Will handed her the money. “Thanks,” Will said.
She grunted.
They continued along the path. “Your hot dog,” Will said, handing her one.
Lucy took it but was unsure. “How do I eat it?”
Will lifted his and placed one of the long edges to his mouth and bit down. Some of the yellow sauce was on the side of Will’s face. It made her smile.
“What?” he asked, amusement making his features even more handsome.
“You have yellow sauce on your face, my lord.” Lucy shook her head. “I mean Mr. Godwin.” She stomped her foot. “Will.”
He turned, giving her his full attention. “Where?”
Lucy reached up. Her fingers shook. Not in fear, but in anticipation. She wanted to touch him, his handsome face. She wiped at it with her forefinger. “See?” She showed him.
Will took her finger in his mouth and sucked.
Lucy gasped as raw longing exploded along her arm, through her heart, and down to her belly, a pleasurable burn. She pulled her finger free and stepped back, wrapping an arm around her waist.
What is this feeling, she thought. It was like she was sick with happiness.
“It’s mustard,” Will said licking his lips.
“I’m feeling mustard?” Lucy was confused. Her head was spinning.
“No, Miss Channing. The yellow stuff is mustard, and I don’t know how you’re feeling, but I could guess.” Will gave her his gorgeously lopsided grin.
“Completely insufferable,” Lucy said, taking another step away from him. She glared at the hot dog, no longer hungry.
“Hey. Hey.” Will came alongside her. “I’m sorry. Insufferable should be my new name, right?” He jogged in front of her, turned, and began walking backward. “The Insufferable William Godwin. Has a nice ring to it.”
Lucy tried not to smile, but her lips lifted anyway.
“Try the hot dog. I think you’ll like it.”
She brought it to her mouth. Took a bite. Tanginess hit her tongue first followed by the beefiness of the meat. The bread was moist and held the different components together perfectly. She chewed, enjoying the flavors.
Will ate more of his hot dog awaiting her verdict.
When Lucy swallowed, she nodded.
“It’s good, right?” Will asked.
“Mmmmm, so good.” She took another bite.
Will moved back to her side. He went off the path and onto the grass toward a table. He sat and finished off his hot dog.
Lucy sat opposite him and they both ate their hot dogs until they were nearly gone. Several birds with white bodies and gray and white wings landed near them. Lucy tossed a piece of her bread at one. It hopped over and scooped it into its beak.
“They won’t leave us alone now,” Will said.
Lucy threw another piece at the same bird but before it could reach it another bird swooped in and stole it. Lucy giggled. “Hey.” She popped the last of it in her mouth.
Will joined in and they laughed together as he threw a chunk of his bread. “Want another?”
Lucy’s taste buds did want more, but her stomach wouldn’t allow it. “I’m full.”
“Good.” Will went to work on the box, tearing it open and pulling the contents out, placing them on the table.
The helicopter was dark green and black just like the one on the box. It rested in something white. Lucy touched it. The material was pliable. She pressed a nail into it, making a mark.
“You broke it,” Will said.
Lucy pulled her hand back. “My sincerest apologies.”
Will chuckled. “Just kidding.”
Lucy was shocked. “Mr. Godwin?”
Will laughed harder. “Miss Channing.” His fabulous eyes sparkled in the light, emitting playful joy.
“What is the substance?” Lucy touched it again.
“It’s called Styrofoam.” He wiggled the helicopter out of the Styrofoam. It made a squeaking noise Lucy wasn’t used to.
“May I?” Lucy asked when the toy was free.
Will handed the helicopter to her.
She took it, expecting it to be heavy. It wasn’t. “What are these?” She pushed on one of the long thin parts at the top. It moved in a circle.
“Those are called rotor blades.” Will pushed it again. “They’re like spinning wings.” He took the helicopter back. “A helicopter actually flies upward, against gravity, like so.” He lifted the helicopter straight up.
Listening to Will speak, Lucy could tell he liked the flying machines. Lucy wasn’t convinced. Not yet. It didn’t seem stable enough to hold people within.
