“So, that was fun,” Valentina commented as she waved goodbye to the two sisters and Father Michael after Hal had insisted on seeing them safely to the church van. Once he had them securely locked in the vehicle, Hal ordered the two prospects to give the saintly three musketeers a motorcycle escort, MC-style, out of the neighborhood.  

“FUN?” Hal looked at her with such incredulous disbelief that Valentina laughed at him.

And it wasn’t just a small giggle, Valentina shocked Hal by letting out an unrestrained, blissful, bright and bubbly, joyful noise.

Gone was the sullen, pouty, and willful child who had been his reluctant passenger the last week or so, and in her place was a magical creature. One with bright, shining eyes, a killer smile, and a laugh that sung out like a magic flute.

Hal would have followed that sound anywhere. 

“You hungry?” He took a shot.

“I’m starving, you?” Her voice registered surprise but no hesitation.

“I could eat.” He shrugged casually then added smoothly, “I know a place I think you’d really like.”

“I’m definitely in. But I have one condition,” Valentina replied instantly.

Here we fucking go.

“And what’s that?” Hal’s voice was guarded.

“It’s such a beautiful day, do you think we could put the top down on Big Blue?” Valentina’s eyes shone out with excitement.

Hal couldn’t stop the grin that suddenly split his face. “Baby, you got yourself a deal.”

 

 

“This isn’t a restaurant,” Valentina stated the obvious.

“Nope.”

Hal volleyed over the closed car door, then he sprinted around and pulled Valentina out with enthusiasm. 

She stood by Hal’s side and admired the bucolic lake setting.

“Where are we? It’s beautiful.” Valentina felt an immediate peace surround her. When she looked up at the home’s gleaming windows they seemed to wink her a welcome.

“It’s home.” Hal was pleased with Valentina’s reaction. Then he considered the irony of what he had just said. “Never thought about it before, but it’s actually kind of a strange thing that this is the place I landed—that this is the place that gave me my life back.”

“Why is that?” Valentina followed Hal as he led her across the lawn to the house.

“Because I almost died here,” he told her.

“Really? How?”

“It’s a long story, but what it boils down to is that back when I was in the Marines, they sent me on an extended and complicated mission that made communication impossible for a while. When I came stateside, naturally, the first thing I wanted to do was to track down family. Circumstances being what they were at the time, the intel that I had on my sister made me worry. I didn’t know a lot, but I knew she was holed up in some remote location, and that the property was owned by the president of the Hells Saints MC. Not really something a guy wants to hear about his sister.  So, I came out here to see what the fuck. Like any good Marine, I did some recon first. Checked out the perimeter, looked in the windows—shit like that. Before I knew it, that big fucker, Jules, had a nine-millimeter cocked to the back of my head.”

“Jules? The guy that just married your sister?” Valentina’s eyes were wide.

“One in the same.” Hal grinned. “We came real close to killing each other that night.”

“What stopped you?” Valentina asked.

“Glory.” He let out a short laugh at the memory. “My sister put herself right between me and about a dozen hand guns. She told them I was her brother and to back the hell off.”

“You’re kidding.”

“Can’t make that shit up, Tia.” He grinned and shook his head. Then he grabbed her hand and led her inside.

The interior of the house was as pretty as the land it sat on. The hardwood floors gleamed a waxy shine, and the rooms were filled with furnishings that were deep cushioned and well worn. The style was eclectic and welcoming. As Valentina walked deeper into the lake house, she realized that the home had a surprising secret—two, actually.  One was the unexpected state-of-the-art kitchen in a home that was this quaint and rustic. The cooking range alone must have cost a small fortune.  The counter tops were heavy with rich granite, and except for a whimsical, old ice cream bucket, all the appliances, both small and large, were top of the line. 

I could make a lot of bread in this kitchen—the idea of it made her smile. She realized with a start that she had been doing that a lot today—smiling.

Valentina could not help but let out a gasp of admiration when Hal led her to the next surprise.  The space was filled with every kind of workout apparatus known to the free world. The room addition jutted out over pilings that sat right at the edge of the lake. Its back wall was filled with windows, and the equipment well-placed. No matter where you stood in the room, the view was nothing but blue skies and soft lapping waves.

It must feel like working out on the  deck of a yacht. Valentina felt a pang of guilt for taking Hal away from all of this. Her father’s home was lovely, that was for sure. But it was beautiful in a traditional, old-world way—with its carved oak staircases, gilded panels, and crystal chandeliers—the Abruzzi mansion boasted wealth, prestige, and luxury.

