Goddess Read online

  Chapter 15

  The tang of pizza sauce mingled with sweet scents of vanilla and root beer in the air. The kitchen island looked like forty people had eaten there instead of four, and, after two hours of being silly at Allison’s side, I was human again. I wrapped my arms around Liam’s back as he scooped ice cream into frosted mugs and poured root beer on top. “I’m glad Allison made these plans.”

  “Me too.” He twisted the lid onto a nearly empty two liter. “Did you know root beer floats are my favorite American treat? They always remind me of good times, summer, and the beach.” He spun in my arms, bringing us chest to chest. “How can anything be wrong in the world when something tastes as perfect as this?”

  I squeezed his middle. “It is harder to worry about what’s going on out there with all the happy going on in here.”

  He leaned back, frothy mug in hand, red bendy straw protruding from his lips. “You’re allowed to breathe, Calypso. You can’t do a good job at anything if you’re mentally exhausted every minute. Take time to clear your mind.” He set his half-empty mug aside. “Let’s make a deal. We’ll relax for one night. Behave like the carefree young people we should be and allow the men outside to keep us safe. Tomorrow we’ll double down on all our efforts to thwart the Jotunn, free Justin, and return our men.”

  Easy for him to say. Getting lost in my head was my thing. It made me an incredible fangirl and student, but not a great leader. “I make no promises.” Contemplating things to death was the closest I’d come to violence before meeting Gil. Smacking Kirk had been momentary insanity.

  Liam’s voice brought me back to the moment. “Tomorrow is a new day. The world’s problems will still be there.” He smiled, root beer float back in hand. “If they aren’t? Double win.”

  “It’ll take more than a root beer float, but I’m willing to try.”

  Liam opened his mouth. The little red straw stuck to his bottom lip. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

  “I’ve never seen you so happy.”

  Liam whispered against my cheek. “I think we both know that’s a lie.”

  I buried my face in the curve of his neck and smiled until my cheeks hurt. “This is different.”

  “Am I still on notice?”

  “Yes.” I nodded against his skin and kissed him under his chin. “I want to believe in you and I want you to believe in me. You have to trust me to handle the truth and make good decisions. That’s how you can protect me. Make me stronger by giving me the chance to fail. You never know. I might rise to the challenges if you stop diving in front of them for me.”

  He dipped his lips to my temple and looped wild hair behind my ear with warm fingers. “I know you’re capable. I just wish you could understand how much putting you in danger goes against every instinct I have.”

  I turned my face to join my lips with his. My fingers knotted into the soft fabric of his shirt. “I am capable, but together we can do anything.”

  Liam discarded his drink and gathered me in his hands. One wide palm cradled my head as he kissed me into a near frenzy. The hand at my waist pulled me close and caressed a band of exposed skin above my favorite jeans.

  He pulled away with a mischievous smile.

  I closed my eyes to regain composure. I reopened them to the same silly grin. “Stop.”

  He shrugged, but continued to smile. “I’m not sure what’s more intoxicating. That kiss or that smile.”

  “No fair with the charming and the sexy.” I pressed a cool palm to heated cheeks. Jeez.

  Allison and Oliver danced by, holding hands and swinging hips in an enthusiastic fox trot, or tango. Mom would know the name. I couldn’t recall. Oliver swept two full mugs off the counter and passed one to his partner as she came to rest at his side.

  She curtsied.

  I hefted the last mug and sipped. “Nerd.”

  She twirled in socked feet and landed with her back to Oliver’s chest. “The nerdiest.”

  I curtsied back. We’d united long ago through our love of unpopular things, like second-rate horror films, her fascination with ballroom dancing, and my preoccupation with cemetery wandering.

  The hypnotic beat of my favorite song pulsed through the tiny phone dock speaker on our counter, slowly at first, but building. I set my mug aside. “I love this.” My feet twisted on the cool tile floor and my hips swayed in time with the bass and contagious musical energy.

  Allison strutted into my personal space, grabbed my swinging hips, and shimmied to the floor and back, tossing wild brown ringlets against my arms as she dropped and returned. I turned my back on her and shook my behind until she laughed. Her crazy moves carried her around the island, waving her hands overhead and belting lyrics that lightened my heart.