Will set the helicopter on the table and then picked up a square black object and pressed a button. A red light flashed. Unexpectedly the rotors began to spin, and the helicopter lifted off the table. It made a high-pitched noise as it continued to rise.
Lucy sat up. “How is this happening?”
Will moved with the helicopter as it took off.
“Are you steering the helicopter with the item in your hands?” Lucy asked, coming to stand near him.
“I am,” Will said. “Want to try?” He handed the black object over.
Lucy wanted to. Very much. But she wanted to understand it first. “No.” She pushed his hands away.
“It’s okay. Let me show you how it works.” Will moved closer. Demonstrated. “See this? If you push it up, the helicopter goes up.” Lucy moved her gaze from the helicopter to the box in Will’s hands. “Down, it goes down.” The helicopter went down. “To the left, it goes left. And right makes it go right. Super easy.”
Lucy’s heart pounded with delight. “All right. I’ll try.” Lucy took the box from Will. It was cool to the touch. She pushed the lever up and watched the helicopter go up. Down. It went down. Giddiness bubbled inside her. There was something liberating about controlling the plaything. Having the power to tell it where to go and how high or low. She followed, her focus on the helicopter, mesmerized by the way it moved. She nearly ran over a couple picnicking on a blanket. Will steered her around them at the last second, apologizing for her. Once she stepped into a small sinkhole and nearly fell, but Will held her upright.
“Careful,” he said.
“Thank you, sir,” she responded but didn’t stop until she walked nearly halfway across the open area. “This is…” She couldn’t think of a word big enough to express what she was feeling.
“Totally awesome.” He winked.
“Yes. I have no idea what that means, but it sounds right.” Forgetting her manners and propriety, she did a little jump of happiness.
Will laughed. “I’m glad you like it.”
She turned back toward the table they were using, steering the helicopter to turn as well. “I want to understand the science behind it. For instance, how does this black box communicate with the helicopter and tell it what to do? Why can the toy fly in the first place?” She covered her mouth; nervous he might be annoyed with all the questions.
Will jogged beside her to keep up. “It’s technology, baby.”
“Technology? In my time, my sister and friends call me a tinkerer. Is that the same?”
“Nowadays a tinkerer means you like to fiddle with gadgets.” Will stood at her shoulder so he could watch her hands.
“I like to build, invent, tinker.” She laughed. The word fit. “What does this lever do?” She pushed it up. The helicopter moved faster. It also started spinning in a circle. “Blast it all. What’s happening?” Her voice had a strangled panic in it. The helicopter was out of control and she didn’t like it.
Will reached around her, his arms brushing against hers, his hands covering hers. “That lever controls the speed,” he said, his voice like velvet against her ear. He moved her fingers deftly. The helicopter slowed and straightened out.
Before she could catch herself, Lucy sank into his chest. Just as quickly she stepped out of his arms. “Thank you, uh, Will.” She wasn’t sure whether her heart still raced because of the he
licopter mishap or because of the way she felt in Will’s arms.
She handed the box back. “You better take this.”
“It’s time to go anyway.” Will landed the helicopter and flipped the switch so the light turned off. “You ready to go up in a real one?”
Lucy touched the no longer moving rotor, forcing it into a spin. “Yes. I’m ready.”
The helicopter looked slightly different than the one Will purchased at the toy store. It was white and much bigger. The pilot sat in the front while Lucy and Will were in the back. They had headsets on to keep the noise from the helicopter from hurting their ears. But Lucy and Will were able to talk to each other through the headsets. They could also talk to the pilot.
“Here we go,” the pilot said. He was an older man with thinning white hair and a bushy mustache. He wore a flower shirt and told them to call him Mack.
The whining noise of the rotors increased and then they were off the ground.
“You doing okay?” Will asked.
Lucy nodded, but the sensation was odd. Terrifying in fact. Her stomach felt as though it was in her throat. She tried to smile.
