by K. K. Allen
Alec returns my smile with one of his own. “Well, that’s good, I guess. Sorry. It was ridiculous of me to even bring up. It’s not like people think she’s an actual cauldron-and-boil type of witch. I think they just mean… spiritually.” He frowns. “I hope I didn’t offend you.”
I can’t stop watching the way his mouth moves so perfectly, paired with his wide and wondrous green eyes. I feel dizzy just standing with him. “I told you, that’s not possible. Now, if we actually became friends, this would be an entirely different conversation.”
The wattage of Alec’s grin lights up his face. Finally, the tension vanishes, and his hand shoots out toward mine. “Alec Stone. We forgot this part yesterday.”
I let out a breath, relieved that the uncomfortable conversation is over. My smile is unstoppable. “Katrina Summer. You can call me Kat, though.”
We shake, and I can’t help but stare down at the way his hand embraces mine. The strength in his hold is both warm and firm, connecting us in a way that makes me never want to let go.
He stands up straighter, a gleam sparkling in his eyes. “Okay, then. Kat, it is.” He tilts his head. “You know, until recently, I didn’t know Rose had a granddaughter.”
This should probably upset me, but it doesn’t. “Well, now you know.” I probably shouldn’t say what comes out of my mouth next, but it’s out before I can stop it. “We were never close.”
“So why now? Why live with your grandmother in this boring tiny town?”
I know he doesn’t understand what he’s asking me, so I try not to get emotional with him. “She’s the only family I have. When my mom died, Rose was the one who took me in.”
His apology is evident on his face. “I’m so sorry. I knew about your mom. I just didn’t think… I’m sorry to hear about what happened.”
“Thank you.” I smile, wanting nothing more than to change the subject. “I don’t think Apollo Beach is boring at all. It’s smaller than Spring Lake in North Carolina. That’s where I moved here from. And they definitely didn’t have anything this”—I make a sweeping gesture while looking around—“charming.”
Alec doesn’t miss a beat. “I just moved here a little over a year ago myself. My dad got a job offer with the private college on the island, so I’m no stranger to being the new kid. We should stick together, you and me. I’ll have your back; you have mine. You know?”
I nod, though I’m so caught off guard by his offer, and my voice gets stuck in my throat. I can’t help but wonder why he’s being so nice to me. No one ever took the time to get to know me back home. Then a dark, ugly feeling snakes through me when I remember how nice Steve was to me at first too. It’s only a matter of time before something goes wrong here. Alec won’t want to be my friend then. No one will.
“You said you were headed somewhere.” He searches my gaze like he has a million more questions. “I would hate to make you late. Can I walk you out?”
I swallow my dark thoughts and push out a smile. “Sure.”
We ride the elevator and exit on the bottom floor so I can check out my books at the front desk while Alec tells me about his Fourth of July party. “I know it’s a long way off from now, but you have to come. We take over the beach. All the homes take part in the fun. And at the end of the night, we shoot off an insane fireworks show. Seriously, you have to be there.”
We’ve just walked down the front steps of the library when he finishes his pitch, and I laugh. “I don’t even know if I’ll still be around by then. But if I’m here, I’ll try to make it.”
Alec frowns, the disappointment on his face boomeranging me straight in the gut. “What do you mean? You just got here.”
It feels so strange to talk about this out loud, to someone I’ve just met, no less. “I know, but this isn’t my home. Rose was nice to offer me a room, but I’ll be eighteen soon. I can’t impose on her forever.”
He opens his mouth to speak again, but a shrill voice startles us both.
“Alec, we found you.”
Dread weighs down my stomach when I see the two girls who almost ran me over in their sports car earlier come bouncing up beside Alec. To make things worse, the driver presses right up against Alec’s side.
My heart sinks when I realize he has a girlfriend. And not just any girlfriend. She’s gorgeous. Tall and blond, she has deep-chocolate-brown eyes and legs for days. She slings an arm over Alec’s shoulder, peers back at me with a glare, then looks at him with an amused expression. “Who’s your new friend?”