But the lake house oozed comfort, serenity, and tranquility.

“Glory did the kitchen remodel when she was flush with money from her catering business. That happened before I moved here,” Hal explained to Valentina. His chest puffed a little with pride when he added, “But the gym room? The guys in the club put that in for me so I could work my rehab. Nicest damn thing that anyone ever did for me.” Hal paused then added with a smirk, “Unless you count Glory. She’s been great, but a whole lot of pain in the ass comes with her. Hey, I’m fucking starving. There’s all kinds of fresh veggies in the fridge. Claire and Reno have a huge garden, and they’re always dropping stuff off.  There’s fresh basil in the window box and olive oil in the cabinet. How about you make us a tomato salad and whatever else you want. I’m gonna grill us up a couple of steaks. Sound good?”

“Sounds great.”  Valentina smiled at him. It was the most he had ever said to her in one sitting. Hal was at ease here, relaxed in a way she didn’t think he was capable of. It was nice to see him this way.

They spent the next half hour moving around each other in the kitchen. Valentina wasn’t sure if Hal was just that big, or if he purposefully planted himself next to her every chance he got. Between the leaning and the reaching and the pressing the length of his big body against hers as he showed her where this was or that was, she felt deliciously manhandled by the time the meal was served.

The steaks were superb—cooked to perfection and paired perfectly with mozzarella and tomato basil salad. Valentina sipped on a glass of red wine while Hal tossed back a couple of beers. The two of them sat together and enjoyed the simple pleasures of a delicious meal, blue skies, calm breezes, and friendly conversation.

Valentina and Hal chose their words carefully and found their way around to the safe topics.  They each stayed with subjects that would steer the afternoon into being something that they both wanted and needed— comfortable and easy. Valentina talked about her family, and the more humorous aspects of growing up in La Familia.  She entertained Hal with some of the gutsy and hilarious stunts that she and Gia had pulled off as kids, and the not so hilarious consequences. On Hal’s part, he recounted the more comical and complete version of the night that Hal and Jules first met and how they almost killed each other.

While Hal wiped down the grill, Valentina cleared off the table. On her way back from the kitchen, she paused at the small alcove that was set back in an archway and flanked by built-in shelves. Those shelves were filled with faded boxes of board games, books, and age-old mementos. An antique chess board was laid out on a table. The pieces were beautiful; each one had small inlays of moonstone and recessed mother-of-pearl. The board itself was checkered with lapis and onyx. Valentina couldn’t help but stop and admire it.

“Do you play?” Hal was beside her.

“Me? Play chess? No. But some of my students played. The Haitian Chess Federation organized annual inter-school tournaments,” Valentina answered before she could stop herself. She was surprised at how easily those words had left her mouth. She never talked about the before with anyone. Valentina realized with sudden clarity that the crux of her recovery had been focused on the terrible ordeal she had survived, rather than all the wonderful things she had loved about Haiti. The thought made her sad.

“Did you ever go? Did you ever see them play?” Hal watched her intently.

Hal’s question caught her off guard, and Valentina was lost for a moment in silent remembrance. Valentina felt her teacher’s heart swell with love when she thought about her students and their bright, happy smiles, so full of promise.

She spoke hesitantly. “The whole staff used to go to watch them play.  There was only a handful of us. The school was small and very poor, but the kids worked so hard and they were as proud of each other’s accomplishments as they were of their own. They made it very easy to want to root them on.”

“Chess can get pretty intense.” Hal’s voice was gentle. “I bet it meant a lot for the kids to have their teachers there with them.” 

“Our school team made it to the finals,” she told him with pride. “The kids were all so excited to be in the competition. We spent weeks preparing; but in the end, the biggest fear was that we wouldn’t make it to the tournament. It was held about thirty miles away, and the ancient rust bucket that passed for a school bus, sputtered, wheezed, and popped the whole way there. I remember the loud cheer the kids raised when we finally pulled into the parking lot. And I knew then, that win or lose, it would be a day that they would remember for the rest of their lives.”

Unfortunately, the rest of their lives only meant a few weeks more, Valentina pushed away that painful thought and forced the focus back on the board.

“Honestly, I’ve never really understood the game. But I have wondered about the pieces and how they move around. I find it strange that while the rules are always the same, each game can be strategized so differently.”

“So, you want to learn how to play?” Hal ran his finger across the board.

“Play chess?” Valentina looked at him in surprise.

“Sure, why not?”