  Oliver hopped onto the island and dangled his legs over the edge. He clapped and whistled loud enough to give Chester a doggie heart attack.

  “Woof.” Chester sprang from the floor, where he’d impersonated a shaggy rug for the last half hour, and gave chase, barking at Allison’s dancing feet and Oliver’s dangling ones.

  Oliver tossed Allison a wooden spoon from the utensil caddy as she made her second lap through the room.

  “Oh, oh, oh-ohhh,” she crooned into the spoon, swinging her head side to side, curls going everywhere.

  I held out as long as I could, until boys or no boys and inhibitions be dammed, I had to sing. My croaky voice rose to meet Allison’s perfect pitch and she sprang her eyes open. A wild smile split her face, egging me on. She caught me around the middle and shared the microphone spoon. Oliver took a picture. Chester howled. I laughed like I hadn’t in far too long.

  Liam handed me a refilled float when the song ended. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like that.”

  I shoved the straw aside and gulped down the sweet, icy drink. “Thanks.”

  Allison dropped her mug onto the counter with a thump. “This drink. I like it! Another!”

  Liam’s startled gaze caught mine. Her rendition of Thor sent me into his arms where, for the first time, instead of shoving all the emotions aside, I drank them in. My chin bounced on his chest as he laughed. He pressed his cheek to the top of my head. “Sounds like your friend’s in touch with her inner Viking.”

  Allison poured the rest of the root beer into her cup and called for a toast. “To friends.”

  We raised our mugs to hers. “Friends.”

  My heart filled with pride and thanks.

  Allison bounced into Oliver. “Who wants to watch Birdnami Two?”

  Oliver tugged her against his chest. “A tsunami made of birds?”

  She bobbed her head. “Part two.”

  He squatted and stood, tossing Allison over his shoulder like a cave girl. “Sounds fantastic.”

  She pounded his back and squealed as Chester barked and jumped for her swinging hair.

  “Woof!”

  Liam caught me around the waist and pulled me off my stool. He slid his hands up the back of my shirt and dipped his fingers under the closure of my bra. “Do you want to watch the bird movie?” His lips fell on mine in a series of smiling presses.

  “Nah. I’ve got it on Movie Flix.”

  He kissed me again, tracing the path of my spine with his palm. “Well, then while we’re on a sugar high, we should make some happy memories.” He kissed me again, this time with fervor. “It won’t always be like this. Everything changes. We aren’t always at war. Power struggles come and go. Your money worries won’t last. There’s balance in the ether, I promise.” He pushed a swath of hair behind my ear. “In six months, you will graduate high school. In nine months, you’ll begin college. Either your father will pay or Mason will establish a scholarship fund for Roll With It employees, but you will go.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Yeah. We’ll bring Justin into our clan. The Jotunn will retreat, licking their wounds.”

  “I hope you’re right.”

  He pulled
me closer. “I didn’t get to be this old and not learn a thing or two about life. The problem is, it’s not only the rough times that pass. In the morning, this moment will be gone, too, and we’ll never get it back. Even if we love one another until forever, we’ll never have this moment again. Do you understand how incredibly important that is?” His piercing green eyes held me in place.

  The love and adoration pouring off him softened me to the core. “Yes.” I stretched onto tiptoes, grazing my body against his. I looped my arms around his neck and tunneled my fingers through his hair. “I wouldn’t mind living in this moment for a while.”

  Liam kissed me deeply and with purpose. Like a Viking. “Promise me something.” His breath tickled my swollen lips.

  “Anything.”

  A wicked gleam shuttled through his eyes. “Work with your sword. I’ll feel much better if I know you can defend yourself. The weapon will do all the work, and your body already knows how to wield it. You just have to be willing.”

  That was an easy promise to make. The moment I watched Justin die, I’d resolved to practice with the sword. Not wanting to use it was irrelevant. “Done.”

  Liam grabbed my thighs and hoisted me up to his waist. “Would it be rude if we wanted to be alone for a while?”