Alec looks between us and shifts his body, creating an awkward space between him and the girl. “This is Kat, Rose Summer’s granddaughter.”
The looks on the girls’ faces gives me the distinct impression they aren’t surprised in the least. The shorter girl, who has light-brown hair, makes a face. “So the rumors are true. Rose has a granddaughter.”
The blonde ignores her friend and asks me pointedly, “So, how long are you in town for?”
A heavy silence fills the air as I consider my response. “When I figure that out, I’ll make sure to let you know.”
After a pause, the blonde flashes a smile that resembles a smirk. “Well, then welcome to Apollo Beach. I’m Iris. This is Ava. Oh, and sorry about earlier.” Iris exaggerates her pout. “I honestly didn’t see you there. You should try using the crosswalk next time.”
Ava pushes out a smile, mimicking Iris. “You really should be more careful, but…” Her eyes scan me from head to toe. “No harm done I see.”
A sick feeling swirls in my stomach in response to her condescending tone, but I force a smile onto my face. “No harm done at all.”
Alec is looking between us. “What happened earlier? What am I missing?”
Iris lets out a haughty laugh and waves a hand in the air. “Nothing. So, anyway, Kat, welcome to town. If you ever need anything, Ava and I will be happy to help you. We’ve lived here our whole lives and know everything about the community. And Ava’s father is the town sheriff.”
I get a glimpse of Alec as Iris speaks. The way he keeps shifting away from the girls tells me I might have had it wrong. Maybe he and Iris aren’t an item. Maybe they’re just friends. Or maybe that’s just wishful thinking. Just when that thought crosses my mind, Alec’s eyes catch mine, and he gives me a sympathetic smile.
Iris must see the exchange because her fake smile narrows into a glare for a split second. Then she turns to Alec and perks right back up. “You ready to eat, babe?”
Babe? My stomach drops again.
Alec sighs, nods, then lifts his eyebrows at me. “Do you want to join us? We’re just grabbing some lunch.”
I shake my head. “Thanks, but I’m meeting up with Charlotte.”
Alec flashes me a final smile, his gaze lingering on mine for a few seconds longer. “See you around, Kat.”
My smile falters when I realize he’s not the last of them to look away. My eyes catch on Iris, her lids narrowing into daggers aimed straight for me. Then with a quick toss of her hair, she whips her head around and links arms with Alec—a possessive move if I ever saw one.
As I watch the three of them walk off toward the parking lot, there’s a sinking feeling in my gut. I may not be planning to stay in Apollo Beach for long, but it’s people like Iris and Ava who remind me why I planned to maintain a low profile while I’m here. I’ll get a job, save some money, keep to myself, and then maybe—just maybe—I’ll escape this town without throwing anyone else out of a window.
I walk through the parking lot of Island Grille and meet Charlotte inside the front doors to wait for our seats. The bay-front restaurant is a circular building with pillars surrounding it, reminding me of a temple, with faux crumbling, gold-capped columns, but the seating areas, inside and out, have more of an island oasis feel. The inside bar especially has more of a tiki vibe than anything else.
We’re so close to the water that the breeze blows freely through the open spaces. The outer tables, which face the bay front, are decorated w
ith white and navy umbrellas. There’s a circular bar on one end of the room, with TV screens placed throughout. Beer and alcohol brands are posted all over the walls of the bar, and tattered nautical items are scattered on the supporting wood pillars. Looking around more, I see pool tables, dartboards, a Ping-Pong table, and even a stack of board games on the opposite side of the room.
The hostess smiles at us, her curious eyes lingering on me before she turns to Charlotte. “Hey, Charlotte. You want your usual spot in the back?”
Charlotte shakes her head. “Not today, Trisha. This is Kat’s first time here. Do you have a water-view available?”
Trisha flashes a bright smile at me then looks down at her sheet before marking something off. “For you two, I can make something available.” She winks, grabs a couple of menus, then gestures for us to follow her.
