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Athena nods through her tears. "Okay," she says. "Okay."
Everyone in the group is either openly staring at her with curiosity or envy over her receiving a message from a loved one, or they’re surreptitiously looking away in order to give her a measure of privacy as she processes this information.
Athena's whole body is shaking now as Elijah basically holds her upright. "Hey," he says, gripping her more firmly so that she doesn't fall to her knees. "Let's go do something else."
"I'm sorry," Ella says, putting both hands to her cheeks. "I didn't mean to upset you. I just relay the messages as they come." She looks at Athena helplessly. "I don't want you to leave the spirit walk feeling unsettled."
"I'm fine.” Athena puts on a watery smile for Ella. It's not Ella's fault, nor is it Elijah's, as he'd just wanted to do something fun and different for New Year's. She keeps the smile on her face and reaches out to take Ella's hand when she offers it. "Thank you for the message," she says, touching Ella's fingers and then letting go. "But I do think we're going to head home."
Elijah thanks Ella as well and steers Athena quickly away from the water and back to where he's parked his golf cart at The Black Pearl.
"Whoa," he says, spreading his fingers in the air and then letting his palms fall heavily on the steering wheel as they sit there in the cart. He looks stunned, like he's just hit a deer on a country road and watched it get up and sprint away. "Athena. I'm so sorry. This whole night just took a turn, and I didn’t see any of this coming.”
Athena leans her head on his shoulder. "That was…incredible," she finally says, glassy-eyed. "I didn't mean to freak out and make us leave the tour."
"You're not mad at me?"
She sits up and looks at him. "Of course not. Why would I be mad?"
"Um, because I took you to an event where some lady gave you a message from your dead father in front of a bunch of strangers?" he says, making it sound like a disbelieving question.
"Okay, to be fair, I'm a little shaken, but Elijah, that wasincredible."
"It was?"
"Yeah. I know exactly who and what she's talking about, and I know that the message came directly from my dad." Athena wipes her eyes, pushing away the tears that have started to fall again. "No one outside of my family knew that he called me 'Bean,' and honestly...I'm just overwhelmed by the whole thing." She stares, wide-eyed, past the plastic windshield of his golf cart and out into the darkness where they can hear the waves breaking. "Just, wow."
Elijah pats the steering wheel again, then laughs to himself. "I was considering inviting you back to my mom’s house, but now I’m thinking it might be best to just take you home and let you unwind a bit.”
Athena nods as she stares blankly ahead. “Probably,” she says. “Yeah.”
Neither of them speak as Elijah backs out of his spot and drives her over the darkened streets with just the headlights of his cart to illuminate the way.
When they get there, they sit outside Ruby’s giant house for a minute with the cart running.
“Sorry,” Athena says, turning to Elijah. “I was a total dud this evening.”
“You weren’t.” He reaches out a hand and rests it on her knee. “I loved talking to you at dinner, and even though the psychic thing was totally unexpected, I’m happy that you got something out of it.” Elijah stays quiet for a minute, and they can hear the ocean even though they can’t see it. “This might be the wrong thing to ask, so feel free to just say no, but since it’s New Year’s Eve and we’ll both be alone at midnight, would it be totally out of line for me to kiss you now?”
Giddiness wells inside of Athena in spite of the shock she’s still feeling following Ella’s revelations. She nods and tries to squelch the giant grin that’s spreading across her face.Elijah wants to kiss me,she thinks. And he’s asking first, like a real gentleman.
Elijah leans across the seat and puts one hand to her cheek gently. He looks into her eyes without speaking and a soft breeze blows through the open cart, bringing with it the tangy salt air and the promise of a brand new year. Athena shivers.
After what feels like a full minute, Elijah leans forward and brushes his lips against hers. It’s a soft kiss without the insistence of passion or the hurried frenzy of desire. It’s pure and sweet. Athena leans into him and puts her hand to the back of his neck, pulling him closer as she deepens the kiss.
When they finally break apart, the wind kicks up another notch, blowing sand and whipping Athena’s loose hair around her.
“Goodnight, Athena,” Elijah says as he smiles at her. “There are only good things ahead next year. I can feel it in my bones.”
Athena steps out of the cart and walks the few steps up to her front door, holding her long hair in one hand so that it doesn’t blow over her face. She opens the door with a soft click and turns around to give Elijah another wave.
“Happy New Year,” she whispers as he drives away. “Only good things next year.”
She watches until his red taillights disappear around the bend.
Ruby
Ruby wakes up with a start. Everything is blurry and she doesn’t know where she is. She blinks and swings her legs over the side of—what is this? A couch?
