Goddess Bared: Goddess Series Book 5 (Young Adult / New Adult) (2 page)

Legacy gasped as Rose dropped the keys into her hand. “No,” she barely whispered.

Rose put both of her hands on Legacy’s shoulders. “Dinny wanted you to have everything, Legacy,” she said slowly.

Her eyebrows furrowed as she shook her head. She couldn’t understand what Rose was telling her.

“He wanted to marry you one day—” Legacy started crying. “Legacy,” she said softly, “he wanted to marry you one day, so he already considered everything he owned as belonging to you too.”

She stared at her as her crying slowed, too shocked to continue.

“Of course he shared the fortune with his family, so he couldn’t give you that, but he arranged for his part of the interest accrued on the balance to be put in a special account for you.” Rose chuckled. “He even wanted to set up a college fund for you, but his dad told him that
that
would be going too far. You only thought you couldn’t afford to go to college before because you didn’t know the truth about your parents.” Rose gave her a meaningful look. “But now you know, and of course they can afford it.”

“I-I don’t know what to say.” And even saying
that
felt insufficient.

Rose smiled patiently. “When you’re feeling up to it, we’ll go through everything and sort out what now belongs to you. The only thing he didn’t leave to you is this house. He left that to me.”

The house? “I didn’t know this was Adin’s house.”

“I picked it out, but his dad paid for it. His parents agreed to give it to Adin in the divorce. He never considered it his house, which is why I think he wanted to give it to me. The other house belongs to his mom. His dad bought it too, but gave it to her in their divorce.” A smile crept on her face as if she read the dread in hers. “He doesn’t own any other real estate, so you don’t have to worry about owning a house just yet.”

Her sigh of relief wasn’t as quiet as she’d hoped. She was too young to be fooling with real estate taxes and flood insurance.

“Of course you’ll have enough money to buy your own house.”

Her eyes flashed to Rose in disbelief, but she just smiled.

This was all too much. She couldn’t process it. But as she mulled over that, she realized Rose bringing it up now was deliberate. She wanted to distract Legacy from her grief, and for several minutes, it had worked.

She couldn’t help but smile halfheartedly at Rose’s attempt, at her success.

Rose stroked her face, and she saw a flicker of light across Rose’s. Legacy could see the woman was pleased by her expression. “See? It’s not so hard to smile.”

It was short-lived. She started crying, and Rose gently hugged her while she sobbed.

After a few minutes, she said, “Let’s go back into the living room, all right?”

Legacy nodded as she stood, clinging to the journal and car keys. River, Calli, Kate, and Seth were sitting around, eating some dessert when Legacy walked in. She figured Ellen had paid enough dues to Calli for one afternoon and had checked out at the earliest possible convenience. But Legacy also noticed Seth and Kate were sitting in chairs across the room from each other. She thought that was odd, but there really wasn’t a lot of sitting space.

River stood and walked over to Legacy, taking her from Rose’s arms and then guiding her to the couch.

“How was your nap?” he whispered into the side of her face as he kissed her temple.

She shrugged. She didn’t know how else to answer. How was anything, really? “How long was I asleep?”

“A couple of hours,” he said as they sat down. “After you didn’t come back from the restroom, Calli and I started looking for you. We found you asleep in…in the other room,” he said quickly. “We checked in on you every fifteen minutes or so.”

She nodded.

“Want some cheesecake?” Calli asked.

She frowned as she shook her head.

“Oh, c’mon. I know you love cheesecake. One small piece won’t hurt. In fact, you’d probably enjoy it.” Calli smiled, trying to get Legacy to smile with her.

She just nodded. She might as well eat it.

She glanced around the room as River stroked her back and Calli cut a piece of cheesecake. Kate and Seth were looking down. She guessed they were afraid to talk to her. If she were in their shoes, she wouldn’t know what to say either. But when they looked up, she noticed both would look at the other, but look back down again before eye contact could be made. They both looked truly uncomfortable.

When Calli handed her a piece of cheesecake, she set the journal on the coffee table and put the keys on top of it.

“What’s that?” Calli asked, reaching for the book.

Legacy’s hand flew over to it to keep her from picking it up. “Adin’s journal.”

“Oh,” she said quietly, and sat next to her. “And the keys?”

“To his car,” she mumbled as she took bite of her dessert.

“What are you doing with his keys?” River asked, concerned.

What? Did he think she was going to drive it off the cliff where Adin had died? Her name wasn’t Thelma…or Louise. She glanced up at him. “They’re mine now.”

“His mom gave you his car!” Seth perked up.

His sudden enthusiasm was a shock to everyone. They all stared at him.

“Sorry, sorry,” he mumbled, looking back down.