The bounce in her step makes her long, curly blond hair sway in her ponytail. She looks to be my age, and I can’t help but wonder if she knows Alec, Iris, and Ava. This town seems to be small enough for everyone to know everyone else.
My wandering eyes spot the happy threesome already sitting in the section where we’re headed. Speak of the devils.
Alec’s back faces me, but Iris sees me. I smile and raise my arm in a wave, just to be friendly, and am rewarded with a smirk. She looks away and continues her conversation.
Rude. It’s like that girl had me pegged as an enemy since the moment she spotted me on the beach. Was it something I did? Was it the attention of Alec? Either way, it just feels like the beginning of everything I dealt with back home. I can’t go through that again.
“So, what did you get at the library?” Charlotte’s eyes are already on the books.
Discomfort shakes through me. I don’t know why. Maybe because of what Alec mentioned about Wicca. “Just a few books.” I run my hand along the top cover. “Something about being here makes me want to understand more about my heritage, I guess. You mentioned something about the summer solstice, so I figured I could start there.” I sit up straighter, remembering something. “And there’s a statue of a woman in the library, right in the center on the bottom floor. The librarian there said no one knew who the woman was. Do you?”
Charlotte rests her hands on the table and leans in slightly. “Yes, I do. Her name is Astina Summer.”
I let out a laugh. “Summer? It’s not enough that my grandparents named an island and a housing development after themselves, but they had to take it a step further and name a statue after themselves too?”
Charlotte bites down on her lip appearing amused. “They didn’t name the statue after themselves, Kat. What on earth makes you think that?”
I squint at her, trying to determine just how delusional this woman is. “The librarian said the woman was some sort of goddess from ancient Greece.” I stifle another laugh that bubbles over my discomfort.
“Astina is an ancestor of yours from thousands of years ago, and that statue is as old as she is. It’s quite remarkable that it’s still standing.”
My eyes widen when I realize Charlotte completely believes what she’s telling me. “What makes her so important that she gets a statue? I’ve never even heard of her.”
Charlotte presses her lips together like she’s trying to keep from laughing again. “She’s quite important to your lineage. I wouldn’t be so quick to brush her off.”
“Why do you think I’m asking you about her? I want to understand.”
I expect Charlotte to scold me for my growing impatience and frustration, but her expression only softens.
“Astina’s existence is a mystery, and is rumored to have come about rather spontaneously, much like that of other primordial gods.”
I have to bite down on my lip to keep from bursting out with a laugh. “Interesting.”
Charlotte tilts her head at me and rolls her eyes. “I can see you’re taking this seriously.”
Heat swarms my chest. “You expect me to believe all of this? You’re talking about immaculate conception.”
Charlotte chuckles. “I suppose I am. I thought you said you wanted to understand.”
I scoff. “I was just asking about the importance of a statue.”
Charlotte nods. “Perhaps Rose can elaborate for you when you speak with her.” She pushes her chair back. “I’m heading to the restroom. Be right back. Order an appetizer if you like.”
As she walks off, I look down at the menu angrily. There are times when I’m so in awe of this town, I can barely keep my jaw shut. Then there are times like now, when I wonder why I ever came here. Surely, I could have let the state place me somewhere until I turned eighteen. But then what? My mom had nothing but debt and bills she could barely pay. I would have been homeless. And without any education or employment references, who knows if I would have found a job? Coming here felt like my only real choice at the time, but I’m really starting to question that decision.
A figure approaches. I notice his black shoes first, his tanned muscular legs next, then his black shorts. The sleeves of his black button-down dress shirt are rolled and pushed up his arms. It’s him.
A shiver shakes through me as I make the connection before I even look up to see his face. Up close, he’s even more intimidating than he was last night when he glared at me from beneath his cap. He’s got to be over six feet tall, with bold blue eyes and scruff around his jaw. If I had to guess, I would think he was somewhere in his midtwenties, but I don’t know why I’m thinking that hard about it. That’s when I notice something I somehow missed the first couple of times I saw him. A jagged scar extends from just below his brow to his cheek.
