Legacy by M.A. Foster

May

_____________________________

Three years and three months ago

Dylan

It was late afternoon when my plane landed at LAX. After collecting my suitcase from baggage claim, I headed outside to where the other passengers were waiting for their rides. A moment later, a blacked-out Range Rover pulled up to the curb. The passenger window rolled down and Bass, my uncle’s right-hand man, grinned at me from behind the wheel. Dark shades covered his eyes, and his large frame filled the driver side. He jerked his chin as if to say “What’s up?”

I tipped my chin, returning the gesture as I wheeled my suitcase to the back of the SUV, tossing it and my carry-on inside and closing the trunk. I moved to the passenger side and slid into the front seat.

“What’s up, B?” I greeted with a fist bump as I closed the door and reached for my seat belt.

“Sup, Mr. College Graduate,” he replied, shaking his head as he pulled away from the curb. “Man, I feel old.”

Twenty years or so ago, my dad’s younger sister, Emerson, moved to California to attend UCLA. On the flight to California, she met Marcus King. He was the front man of a rock band called Royal Mayhem and was just coming off tour. A week later, they eloped in Vegas. I was still in diapers then, so I don’t remember any of it, but from what I’d been told, my grandparents were heartbroken and furious with her for going behind their backs, marrying a man she hardly knew—a man they’d never met.

Bass and Emerson met in college shortly after he’d suffered a football injury. Around the same time, Marcus’s band, Royal Mayhem, had become quite popular, so he hired Bass to keep an eye on Emerson. After my cousin, Jayla, was born, Bass became her personal bodyguard.

“You’re early this year,” Bass hedged. “Everything all right?”

It was true. I usually came out in July and stayed through the month, then returned before fall semester started. But since I was done with school, I could stay as long as I wanted. Dad said he’d cover my job until I got back.

“Yeah.” I turned my head to look out the window. “I just needed a change of scenery.”

A week before graduation, I moved out of the Kappa Omega house and into my new apartment on the island. Jade stopped by the first night with a pizza and a cactus as a housewarming gift. I hadn’t unpacked anything, and my furniture hadn’t been delivered yet, so we sat picnic style on my air mattress with the pizza between us, a roll of paper towels, and two bottled waters.

It was so easy and natural to fall back into our friendship. We’d never had a problem getting along. I wasn’t a fan of idle chitchat to fill the quiet, but Jade usually kept the conversation going with stories about school or work. She could talk about anything and everything, yet she never talked about her personal life. But that night she surprised me when she finally opened up about her parents. Her father, Jaden Price, was in the army and Jade was named after him. Her mother, Sarah Price, was an art teacher and a part-time photographer before she got sick. Not long after her mom died, Jade moved to Heritage Bay so she could be closer to school and work.

After we finished the pizza, Jade went home, and I spent the night staring up at the ceiling with a smile on my face because even though I still loved her, being in a friendship with her was so much easier than a relationship.

A week later, my parents threw me a graduation party at Mac’s. I invited Jade, but she declined because she was embarrassed about her situation and was afraid my family would judge her. My parents met in college and married soon after my mom found out she was pregnant with me. They wouldn’t have judged her, but they would have questions. Especially Mimi.

Truthfully, I was glad she didn’t come, because even if I had introduced her as my friend, they would see exactly how I felt about her.

However, my longtime friend, Owen, showed up, and that was a nice surprise. We dipped out of the party early and went out to a club. I wasn’t a huge fan of dance clubs, but I was happy to hang out with my best friend again.

Then earlier today, everything went to shit. I was in the middle of packing when Jade stopped by my apartment.

She’d sat down on the air mattress and leaned back on her hands. “What do you think of the name Willow?”

“I like it.” I grinned as I folded the last of my laundry and tossed it beside my suitcase. “I can already picture a mini version of you running around. I think Willow is perfect.”

“Me, too.” She smiled, excitement flickering in her green eyes before they darted to my suitcase. “Do you really have to go to California?”

“I don’t have to go. I want to go.”

“Why?”