  I wrapped my ankles behind his back and kissed him in answer.

  A growl rocked through his chest. Wind whipped my hair as he carried me through the house and up the steps to my room in an instant. My door slapped shut and my back hit the bed. Liam stood over me with a hungry look. The heady scent of his skin, cologne, soap, and spice alerted my senses. He reached behind his head and pulled off his shirt in one fluid motion, dropping it on the floor beside him.

  “What if Allison notices we’re gone?”

  His hands traveled over my sides, tracing the curve of my waist and the fullness of my hips. He caught the hem of my shirt in his fingers and lifted it, inch by inch, until my entire torso was exposed for his examination. “Oliver has her attention.”

  I angled into a seated position and crossed my arms over my body, catching my shirt and lifting it over my head. “He’s my new favorite person.” I released the material with a flick of my wrist and it landed on Liam’s head. A giggle bubbled free.

  He shook the shirt away and crawled onto the bed until he hovered over me. “You’re beautiful.”

  “You’re just saying that because I took my shirt off.”

  He grinned. “It doesn’t hurt my case.” He captured my wrists in one mammoth hand and stretched my arms over my head, pressing them against the pillow. “I’m saying it because you’re beautiful.” He skimmed the lines of my jaw and collarbone with his nose, leaving hot kisses strategically behind.

  I wiggled with want. “Are you trying to kill me or make me insane?”

  He smiled against the curve of my breast. His warm breath curled my toes. “I’m regaining my role as your favorite person.”

  I gasped as his kisses moved to my tummy. “How exactly do you plan on doing that?”

  “By appreciating you.”

  My back arched to meet him.

  The appreciation went on until I melted into a puddle of thanks.

  Best. Night. Ever.

  Chapter 16

  I woke to the sounds of Christmas music and clanging pans. Allison was beside me, one arm flopped across my chest and the other slung over her eyes. Her cell phone rose and fell on her tummy with each languid breath. My phone said it was almost eleven. I inched free of her and dropped my feet onto the smooth wooden planks of my bedroom floor.

  A cheery holiday song lured me downstairs before my shower. Mom’s holiday enthusiasm was worth rushing into. Plus, downstairs had coffee. Despite repeated pleas to the caffeine gods, our shower did not. Twinkle lights lined the handrail and every doorway I passed. A faux snowman with one arm stood near the front door carrying a drooping Welcome sign. The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade played silently on television in our living room. A Christmas tree, complete with red silk skirt and white chaser lights had sprouted beside the couch while I slept.

  I shuffled toward the kitchen, tripping over Chester’s favorite stuffed toy and the snowman’s missing arm. “Mom?”

  “Here.” She stirred the contents of a red slow cooker on the countertop.

  The savory scent of homemade cocoa wafted into the air.

  “Good morning, sunshine. Can I get you a hot chocolate?”

  “Coffee.” I looked at her through one eye at a time, unable to keep them both open. “We were up until dawn. I heard you come in before I fell asleep. How’s the pediatrics gig going?”

  Her smile faded a bit. “Good, but I spent half the night in the ER anyway. Holidays are rough times. How about you? How was your double date?”

  “Good.” I rested my forehead on the counter. “The guys were here late.”

  “Mr. Hale doesn’t give them a curfew?”

  “I have no idea. I guess not.”

  The Keurig whirred to life and Mom set a cup of coffee beside me two minutes later. “Have you invited anyone for dinner?”

  I lifted my head and sipped from the steaming cup. Slowly, I reanimated. The silhouette of a fat tofurkey baked in the oven. Pots covered each of the four stovetop burners. Ingredients and a generous dusting of flour coated the island. Piles of vegetables stood beside the sink. There were two shelves of desserts in the fridge when she left for work last night and currently at least a half dozen side dishes in progress. “I didn’t invite anyone. We’re on our own today.” I tipped my head toward each shoulder, releasing knots of tightened muscles. “There’ll be leftovers for a year. How many people did you cook for?”

  She swiped flour off the island with a wet dishcloth and loaded ingredient bags into her arms. “Three.”

  “Three?”