His intense stare narrows as he just stands there and says nothing while holding a notepad and a pen poised in his hand. “Well, are you going to order or what?” His gruff voice is even darker than his glare.
What is this guy’s problem? He glares as if he hates me, but he doesn’t even know me.
My mouth opens, but I can’t seem to find the words. Even if I could, I’m not sure I’ll be able to utter a single thing with my heart in my throat. I want to ask him if he his problem is with me or just life in general. It’s not like he took one look at me staring at him through the passenger window then decided to hate me. Maybe he was having a bad night, and I just happened to drive by at the wrong time.
I look down at the menu, trying to buy some time to work up the nerve to look up at him again, but not even a second passes before he turns and walks away. My eyes snap up just as he stops at the next table over and tosses me yet another glare. This time, I don’t shy away. I narrow my eyes back in his direction before averting them completely.
“That Kat girl is so weird.”
I jerk my head to find the origin of the voice, but it sounds more like a whisper all around me. I swivel my head until my eyes catch on Iris. She’s currently leaning forward and talking to her friends while darting glances at me. But she’s several tables away. There’s no way it could have been her speaking.
I whip my head in all directions, expecting to find the true culprit. Then I hear more whispers. This time, the voice belongs to a male.
“No, she’s not. She’s nice. Give her a break.”
My head turns back to face the threesome.
“Of course you think she’s nice. You think everyone is nice.”
I’m no lip reader, but the words match the movement of Iris’s mouth. My heart starts to pound.
“And that’s a bad thing how?”
“She clearly likes you,” Ava chimes in.
“What? Why would you think that?”
“Alec, you are so funny. The girl obviously has a crush on you. You don’t want her to get the wrong idea, do you?”
If I needed confirmation that I can actually hear their conversation, then I have it now. Iris just said his name, and now he’s reacting.
“Back off of her, you guys. She’s new. She’s perfectly nice. And she’s a freaking Summer, for heaven’s sake. She’s practically royalty here.”
Iris and Ava don’t waste a breath before they’re howling in a fit of giggles. Even then, hope sparks in my chest at the fact that he’s sticking up for me. No one ever sticks up for me.
Alec rolls his eyes when the girls’ laughter lingers. “Whatever. I invited her to my Fourth of July party so she can meet everyone. You two should try to get to know her.”
When the girls expel their last laugh and wipe the tears from their eyes, Iris is shaking her head. “C’mon, Alec. Are you forgetting everything I told you about the Summers?”
“You mean about them being witches? That’s ridiculous.”
Iris glares. “There’s something strange about that family. Especially Rose. And the fact that it took Kat’s mom to die for her to come back here. What’s up with that anyway? She never even came to visit.”
“That’s none of our business,” Alec snaps.
Ava chimes in, matching Iris’s venomous tone, quietly but matter-of-factly, “Rose won’t always rule this town, you know? She’s old. Others more suitable are ready to step up, and soon, they will.”
Iris nods. “That’s right. And when that happens, you won’t want anything to do with Katrina Summer.”
Another chill courses through my veins as I reel back from the conversation. This isn’t just a friendly exchange between friends. This goes deeper. They’re talking about my grandmother and her rightful place in Apollo Beach. How dare they? Why do they feel so possessive of this town? What does any of it even matter to them, anyway?
“Kat.” Charlotte’s voice snaps me out of my trance, and I look up to see her sitting in the booth, a worried look on her face. “You okay?”
I perk up quickly. “Yeah, I just thought I heard something.” I shake my head and laugh, not wanting to clue her in to what I just heard. I start awkwardly thumbing through the menu. “So, what’s good to eat here?”
The way her silence lingers makes me wonder if she knows exactly what I just heard, but then she’s back to her happy self. “The Summer salad is great. So are the burgers. Honestly, you can’t go wrong. What are you in the mood for?”
