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Authors: Natasha Rostova

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BOOK: The Naked Truth
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Chapter Eighteen
 
A
breeze of fresh, salt-scented air wafted in from the ocean as Callie slipped out of her shoes and dug her feet into the sand. The sea stretched out alongside the beach like a mirror of the black, star-dotted sky. Voices drifted from the peristyle, where people were busy setting up for the ceremony.
‘It didn’t exactly happen the way I’d expected it to,’ Callie said. She polished off a piece of sweet potato pie and looked at Abiona. ‘And I’m still trying to come to terms with what he told me. I sometimes wonder if I ever will.’
The voodoo priestess smiled. She looked radiant in a pure white gown and turban that made her dark skin glow. ‘You will, child. You are stronger than you know. I believe that is why your husband needs you so badly.’
Logan needed her? Callie had never thought of it that way. She shrugged. ‘I know it won’t be easy. He’s been so withdrawn for so many years that the shield might go up again any minute. I’ve never seen him the way he’s been during our estrangement, but now that I’m back . . .’ Her voice trailed off.
‘Callie, I do not think that Logan would risk losing you again,’ Abiona said. ‘Quite frankly, he wouldn’t want to go through the hell of it a second time.’
‘Neither would I,’ Callie replied. Well, she might be willing to go through certain parts of it again. A shiver raced up her spine.
‘Hey, Callie, did you bring the incense?’ Adam came stumbling over the sand, nearly tripping over his loafers. ‘I wanted to show it to Kadja.’
‘Yes, it’s in my bag.’ Callie pulled out the package and handed it to him.
‘So, you and Logan are really back together again?’ Adam sounded both pleased and slightly forlorn.
Callie nodded. ‘We really are.’
‘Are you leaving the shop?’
‘No, of course not. I’m still going to work there.’
‘If you’re back with Logan, that must mean you figured out whether or not you love him,’ Adam said.
A sudden warmth towards her husband filled Callie’s heart. ‘Yes. I figured that out.’
Adam glanced around and shuffled his feet. ‘Is Logan here with you?’
‘Yes, he’s around.’ Callie couldn’t help smiling at the young man’s attempt to hide his eagerness. ‘I’m sure he’d like to see you.’
‘Really? You think so?’
Callie spotted her husband standing near the peristyle, talking to one of the drummers. ‘Logan,’ she called. ‘Could you come here, please?’
He glanced up and approached her, his gait slow and easy. His gaze went to Adam. Callie waited as Logan took in Adam’s pierced ears, eyebrows, nose and lip. To her relief, he didn’t comment.
‘Hello, Adam.’
‘Logan . . . uh, sir.’ Adam flushed and held out his hand. Logan shook it.
‘I kind of wanted to apologise for being in the show and all,’ Adam went on.
Logan shrugged. ‘No need to apologise. You have a right to do what you want with your own time.’
Adam fairly gaped at him. ‘You mean you’re not mad at me?’
‘Well, I doubt I’ll be attending another one of your performances, but I’m not mad at you, no.’
‘Good,’ Adam said, looking quite relieved. ‘Because I’m really sorry I didn’t tell you. I know it could have hurt the firm.’
‘It’s a pity you’re not going to be a lawyer,’ Logan said. ‘You would have made a good one.’
Adam beamed with pleasure. ‘Really? Thanks, but I’m pretty happy working at the shop and stuff. Tess is great.’
‘I imagine she is.’ Logan glanced towards Tess, who was busy doling out portions of casserole. ‘Is she still slightly unhinged?’
‘Logan,’ Callie admonished.
‘Oh, yes, sir,’ Adam replied happily. ‘That’s why I love her.’
Callie chuckled. A smile even moved Logan’s lips. He reached out and gave Adam a squeeze on the shoulder.
‘Good luck to you, Adam. You and Tess will have to come for dinner one night.’
Adam glowed. ‘Thank you, sir. That would be exquisite.’
He trotted off towards Tess with a distinct spring in his step. Logan looked at Callie.
‘Exquisite?’ he repeated.
Callie grinned. ‘Adam thinks very highly of you, in case you couldn’t tell.’
The ritual drums began to pound out a simple rhythm as the crowd began to move towards the peristyle. Abiona rose and held out her hand to Logan.
‘I am so pleased to see you have worked out your troubles,’ she said.
Logan glanced at Callie. ‘I am, too. Thank you for your help.’
Abiona smiled and kissed his cheek before drifting off towards the peristyle. Callie watched her go, then looked at Logan.
‘You know, you never told me why you went to see her.’
Logan shrugged. ‘Desperation, I guess. I thought maybe she could help with the whole Elenore debacle.’
‘And did she?’
‘She certainly tried.’
Callie suspected there was something he wasn’t telling her, but she didn’t press him. They certainly couldn’t reveal all their secrets at once. She stood and brushed sand off her skirt before she and Logan began walking towards the peristyle. As the drumbeat began rising in volume and complexity, chanted prayers emerged into the night as if from the very earth itself. The air began to vibrate with primitive music.
Logan pulled Callie against his body and pressed his lips against her hair. ‘Will you dance for me?’ he murmured.
She smiled. ‘Yes. I’m so glad you decided to come with me tonight.’
‘This is infinitely more interesting than the dinner party we were supposed to attend,’ Logan admitted.
‘Most things are,’ Callie replied dryly.
Logan chuckled. ‘True enough.’ His hands moved down to her hips as he tugged her closer. He bent his head to brush his lips against hers. ‘I love you.’
Callie smiled again. He had been telling her that often lately, as if he were making up for years past. Callie slipped her arms around Logan’s waist and hugged him. She was beyond grateful that he was easing into a new relationship with her, one based on love and trust. She knew they still had to work on their relationship, but he had been more open, honest and receptive to both her and himself than he’d ever been before.
And Callie realised that this Logan, the one who was finally emerging, was the man she knew she had married all along. She leant her head against her husband’s chest and listened as the heady sound of the drums began to merge with the beating of his heart.
Epilogue
 
A
biona lit the third candle and knelt in front of the altar. She had always felt the spirits strongly, even as a child years before her initiation. A small, wooden idol of Ghede looked back at her. The
loa
exuded an aura of mischief and carnality. In front of him lay a dish of nuts, a package of cigarettes, a small bottle of gin and two cloth dolls bound together face-to-face with a silk thread. Abiona picked up the two dolls and smiled. She sprinkled them with orange-flower water and murmured a prayer.
Logan and Callie’s path wouldn’t always be easy, but Abiona knew that they would work out their troubles together. The
loas
would continue to watch over the couple with all their emotions, secrets and stubbornness. After all, the
loas
had once been humans themselves. They knew well the difficulties involved. Abiona placed the two dolls in front of the altar, blessed them and gave their fates to the spirits.
BOOK: The Naked Truth
4.43Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
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