“Because I go every summer, and I like it there.” I didn’t tell her that after we broke up, I’d called my uncle and aunt and asked if I could come early. I wasn’t going to change my plans just because she was back in the picture.

“How come they never come here?”

“My uncle has an important job, and it’s hard for them to get away.” I could count on one hand how many people knew my uncle was Marcus King, one of the biggest rock stars on the planet. Uncle Marcus liked his privacy, and I respected it.

I moved to sit on the mattress beside Jade. “Are you going to miss me?”

She looked up at me and smiled. “Very much.”

I don’t know who initiated it, but the next thing I knew, we were kissing. Then we were naked with her lying on her side and me sliding into her from behind. Her soft moans mixed with her pleas, begging me not to stop, echoed through my mostly empty apartment.

I should’ve stopped. We were supposed to be friends, and we were crossing a line. A very intimate line. I was taking something that didn’t belong to me. She didn’t belong to me. But I couldn’t stop because I was addicted to her. Addicted to the way she made me feel.

She’d hooked me, then reeled me in with four words: “I love you, Dylan.”

Bass turned into the familiar driveway, stopping in front of the tall wrought iron gates and pressing a button on the visor. The gates swung open, and he eased through them.

At the end of the long driveway, the two-story structure made of stone and glass came into view, and I smiled. Marcus and Emerson lived in a modern Italian-inspired mansion on Malibu Beach. I loved being here.

I climbed out of the passenger seat and moved to the trunk to retrieve my bags, then took the stone steps to the door.

“It should be unlocked,” he said from behind me.

Pressing down on the lever, I pushed open the front door and walked inside.

The view from the foyer could only be described as surreal. The entire back wall opened up to the pool deck, and beyond the pool, an endless pink-and-orange sky stretched over the Pacific Ocean. Classic rock music blared through the sound system, and the distinct smell of grilled meat wafted through the house.

“You can leave your bags here for now,” Bass said as he started for the back patio and I followed. “I hope you’re hungry,” he added over his shoulder.

Crossing the room, I spotted the house manager, Grace, in the kitchen. Emerson refused to call her a housekeeper because she wasn’t a maid. She was family.

Grace moved around the kitchen island and came toward me with open arms. “Our sweet boy, a college graduate.” She wrapped her arms around me. “Congratulations.”

“Thank you.”

She pulled back and smiled. “They’re so proud of you.” She waved a hand in the general direction of the patio. “Go on. Dinner is almost ready.”

I walked out onto the patio to find Uncle Marcus at the grill flipping steaks. He was dressed casually in a white T-shirt and a pair of swim trunks. Emerson stood beside him, also dressed in a white T-shirt with denim cutoff shorts, holding a stemless wine glass. My aunt loved her wine.

No one else was around. Where did Bass go?

The outdoor table was set for eight people with a bundle of balloons weighted down in the center.

“Hey!” I called over the music, and both Marcus and Emerson turned to face me. An amused smile pulled at my lips when I noticed their shirts. Marcus’s said “Proud Uncle of a Graduate” and Emerson’s said “Proud Aunt of a Graduate.”

“Dylan!” Emerson cheered, setting down her glass and rushing toward me.

Marcus tossed the tongs down on the granite countertop beside the grill and came right behind her.

“Congratulations,” my aunt squealed, throwing her arms around me. “My sweet boy is all grown up, Marcus.”

Either she was feeling a little nostalgic or it was the wine talking, because she hadn’t called me her “sweet boy” since I was a teenager.

Emerson released me and stepped aside to give Marcus his turn. “Congrats, man.” We clasped hands, and he pulled me to his chest with a slap to the back.

“Thanks.” I pointed to their matching attire. “I love the shirts.”

Marcus chuckled, and Emerson told me, “They were Jay’s idea.”

A loud shriek had us all turning our heads to see Bass coming up the steps with my cousin, Jayla—family and friends called her Jay—draped over his shoulder. Behind him was my uncle Liam, and his best friend, Cam. Liam was my dad and Emerson’s baby brother. Because we were only four years apart, we basically grew up together.

Liam and Cam were University of Heritage baseball alumni and were drafted right out of college. When Liam was called up to the majors, Marcus sold him the house next door. Shortly after Liam moved in, Cam was called up as well, and they’ve been there ever since.

