jarring combination of the familiar and the unknown, much like their current relationship.
Calista hugged her back with surprising strength for someone who looked like a drowned rat (a cute drowned rat, but still).
“I’m okay. We’re fine. Just had an unexpected swimming lesson.”
Reid appeared beside them, looking far too attractive for someone who’d nearly become fish food. It was downright inconsiderate, really. His windswept hair and the way his wet shirt clung to his body showed off his hard abs.
“What happened?” Athena asked him.
“A freak storm hit,” he said, his voice rougher than the sandpaper Athena used to smooth her golf grips. “One minute calm, next minute . . . well, let’s just say we now know what it feels like to be inside a washing machine on spin cycle.”
Athena could almost hear the tumbling of waves and the creak of the boat, imagining the terror they must have felt. It trivialized her own worries.
Vivian hustled aside the crowd with blankets clutched in her arms. She rushed up in her pink feathered mules to wrap first Calista and then Reid up like burritos as she shook her head and clicked her tongue. “You went to Mermaid Cove, didn’t you?”
“How did you know?” Reid asked.
“In June, Mermaid Cove has the most peculiar weather patterns. It’s unsafe to sail there.” She gestured toward the bookstore. “Come on, let’s get you two warmed up. I’ve got hot chocolate and snickerdoodles that’ll make you forget all about your aquatic adventure.”
The mention of Mermaid Cove sent a shiver down Athena’s spine. There was still so much about this island she didn’t understand, so many secrets lurking beneath its quaint exterior.
Calista leaned into Reid like he was her personal support beam. Something had shifted between them out there on the water. Athena wasn’t sure if she wanted to hug Reid for keeping her sister safe or push him off the dock for putting Calista in danger. Maybe both things in quick succession.
“Come, come.” Vivian motioned for them to follow her into A New Chapter.
Athena felt a pang of something she couldn’t quite name. Envy? Longing? Whatever it was, the feeling settled in her chest like a weight and reminded her of all the experiences she’d missed while endlessly chasing eagles.
The aroma of books and fresh-baked cookies welcomed them inside. The scent wrapped around them, a stark contrast to the briny air outside. Calista and Reid dropped into big squishy side-by-side armchairs.
Vivian bustled into the back room and reemerged, carrying a tray with four steaming mugs of hot chocolate and a plate of snickerdoodles piled high as a fortress.
Athena eyed the cookie tower. Is that what ordinary people did in times of crisis?
Comfort food? In her world, it was protein shakes and intensive training sessions.
“Okay.” Vivian perched beside Athena, who’d settled on the couch across from the chairs Calista and Reid were in. “Spill it . . . and I don’t mean the hot chocolate.”
Reid recounted their seafaring tale. Calista’s eyes never left his face, a soft smile playing on her lips as they held hands.
It was a look Athena had never seen before on her sister—part admiration, part something deeper she couldn’t quite identify. Had she ever looked at anyone that way, or had her life been too full of golf clubs and her father’s expectations to leave room for intimate connections?
“But we survived,” Reid said, finishing up the story. “And we made it back in one piece, so all is well.”
“I was so worried,” Athena said. “When I saw you, I thought . . . Well, it doesn’t matter what I thought. You’re safe now.”
Calista reached out with her free hand to touch Athena’s shoulder, and she felt suddenly joyous at the sisterly contact.
The warmth of Calista’s hand grounded her, a lifeline in this sea of unexpected emotions.
For a moment, Athena could almost remember what it was like being sisters before golf and their father’s ambitious manipulations drove a wedge between them.
“Can’t get rid of me that easily, sis.” Calista grinned and leaned back in her chair. “Besides, we’ve got too much to sort out still, right?”
“Actually,” Athena said, “there’s something I need to tell you. Big news.”
Calista set down her mug and gave Athena her full attention. “Yes?”
“Are you up to hearing it? You just had an earthshaking experience.” Athena darted a glance at Reid, unsure if she wanted to reveal all in front of him.
“Hot chocolate, warm blankets, and cookies made it better.” Calista flexed a bicep. “I’m all ears.”
The normalcy of the moment—sitting in a cozy bookshop, sharing cookies and secrets—felt surreal after the drama of the day. Vivian beamed and hustled to refill their mugs with more hot chocolate.
Everyone’s gaze rested on Athena. She took a deep breath. Here goes nothing. Or everything. Maybe both.
“I canceled my LPGA events for the rest of the year.”
The words hung in the air like the Magnus effect, the perfect spin on a golf ball causing it to achieve maximum lift. Time stretched, each second feeling like an eternity as Athena waited for her sister’s reaction. She’d faced less pressure on the eighteenth hole of a major.
Calista blinked, absorbing her words, and then her eyes widened. If she were a cartoon, her jaw would have hit the floor with an audible thunk. “Athena! That’s . . . wow! Are you sure? I mean, your career—”
“My career will still be there if I decide to return,” Athena said, surprised by the strength of her conviction.
Where had that come from? “But this—us, you and me, figuring out who we are without dear old Daddy’s influence—that’s the most important right now.
I want to stay here, on the island, honoring Mom and getting to know you again, Calista.
To be the sisters we should have been all along. ”
The words tumbled out, years of unspoken feelings and regrets pouring forth. It was terrifying and liberating all at once, like stepping off the edge of a cliff and realizing she had wings.
Tears misted Calista’s eyes, and for a heart-stopping moment, Athena thought she’d messed up.
Maybe Calista didn’t want to know her. Perhaps she burned that bridge so thoroughly that not even the magic of Hobby Island could rebuild it.
Panic rose in Athena’s throat. She’d faced down the world’s best golfers without breaking a sweat, but the thought of her sister rejecting her made her feel like a scared little girl.
But then Calista was up out of her chair and hugging Athena so hard they nearly toppled backward off the couch, a tangle of limbs, emotions, and the lingering scent of sea salt.
The force of Calista’s embrace knocked the breath out of Athena. She couldn’t remember the last time someone had hugged her like this—not for a photo op or a congratulatory moment, but just because they wanted to be close.
“I’m so proud of you,” Calista said. The words wrapped around Athena, soothing hurts she hadn’t even known were there.
Before Athena could respond (probably with something sappy and embarrassing that would ruin her cultivated image of cool detachment), the bookshop door chimed. The four of them—Vivian, Reid, Calista, and Athena—turned to see who entered.
The interruption felt like a record scratch, jolting them out of the moment. Athena resisted the urge to groan.
It was Luna, holding her satellite phone and wearing an expression that screamed I’m about to ruin this beautiful moment. “Sorry to interrupt, but Athena, it’s your dad, and he’s insisting on speaking with you. FYI, I’ve got him muted.”