“Yes,” she answered solemnly, though it wasn’t really the truth. But she figured it was an assumption everyone would make, and she didn’t feel like explaining Adin had really been the one to give it to her. No one would understand why an eighteen-year-old man would’ve felt the need to prepare for an impending death.

But Seth’s reaction was an honest one, one that Legacy should be expecting from her classmates. No one else drove a Porsche at school, and now that she had Adin’s car, she would keep it and drive it for as long as it’d run. And even then, she’d never get rid of it.

She finished her dessert, set the plate on the table, and picked up the journal and keys.

“I’m ready to go home,” she muttered.

River and Calli stood up automatically before she even rose. Kate and Seth walked over to her and hugged her one more time. She said her goodbyes to Rose and Myrha. Olive and Lissa were staying behind to help clean. River and Calli walked her home, but once she got inside, she turned to face them.

“I want to be alone,” she mumbled.

A quick look of panic crossed River’s face. “No.”

She smiled as she stepped up to him. She rested her head on his chest and banded her free arm around him.

“Thank you for everything.” She pulled away from him and hugged Calli. “I’ll talk to you later,” she said to her.

River stepped up to her. “No, Legacy. I’m…
we’re
not leaving you alone.”

She sighed and a half-smile formed. “I’m fine,” she regurgitated again, but now for their benefit.

River shook his head. He’d heard her say it too many times today to know that wasn’t the truth.

She looked down. “I need to get used to being alone.”

“That’s not true,” Calli said, walking up to her.

“Really, you guys. I just want to be alone. I’ve been around too many people today. I want to take a shower and crawl into bed.”

As she said that, she clutched Adin’s journal to her chest. Both Calli and River glanced at it, and they both realized the real reason she wanted to be alone.

She hadn’t had a chance to even look inside the journal, and she was eager to read the words that he’d written. She wanted to be alone when she read it, and she wanted to start reading it tonight.

“Okay, Legacy,” Calli said as she hugged her.

River gave her a hug too. “Please, please call if you need anything.” He took her face into his hands. “
Anything
.”

Legacy nodded. She knew if she answered him verbally, the lump in her throat would turn into a sob. If she started crying, they wouldn’t leave. She couldn’t take that risk.

Once they were gone, she did as she’d said. She put the journal and keys on her nightstand and took a shower. Then she put on some PJs and climbed into bed. She picked up the book and traced her fingers, feeling the knots in the burgundy leather trim.

With a calming sigh, she opened the book.

And she began to read the words of Adin’s heart.

Chapter Two

In the middle of the first page of the journal, Adin scribbled one line.

I love you, princess.

She thought she’d never hear those words from him again, yet as she read them on the otherwise blank page, she could hear his voice saying them.

She began to cry as she turned the page, but once she did, she sucked in a breath and let out a startled laugh. The first time she’d come close to laughing since his…death.

Stop crying.

Of course he’d know she would be crying, and of course he wouldn’t want her to. She cleared her throat and turned the page. It was the first lined page of the book, where the journal began.

December 25

Well, this is weird. I’ve never had a journal before. Don’t really know what to put in it. Grandma gave this to me, so I figured she should put it to use. I’m sure I’ll figure out what to write. Note to self: don’t put anything bad about Grandma in here—just in case she decides to snoop. Yes, that’s for you, Grandma
.

Legacy chuckled in spite of herself.

The only thing I can really think of writing at this point is I miss school. Not true. I miss Legacy. I wonder if she’s enjoying her Christmas. I hope she got everything she wanted. I spent Christmas Eve watching the sunset and thinking about her. I spoke to the jeweler yesterday, and he said the watchmaker is still on schedule. Her birthday is less than six months away, so I’m a little worried about it being ready on time. I’ve had second thoughts about giving her a gift like this, but I can’t wimp out. I know she won’t understand about her destiny, but just because I can’t have her, it doesn’t mean I can’t give her something special
.

She read the page several times. She remembered Adin telling her he’d liked her for a long time when they’d started dating, but reading his thoughts made his words even truer. She marveled in them.

Eager to read the next entry, she jumped to the next page.

January 1

New Year’s Day. It’s been a week since I made my first entry, so I figured I needed to give it another go.

Only five more days until school starts again. I can’t wait to see Legacy! I saw her yesterday getting into her car when I pulled into Grandma’s driveway. I waved, but I don’t think she saw me. She was hunched over her heater, warming her hands while her car warmed up. I tried to think of excuses to stop by, but they sounded lame. Besides, she left.

Five more days
.