Bass bent at the knee and lowered Jay to her feet. She turned, straightening her shirt, and I noticed hers was the same as her parents’, except it said “Proud Cousin of a Graduate.” It was then that I noticed Bass, Liam, and Cam were also wearing one. Had Bass been wearing that shirt the whole time?

Emerson headed inside and Marcus went back to the grill while the rest of the group came over and congratulated me.

“Congrats, bro,” Liam crooned, pulling me into a hug and slapping me on the back. “Not gonna lie. You had me a little nervous after you ditched the baseball scholarship, but I’m proud of you. You’re a Mackenzie, and I know you’ll succeed at anything you do.”

“Thanks.” I cleared the emotion from my throat and gestured to Marcus. “I’ve had the best teacher and mentor.”

Liam grinned. “Can’t argue with that. Did you get your cards from Cam and me?”

“I did, thanks. I texted you both.”

“Oh yeah.” He chuckled.

“Congrats, Dylan,” Cam said, holding out a fist, and I pounded it with mine.

Cam wasn’t just Liam’s best friend and teammate, he was family. His mom and my Mimi were childhood friends and had remained friends their whole lives. Our families spent holidays together, celebrated birthdays, graduations, and even took vacations together. I didn’t just grow up with Liam, I grew up with Cam, too.

Jay joined our little group and held out two cards with a smile. “Happy birthday and congratulations.”

“Aww, thanks.” I wrapped her in a bear hug, and she squealed as I spun her around.

I wouldn’t say Jay and I were super close, most likely because of our age difference. She was definitely closer to Cole, but we got along pretty well. We bonded over our love of music.

Jay was Marcus and Emerson’s only child and their pride and joy. Marcus called her his Jaybird and was crazy protective of her. She was a sheltered fifteen-year-old, wise beyond her years, living under her father’s talented thumb. She was a good girl. The perfect mixture of her parents. Pretty like her mom. Talented like her father. Smart, and of course a little stubborn, because she had that Mackenzie blood in her veins, but she also had a kind heart.

“Open the white envelope first,” she urged. “That’s your birthday card.”

I flipped the envelope over and tore through the seal, then removed the card. It was handmade. On the front it said “We don’t get to choose our family—” I opened the card, ignoring the cash in the center. “—but if we did, I’d always choose you. Happy birthday, Dylan. Love, Marcus, Emerson, Jay, Bass, and Grace.”

Lifting my head, I met her gaze and grinned. “Did you make this?”

Her lips twisted to the side, and she jerked a shoulder up to her ear. “I’ve become a little obsessed with Pinterest. Open the other card.”

Chuckling, I tore into the blue envelope. The card was square and made to look like a cap, complete with a mini tassel. I flipped it open to find a smaller white envelope tucked in the middle.

“That’s your graduation gift—” She gestured to the envelope. “—but read the card first.”

I moved the envelope to the side and read the handwritten note inside the card. “Be the person you were always meant to be. Follow your heart, your dreams, and keep doing what you love. Love, Marcus, Emerson, Jay, Bass, and Grace.”

“Thank you.”

“Food’s ready,” Marcus called out.

We all moved over to the table and took our seats. Grace and Emerson walked out carrying a few trays, setting them on the table before sitting down.

Marcus passed me a beer, then moved to stand at the end of the table, lifting his own bottle in the air. “To Dylan.”

Cheers echoed around the table, and I shook my head, grinning. They were spoiling me, and I appreciated the distraction from the war raging between my head and my heart.

“Did you open your cards?” Emerson asked.

“He opened his cards,” Jay interjected, “but not his gift.”

Marcus nodded in my direction. “Open it. Unless you’d rather do it in private.” He raised his brows as if the thought had just occurred to him.

I slid the little white envelope out of the graduation card and tore it open. Inside was a check with way too many zeros. Whoa.

I jerked my head up in surprise. “Uh….” I didn’t know what to say.

