I return with the lasagna and set it down with a smile I hope looks more composed than I feel.
"So, Erik... You have a job interview tomorrow, right? Where was it again?"
"It's at The Paris Casino on the strip. For the role of marketing director. It’s the finalround and there are two other candidates.” Erik glances at Sarah. "Sarah and I have talked about doing long distance if I get it. It's not ideal, but it's a big opportunity for me so we’ve decided we’ll cross that bridge when we get there.” He turns to me. “And Sarah tells me you’re the top attorney in Vegas, one of the best in the country.”
“Well, I wouldn’t go that far,” I say with a chuckle.
“Ruby’s being modest,” Sarah tells him. “She’s a legend in corporate law. Her firm is the gold standard.”
I feel a rush of pride at her words. “Speaking of which, Sarah, I may have an opening at Walsh and Associates if Erik gets the job in Vegas. We could always use talent like yours. I’ve been working too hard and it’s not sustainable. If I’m going to hire help, I prefer to work with people I can trust implicitly.”
Sarah’s eyes widen. “Are you serious? That would be… Wow! That would be amazing. I mean, to work with you…”
“Think about it,” I say. “No pressure and no rush.” I reach into my pocket and pull out the small velvet pouch I’ve been carrying around all morning. “Before I forget, this is the ring Claire would have wanted you to have—your grandmother’s sapphire ring.”
Sarah takes the box, opening it. The sapphire catches the sunlight, sending blue reflections dancing across her face. “I remember this ring,” she whispers.
“Claire wore it on special occasions,” I say, my throat tightening unexpectedly. “She loved that ring.”
“It’s beautiful.” Sarah slips it onto her finger. It fits as if it was meant for her all along, and she holds her hand up to the light, admiring it. Claire’s ring has found its new home. It’s another small step in the long journey of letting go.
THIRTY-TWO
ATHENA
I stand before Ruby’s gate and press the intercom. I’m dropping by unannounced, with no real purpose except to see her before I head to The Olympus. Last night plays on loop in my mind: Ruby trembling beneath my touch, the way she surrendered so beautifully, how vulnerable she looked afterward. She left after a long hug, but something felt unfinished between us.
Sleep eluded me. I tossed and turned, replaying every moment, every sound she made until I finally dozed off in the early hours. Zeus abandoned my bed in protest of my restlessness. I need to see her, to make sure she’s okay. First-timers can sometimes experience subdrop—that crash after the endorphin high—and I don’t want her to go through that alone.
“Hello?” a young woman answers, catching me off guard. Not Ruby.
“Hi. I’m looking for Ruby,” I say, keeping my tone neutral despite my surprise.
“Oh, come on in!” The electronic lock releases with a buzz, and the gates swing open.
I hesitate, confused by the easy admission. Ruby has company—that’s a first.
Still, I’m already here, and the gates are open. I drive up to the house and park beside a car I don’t recognize. As I approach the front door, it swings open before I can knock, revealing a pretty, young blonde.
“Hi!” She greets me with a bright smile, and I’m struck by a vague resemblance to someone I can’t quite place. She looks beyond me and her eyes widen appreciatively. “Wow, cool car! Is that an Aston Martin?”
“Yes,” I reply, extending my hand. “I’m Athena Stavros, Ruby’s neighbor. I don’t normally drive here, I was just dropping in on my way to work.”
“I’m Sarah,” she says, shaking my hand. “Claire’s niece.”
Claire’s niece. Of course. Ruby told me she was coming during our long talk by the pool, but I forgot. I see the resemblance. She has Claire’s smile—I recognize it from the pictures. I realize I’m intruding on something personal, something familial.
“I’m sorry,” I say quickly, already backing away. “I didn’t mean to interrupt. I’ll come back another time.”
“Don’t be silly!” Sarah grabs my arm before I can retreat. “We’re just having lunch—come join us.”
I open my mouth to refuse again, but Sarah is already pulling me into the house. “Ruby made lasagna,” she chatters. “I swear, I had no idea she could cook.”
“Neither did I,” I reply, trying to formulate an exit strategy as we approach the patio doors.
Ruby sits at a table with a tall man who must be Sarah’s boyfriend. They’re both laughing at something, wine glasses in hand, plates of half-eaten lasagna before them. Ruby looks relaxed, wearing a khaki linen shirtdress that reveals just enough skin to remind me of what lies beneath.Her smile freezes when she spots me, eyes widening in surprise.
“I found your neighbor! The one with the cool car,” Sarah announces. “She was at the gate when I answered the intercom on my way back from the restroom.”