She thumbed through the journal, noticing there were several pages filled out. Not all of them, but many. She decided she wouldn’t be putting it down until she finished it, so she shut the book, ran downstairs, and grabbed a soda. She figured the caffeine and the nap she’d had earlier today would help her stay awake. Although the adrenaline rush she was currently experiencing wouldn’t allow her to pass out before she was ready.

Once she was snuggled back in her bed, propped on an elbow with the journal in front of her, she eagerly opened it back up and picked up where she’d left off.

January 9

School’s back in session, and except for the college application deadlines coming up and all the homework, I’m excited. I really missed seeing Legacy. She’s been wearing new clothes this week, so I figured she got those for Christmas. This morning I actually got to talk to her. And hug her! I couldn’t help myself. I know I should be doing whatever I can to keep my feelings under wraps, but she smelled so good, I wanted to get closer.

What’s wrong with me? If I don’t start writing about something else, I’ll become even more obsessed than I already am
.

Dad’s birthday is next week. I’ll go to his house and spend the weekend. He wants to play golf. I think it’s too cold, but it’s his birthday
.

She was tickled to see she wasn’t the only one who’d had a problem with obsession.

February 14

Today is Valentine’s Day. I haven’t written in awhile because I tried to wait until I had something else to talk about that didn’t revolve around Legacy.

No such luck.

I wanted to ask her out so badly. I heard her talking to her friend Calli in the hall yesterday about being alone. They made plans to sleep over at Calli’s house tonight since neither has a boyfriend. I wish I could be the one to change that for Legacy, but I know I can’t. I think I’m going to go watch the sunset tonight and think about her
.

March 13

So I tried to wait until I had something else to write this time, and I’m happy to report I do! I got accepted into several universities, but for some reason, my dad is pushing me to choose the school in Texas. I didn’t even want to apply there, but he insisted. Something’s definitely up with that.

Just because I didn’t write her name down this time, it doesn’t mean I don’t have anything to say. With each passing day, I find myself even more lost in my thoughts of her. The idea of going away to school next year is
—Shit!
I’m a douche.

She laughed out loud. Adin had tried really hard to write about something that didn’t involve her, but it seemed his hand betrayed him. He’d written about her anyway. She chuckled again before continuing.

March 29

The big eighteen. All this talk about me being a god and ascending was a bunch of bullshit. I can’t believe I put my life on hold and stayed away from Legacy. I could’ve asked her out already. We could already be dating! Well, that’s assuming she likes me. We’ve been friends forever, but we’re not exactly close friends. She may not even want to date me. I’m such an arrogant jerk. What makes me think she’d even go out with me?

Though, she did wish me a happy birthday when I saw her on Friday. Of course I used that as an opportunity to get another hug. My heart was beating so fast I was sure she could feel it through her clothes
.

April 18

Went bowling with some friends, and Legacy showed up! She and Calli were two lanes down from me. Several times I caught her looking at me. I smiled a few times. Once I even winked at her. I couldn’t help myself! I’m not sure if she saw me do that, though. She was having so much fun and looked so beautiful. She could be in a paper sack and still be the prettiest thing in the world.

I talked to the jeweler last week, and the watch is back on schedule. Since I insisted on seeing the diamonds before they were set, I caused him to get a little behind, but at least it’ll still be ready before her birthday.

Prom is next weekend, and I’m taking Danielle. I called her last month, and she agreed. I haven’t seen her since our family reunion last summer, so I’ll have to do something nice for her for doing this for me.

Maybe next year I can go to Legacy’s prom
.

And just that quick, she started crying again. Adin had wished she’d take him to her prom this year, and she’d give anything to be able to do that. He didn’t know when he’d written that entry that he’d be dead before it was time for her prom. She grabbed a tissue off her nightstand and cried for awhile, wiping her eyes. When she took a jagged breath to steady herself, she continued reading.

May 16

Legacy’s watch came in today! It looks perfect! I’m so stoked. It looks exactly like I envisioned. I guess with enough money, anything’s possible. Now if I can just keep quiet about how much it actually cost. Hopefully, she’ll think it’s silver tone and crystals rather than the real deal. It’ll be my little secret.

On a sad note, graduation is next week, and school is already out for the seniors. I should be happy high school is finally over, but I know why I’m not happy about it. I’ve really enjoyed seeing Legacy every day. We’ve never had any classes together, but just those few minutes in the morning, in the hall between classes, lunch, and in the parking lot after school would give me enough momentum to get through the night, so I could do it all over again the next day. And now it’s over. I just don’t know what to think about that.

Her birthday is just over two weeks away, though
!