It wasn’t like I was a stranger to money. My family had plenty of it. I went to private school. I drove a nice truck. I had my own apartment gifted to me by my grandparents. Both my parents and my grandparents worked. Uncle Marcus was very rich, but Emerson still worked in PR. Even Jay made her own money writing songs.

This was too much. “I can’t accept this.”

“You can and you will.” Marcus’s voice was stern. “Spend it on something just for you.”

Like what? I had everything I needed.

I exhaled a puff of air through my nose. “It’s a lot.”

“Just accept it, Dylan,” Emerson insisted with a soft smile.

“You’ve earned it.” Marcus added.

* * *

The sun had set, and the moon cast a glow over the ocean. I sat on the beach with my phone in my hand staring down at Jade’s pretty face on the screen.

Her face had become rounder, fuller, and glowed from pregnancy, making her even more beautiful.

“Do you want to talk about what happened?” she asked.

I drew in a deep breath and lifted my gaze to look out at the ocean. She had no idea how hard I was struggling with this. Maintaining a friendship and still being in love with her. “No.”

A few beats of silence passed before she spoke again. “I meant it.” She paused, and I dropped my gaze to the phone. She gave me a sad smile. “I do love you, Dylan. I don’t have many friends, but the ones I do have mean a lot. You mean so much to me. I’ve been thinking a lot since you left, and I’ve decided when you come back, I….” She bit the inside of her lip. “I want to be with you.”

My brows pinched in confusion. She decided? I didn’t remember asking. We’d had sex, but that didn’t change anything between us.

“I know I have a lot of baggage,” she continued, “but I promise when you come back, I’ll tell you everything.”

I wanted to know everything, but how would that change the fact that she was having a stranger’s baby?

“Can’t you just tell me now?”

She shook her head. “This is a conversation we need to have in person, and if you decide it’s too much or you want to remain strictly friends, or if you want to walk away for good, I’ll understand. I just want you to know how I feel. Take some time to think about what I said. Enjoy your time in California, and we’ll talk when you get back.”

“What are you doing, Jade?”

“I’m giving you space, Dylan. You don’t have to say it, but I can see how hard you’re struggling with this—with me. I don’t want to be the reason you’re hurting. I want to be the reason you’re happy.”

* * *

“You okay?” Marcus asked as he dropped down in the sand beside me. “You’ve been out here for a while.”

“Just thinking.” I exhaled.

“You wanna talk about it?”

“I do.” I nodded. “But I don’t want you to judge me.”

“Dylan.” He chuckled. “There is no room for judgment in my life with the things I’ve seen, heard, and done.” He had a point. “Talk to me.”

I took a moment to consider just how much I wanted to share with him. But this was my uncle Marcus, and no one was better at giving advice. So, I started from the beginning. “I met this girl.…”

Marcus waited until I finished before he spoke. It was one of the things I admired about him. He always gave you his full attention.

“You’re judging.”

“No.” He paused. “One of the things about being a good listener is putting yourself in that person’s situation and seeing it through their eyes. So when they ask for your advice or opinion, you can give them an honest one and not the one you think they want to hear. The fact that you still care for this girl after everything just goes to show how compassionate you are. You were always a sympathetic kid. Kind. Loving. Those are good qualities to have, but they also make you vulnerable. I see a lot of that in Jaybird, too. It’s not necessarily a bad thing as long as you have boundaries and trust your instincts. Your head and heart are warring with each other over what you think is right. I’ve always believed we should follow our hearts. It’s what got me here. But this is a delicate situation, and I don’t want to see you get hurt. You’re young, Dylan, but that doesn’t mean you’re not capable of making your own decisions. So, my advice to you is to use your head, and I’m talking about the one on your shoulders.” He gave me a knowing grin. “Sit down with your parents and explain your situation. You’re surrounded by a loving and supportive family, and if this is what you want, then we will all stand behind you.”

“My dad won’t like it.”

Marcus shook his head. “Maybe not at first. He wouldn’t be a good father if he didn’t care about his kids. Your dad doesn’t like to be caught off guard, but if you talk to him first and let him hear you, I think you’ll be surprised.”

“Maybe.”

“No matter what happens, I promise I’ll always be here for you.”