  She rinsed the rag in the sink and closed the cupboard doors and drawers. “Mm-hmm.”

  Allison thumped down the steps like a drunk elephant. “I’ve got to go.” She dragged into the kitchen, pulling her bag behind her. “Mom says the cousins are coming and I have to babysit while she and my aunts cook and the men sit in front of a ballgame or some crap like that.” Sheet marks lined her freckled cheeks. “What kind of sexist junk is that anyway? I want to watch the game.”

  Mom hugged her. “That’s my girl. You want a coffee to go?”

  “Yes.” The s hung in the air for a long beat. “I think my tongue is asleep. Is that a thing?”

  I sucked down another gulp of coffee. “Maybe you’re having a stroke. Do you smell chocolate?”

  Her eyes widened. “Oh my crap. I do.”

  Mom handed her a disposable cup of coffee. “She’s teasing. I made cocoa. You’re not having a stroke, but it does sound like you guys had a good time last night. It’s nice to see you back together again. I think I missed you as much as Callie did during your recovery.” She made crazy-mom eyes and rubbed her palms together. “So, what was the most fun thing you did last night?”

  I wasn’t talking about that. “Who’s coming for dinner?”

  Allison slumped onto an empty stool. “You guys should have dinner with us. Our family’s so huge, two more people wouldn’t even be noticed. You shouldn’t have to make a whole Thanksgiving dinner for two people.”

  I waved a hand in front of me. “She didn’t. She cooked for an army and invited one mystery guest.”

  Allison perked up. “Ohhh, intrigue.” She held the cup in both hands and inhaled the tendrils of earthy steam. “Who is it?”

  Mom had run out of things to stir or wipe. She coiled and uncoiled a dish towel around her fingers. “He didn’t have anywhere else to go.”

  “No.” I shook my head. “You didn’t. You wouldn’t, because that would be endlessly ridiculous, and you’re wonderful and smart.”

  Allison gasped as if she’d read my mind and was suddenly aware of how far down the crazy trail Mom had traveled. She stared at me with wide blue eyes.
“She invited your dad.”

  We turned our attention on Mom.

  “He didn’t have anywhere to go.”

  “You said that.” I scoffed. “Doesn’t he realize he has a top-of-the-line gourmet kitchen, at his place? The one you designed? Perfect for making himself something lovely.”

  Allison stood. “I can see where this is going, so I’m gonna head home to play with the cousins.” She fished her keys from her bag and threaded both arms into poofy, water-resistant coat sleeves.

  “Would You Rather have Thanksgiving dinner with my dad?”

  She shot Mom a look and shuffled toward the front door. “Nope. Happy holidays. We’re shopping this weekend.” The door rattled shut and Chester barked.

  “Try to understand,” Mom began.

  I lifted a palm. “I don’t get it, but I don’t care. I’ll be gone in less than a year and you shouldn’t have to be alone or unhappy.” Whatever.

  “It’s not like that. It’s our first holiday since the split, and it’s not easy for either of us. He’s been through a lot.”

  I slid off the stool and gave Mom a hug. “I need a shower. When I come down, we can set timers for all this food and watch the dog show together.”

  Her eyes glistened. “I don’t want you to be uncomfortable. This is your last Thanksgiving at home.”

  I kissed her cheek. “Silly. I’m eating Thanksgiving here forever. I’ll be down in a little while.”

  She caught my hand as I walked away. “Thank you.”

  I went back for one more hug. “I’d do anything for you. Eating dinner with Dad isn’t exactly a sacrifice. I can be nice if it makes you happy. Just be careful.”

  Mom tilted her head and sighed. “You always were old for your age.”

  I was a walking disaster, but she was kind to say otherwise.

  * * * *

  Dinner was a colossal nightmare. Mom flirted with Dad. Dad reveled in her attention. I texted Liam under the table and fed Chester my tofurkey. Afterward, I cleaned the table while Mom did the dishes. Dad sat at the table making small talk and attempting to catch up on everything he’d missed since Mom and I had moved out. He even asked about the handful of years leading up to his deception. Work was his mistress long before Ginger came along.