June 1

I’m breaking my little tradition and writing in the morning instead of at night. I’m headed back to school for the senior parade, and it just so happens to be Legacy’s birthday! Lissa came over and invited my grandma to her birthday party—who conveniently told me about it. She said it was a surprise party, so that works out even better! I had wondered how I’d handle giving her birthday present to her. Now that I’m invited to her party—well, Grandma was, but I’m crashing since she can’t come—I can give it to her tonight. I couldn’t show up without a birthday gift at a birthday party. The gods must be smiling on me.

It’s after school now, and I have about an hour to kill before Legacy’s surprise party. She looked so beautiful today! She wore this pretty green dress and was just radiant. I hugged her a couple of times and complimented her. I can’t wait to see her again. Since I got a tiny bit of mustard on my shirt, I’m going to change it before the party. She’s inspired me to wear green too
.

June 2

I don’t know what I’m going to do. I went to Legacy’s party last night, and I know she has to know something’s up with me. I kept staring at her all night till she finally came over. Then I couldn’t keep my hands off her! I held her hands, hugged her, touched her lips. Touched her lips! They were so soft and warm. I wanted to kiss her. Even in that room filled with people—most of whom I did not know—I wanted to wrap my arms around her and kiss her. When we were hugging, she stroked my neck, and it gave me chills. I almost asked her to do it again. When we were holding hands, she had one hot hand and one cold hand. I wanted to take her cold hand and blow hot air on it while I kissed it. Of course I didn’t do that, but oh my god …how am I going to get through this summer, next school year, life without seeing her again? That’s it. I’m asking her out. I have to know if she likes me. I’ve loved her too long for her not to know how I feel.

I just called her. She…said…yes
!

Legacy smiled as she reread his last entry. It was nice to experience his excitement with him. She remembered stroking his neck. She thought it was such a subtle move, but she was thrilled to learn that he reacted that way to her touch. It was also the first time he mentioned his love for her. He said it like he’d been in love with her for awhile already.

She read it a few more times before continuing.

June 3

Our first date is tonight. I just couldn’t wait until I got back from vacation to see her. I suggested going to the botanical garden Grandma always talks about when I get back. Devious, but an effective way to find out if Legacy really wants to date me or if she was just being nice when she said yes to the first date. I’m taking her some of Grandma’s roses. She said they are in full bloom and offered to cut them for me, but I wanted to be the one to do it. Plus, they’ll stay fresher longer if I cut them at the last possible minute.

June 4

We had our first date last night. Words cannot describe how wonderful everything was last night.

But I’ll try.

Legacy looked so beautiful. I remember Grandma telling me Legacy was my princess when she was little, and last night, she looked like nothing short of one. We talked, laughed, held hands, hugged. We decided to take things slowly, but that decision was really for my benefit. I’m already in love with her, and if I come on too strong, I’ll just scare her away. I need to wait a few months before I confess how I really feel about her. At one point, I tried to explain my fears, but I think I just came across as a bumbling idiot. If we take things slowly, hopefully I won’t scare her away.

June 5

Been sitting at the beach watching the tropical storm warnings, wishing I was back in Arkansas already. I just had an interesting conversation with my mother. She just told me that Legacy is part of this Greek god lineage crap too. I don’t know what to believe, but she told me not to talk to Legacy about it. I don’t like the idea of keeping things from her before our relationship even starts.

A relationship. I really hope that’s where we’re headed. I could really get used to that idea. I was thinking about how much I missed Legacy today when I went souvenir shopping. I found a conch shell that had the same color tones of Legacy’s eyes. I was looking for something for my dad, but I couldn’t help but get the shell for Legacy
.

June 9

I’m back in Arkansas and just had my second date with Legacy. Yeah, going slow with our relationship sucks. On the way to the botanical garden, I accidentally brushed her knee. Touching her skin did things to my body I was totally unprepared for! It took everything in me not to put her hand on her knee and leave it there. Damn! Why did I have to suggest going slow?

Afterward, I brought Legacy over to Mom’s house, and she freaked! Apparently, she’s been having dreams, and she works for the dreaded Gorgos family! My dad always talks about how evil they are. I was so caught off guard by this news that I came off as dick. I need to find out more about Legacy’s family.

July 1

I can’t believe it’s been weeks since I’ve written anything. I’ve been hanging with Legacy every chance I get. I think I’ve kept myself from writing anything down because my thoughts have been mush! She’s all I think about. I asked her to come over today to meet my mom, and she did. But on the way over here, we both had our hands on each other’s knees. Seriously, I had trouble breathing feeling her touch me like that! Then when we were on the couch, she caressed my ear and then kissed it! That was such a turn on. I’ve been trying not to make out with her until I knew she was ready. Since I’m already head over heels for her, I can’t be trusted to judge that myself, but I just don’t think I can wait too much longer.