Will took her hand. “It’s safe. I won’t let anything happen to you.” He squeezed.
Lucy didn’t pull away this time. She squeezed back. “Thank you.” There was more she wanted to say but didn’t know how to begin. Instead she turned toward the large window on her side of the helicopter. The sky darkened, yet the city glowed with hundreds of thousands of lights. They twinkled, a darkly beautiful landscape. “How can the pilot see in the dark?”
She asked Will, but the pilot answered. “See all of this?” He pointed at the dashboard in front of him.
“Yes.”
“These instruments allow me see in the dark.”
“That is astonishing, Mack.” Lucy still couldn’t muster a smile. She was nervous.
“Yes, it is.” The helicopter shifted. It was turning. The large skyscrapers changed into warehouses. “We’ll be able to see Lady Liberty in less than a minute.”
“Lady Liberty?”
“She was delivered to the United States as a gift from France. Dedicated in eighteen eighty-six, she stands for freedom.” As Will spoke, an enormous green statue of a woman came into view. Lit up she shone like a beacon. Lady Liberty wore a crown on her head. In one hand she held a torch and in the other what looked like a book.
Lucy turned in her seat to get a better view. “She’s gorgeous,” Lucy said, awe filling her heart and soul.
“That she is,” Will said.
The limo pulled up in front of Mr. Kincaid’s house. It’d been an incredible day. The limo driver opened the door and Will helped Lucy out.
“Thank you so much for today. The toy store, the hot dog, letting me fly the helicopter, and then taking me up in a real one…” She shook her head as she spoke, her heart full of warmth at all he did for and with her. The day almost seemed unreal. “Today is definitely one of my top five.” She gave him a huge smile as she used the term. He explained its meaning to her during their flight around the statue.
Will smiled with his whole face and Lucy realized she liked that.
“I’m so glad,” he said as they walked up the steps to the front door. “It was a blast showing you around.” He leaned in, his head tilting.
What’s happening? Was he going to kiss her? Her mind emptied and fear filled the space. She didn’t think she was ready yet.
His eyes kept roaming to her lips.
“Will?” Lucy licked them, nervous. “Mr. Godwin,” she said, placing a tentative hand on his shoulder. She couldn’t help but notice his solid body. The man obviously took care of himself.
Will lifted one side of his mouth. “Today was top five for me as well.” He straightened. “Tomorrow will be even better,” he added matter-of-factly.
“Oh?” Lucy focused on his words, but her heart was disappointed he didn’t kiss her.
“Tomorrow I’ll take you to see a movie. There’s a film on Great White Sharks in IMAX 3D. It’ll expand your mind in ways you never thought possible. Then we’ll go out on my yacht, have lunch, and catch a fish or two.”
Lucy had no idea what a film or IMAX 3D was but didn’t voice her confusion. By the look on Will’s face, he knew she didn’t understand. She didn’t mind though. As long as she was with him it would be fun.
“What time should I be ready?” Lucy asked.
“Nine thirty in the morning should be plenty of time to make the show.” He glanced down at her shoes.
Lucy remembered the way he removed her shoes earlier. She was more than grateful. Her feet were tired from all they did today.
“Wear flat shoes again. Tell Ingrid you’ll be on the water.” He gave her a stern look. “Okay?”
“I will, Mr. Godwin.”
Will made a funny noise with his mouth.
Was he irritated she didn’t call him Will? She wasn’t sure.
Will opened the door. “Goodnight, Miss Channing.”
“Goodnight, Will.” She closed the door and leaned against it.
“Did you have a good time?” Mr. Kincaid asked, walking over. He was dressed in dark pants, a light blue shirt, and a jacket that matched his pants. His eyes shone with inquisitive joy.
“I did, Mr. Kincaid.” An eruption of happiness swept over her and she hugged him. Something quite out of the ordinary for Lucy.
Mr. Kincaid hugged her back. “I’m glad to hear it, Miss Lucy.”
After several moments, Lucy released him. “I’m going to take my leave. It was a busy day and I’m tired.”