Valentina thought about spending the afternoon in the small space with Hal. Their knees touching under the table, and his large, callused hands taking over the smooth pieces and moving them at his will ... the soft rasp of his voice as he directed her—taught her—oh, boy.

She abruptly put down the piece she had been holding and stepped away from the game.

“No.” She shook her head. “I don’t think so.”

“Why not?” He took a step closer.

Valentina felt the back of her knees hit the cushioned chair and blurted out the first thing she could think of. “It’s complicated.”

“That’s just what people think because there are so many moves, so many ways to win or lose.” Hal crowded Valentina until she was forced to stumble back into the seat. Then he took his place opposite her across the table. “Really, Tia, I think you’re gonna like it. And I bet you’re gonna be damn good at it.”

“I doubt it. I’m not that good at thinking ahead.” Valentina admitted ruefully, but in truth, she had always wanted to learn the game.

“Well, let’s see how you do.” Hal moved a few of the pieces on the board. “You know some people think that you can find out a lot about a person by playing chess with them.” 

“Do you think that?”  Her curiosity was piqued.

“I guess there’s some truth to it.” He shrugged. “But really you can tell a lot more about a man by the way he fights or handles a gun. You want to look at whether he’s watching your back or out to save his own skin. No table game is gonna teach you that. And as far as women go? You don’t really know a woman until after you’ve had her in your bed a few times and even then—”

“Okay, I get it.” Valentina didn’t want the afternoon spoiled by images of Hal in bed with anyone. Don’t you mean anyone that isn’t you? that pesky inner voice taunted her.  Valentina’s face grew warm and she grabbed the first piece her fingers landed on. “What does this one do?”

Hal laughed a slow low rumble when he saw the blush creep up her face. “That piece there? It does anything it wants.”

“Anything?”

“Yeah, baby. It’s the queen. Most powerful piece in the game.”

“More powerful than the king?”  She questioned in surprise.

“More powerful than the king.” He confirmed with a nod. “The queen can move in any direction—even backward. And she can go as far as she wants to.”

When Hal’s eyes met hers, Valentina’s stomach fluttered, and her toes curled in her sandals. She focused her attention back on the board.

After the briefest hesitation, Hal went on to explain. “But the queen is also the most vulnerable. The problem with the queen is that she can be taken very quickly and right from under your nose. Every piece on the board poses a threat to her, and she can be gone with even one wrong move. It’s very important to protect her.”

“Which piece has the job of protecting her?”

Hal reached over and took the queen from her. When he did, the pads of his rough fingers skimmed the soft palm of her hand in a long, lingering motion. His touch was gentle, and a soft sigh rose from the depths of her soul. Hal put the queen down on the board and placed another piece in Valentina’s hand. His strong fingers curled over hers and warmed her.

“It’s all about the king. The queen is important, but without the king the game is over. He’s the main man.” He held her eyes.

“Is that how you win? When you capture the king?” Valentina asked breathlessly.

“Yeah, baby. That’s how you win.” Hal’s blue eyes twinkled at her.

With effort, she drew her eyes away from his and forced her attention back on the board. Valentina picked up a piece that looked like a horse’s head. “I think this is the knight, am I right?”

“Very good, that’s the knight. He’s most powerful in close positions and should always be where the action is,” Hal told her. “The knight is the only piece that can move at the beginning of the game without first moving a pawn.” He took the knight away from her and pressed another piece into her hand. “This is the pawn—as a new player you will be tempted to…”  Hal’s voice was a low rumble as he continued to place pieces in her hand and explain the game to her. 

She wanted him to touch her again.

And in other places.

Valentina let out a low, wistful sigh. When she raised her eyes to his, she found him staring at her with an intensity that make her weak. 

Predator—prey, came the unbidden thought. Then with a blush she amended the notion to predator—willing prey. Because really, at that moment, she couldn’t think of a thing that he could do to her that she wouldn’t want done.

“Do you think you understand how the game is played now?”

“I can be a pretty slow learner.” She admitted with a pang of regret, because honestly, the game he was playing was way out of her league.

Valentina put down the piece she was holding.

Hal regarded her solemnly for a moment. “I don’t think that’s gonna be a problem for us, Tia.”

“You don’t?” Valentina couldn’t stop the thread of hope that sounded out in her voice. “Why don’t you?”

Hal took in her wide-eyes and wistful expression. Then his own eyes softened, and the corner of his mouth lifted.

“Because, I’ve got a strong feeling that you’re gonna be real good at letting me know if I’m moving too fast.”