“Of course. Did you want me to have the cook send you up something to eat?”
“No. Thank you.”
“Very good. If you don’t have plans the day after tomorrow, I’d love the opportunity to spend some time getting to know you.”
Lucy hugged him again. “Of course, Mr. Kincaid.”
She started up the stairs. “Goodnight.”
“Goodnight, my dear.”
21
DAUGHTER OF RA
Lucy opened the front door to Mr. Kincaid’s house at exactly nine-thirty. Ingrid helped her dress in a pair of dark jeans that were tight all the way to her ankles. They reminded her of stockings, showing off everything. But they were comfortable, the material soft to the touch. Then she put on a pair of shoes that were very unfeminine but also comfortable. Ingrid called them boat shoes. She wore a white shirt with a dark green hooded jacket over the top. Ingrid said it was a slicker and that it would keep her dry if it should rain. Lucy’s hair was wound in a loose bun. She wore only waterproof mascara and lip-gloss for makeup.
Will took her in and nodded his approval. “You’re ready. Impressive. I figured I’d have to wait.”
“Surprise,” Lucy said lightly, climbing into the limo.
The driver started down the path.
“You aren’t like most girls, are you?” Will asked.
She wasn’t sure whether to take offense or not. In her time it was no secret. She tried to like what other girls liked and used her younger sister as a template for what was acceptable behavior. It seemed she stood out even more in Will’s time.
“No,” she finally said.
“That isn’t a bad thing. It’s actually quite good.”
Lucy knew he was complimenting her, but for some reason she felt irritated. Why couldn’t she fit in somewhere?
“Have I offended you?” He moved to sit next to her instead of across from her.
She searched his face. He really had meant his words as a compliment. “Not precisely, I—”
Will’s phone rang. Lucy saw that it wasn’t Mimi. It read Unknown.
“Let me answer this,” Will said.
She glanced away, looking out the window.
“Go for Will,” he answered into the phone.
That made Lucy smile. The salutation was wholly odd, yet somehow fit Will.
Lucy could hear the person on the other end speaking though she co
uldn’t understand the actual words. The voice sounded male and foreign. She wondered what the call could be about.
“Can it wait a few days?”
There was more talking from the other person.
“All right. Send the specs to my email. I’ll have the plane readied and meet you for dinner tomorrow night.”
Lucy wondered what a blasted email was.
“Salaam.” Will clicked the phone, pressed a button to roll down the glass. “We need to go back.”
“Yes, Mr. Godwin.”
The limo turned around and started heading back to Mr. Kincaid’s.
“Is there something wrong?” Lucy asked.
“No, nothing’s wrong, but I’ve been asked to procure a statue called the Golden Goddess. She’s an Egyptian goddess by the name Bastet. Have you heard of her?”
Lucy froze. She had, from the goddess herself. Lucy swallowed. “Yes. She’s Ra’s daughter.”
“That’s right.” He put his phone back in the front pocket of his short pants. Lucy noticed he wore the same style of shoes she did. He also wore a similar jacket. It was strange that they matched again. In her time such an occurrence would never happen. “I’ve got to get packed and leave in the next few hours.” He sighed. “I’m sorry I won’t be able to spend more time with you.”
Lucy’s mouth went dry. She didn’t want him to go. Over the course of the previous night, one thing became certain. She tried to deny its truthfulness, even tried to come up with another excuse as to why the amulet brought her to New York. But her heart wouldn’t let her lie. She never felt the way she felt with Will for another living soul. He was her true love. The amulet knew it and she knew it too. “I am sorry as well. I was looking forward to watching a film with IMAX.”
Will chuckled softly. “Me too.”
The driver stopped and Will helped Lucy out.
Mr. Kincaid came to the door just as Lucy was about to open it. “What’s going on?” He wore tan pants and pink short sleeved golf shirt. Over one shoulder was a bag of clubs.
Will answered. “I have a job in Egypt and need to leave right away.”
Goddess Curse Page 12
