Chapter Twenty-Five
Hank slipped the cowboy hat low on his head and squinted through his sunglasses at the checkerboard.
“King me.” Sam let out a bark of laughter, hopping over Hank’s remaining man and taking the board. “You haven’t played checkers much, have you?”
Hank leaned back in the chair. “Oh, I’ve played but never against a pro like you.”
“I’ve had lots of practice. Travis and I pick up a game or two every Saturday.”
Hank glanced at his phone, pushed his chair away from the table, and stood. “That’s enough whooping for tonight. Same time tomorrow?”
Sam chuckled and shook Hank’s outstretched hand. “Sure. I’ll look forward to dishing out the whooping.”
“Them’s fighting words, old timer.”
Sam collected the checkers and returned them to the box. “You takin’ our girl out tonight?”
“Plan to.”
“You’ll take care of her now, won’t ya?”
Hank tipped his hat. “You can count on it, Sam.”
“She and her brother don’t have their folks any longer to look out for them, so I try and do that. You seem gentleman-like to me, and I do believe you care for her, but don’t let me hear of any nonsense now. She don’t need any more heartache.”
Hank almost smiled at the old man’s earnestness. He picked up the empty plates from the calzones and salad Bethany had brought them earlier. “I’ll treat her like a princess, Sam. Promise.” He turned and headed toward the kitchen, while Sam collected Gypsy.
As always, his heartbeat kicked into double-time at his first glimpse of Bethany crouched over one of the cupboards. Her jeans stretched across her tight behind, and she’d replaced her normal T-shirt with a flowery top. She glanced up when he came in, knocking her head against the open door.
“Ow.”
“You all right?”
She stood and rubbed her forehead. Was it his imagination or did she seem nervous?
“Yes, I’m fine. Was just taking an inventory of supplies. Is it time to go already?”
“Not quite. Turn around.”
She frowned but did as requested. “Hank, what are you—”
He rubbed her shoulders. “Shh. Relax. We have plenty of time.”
“If this keeps up, I’m liable to fall asleep.”
“Quiet and breathe.” Her skin was soft and warm and damp with sweat, and she smelled of basil, lemons, and oregano.
How would she react if he leaned down and kissed the back of her neck?
Probably not well judging by the tense set of her shoulders.
He continued to work the muscles in her upper back until he felt them loosen.
He turned her around. “Much better. Ready?”
She nodded.
“Car’s out front.” He grabbed her hand and tugged her toward the dining room.
“Wait. Are you sure I’m dressed right?”
“You’re perfect.” He pulled her along, past the counter where Travis counted money in the cash register.
“You okay to close, Travis?”
Travis’s usual scowl was absent. He gave them a thumbs up. “I got it taken care of. Have fun, kids.”
Hank raised his eyebrows, but Bethany laughed. “Thanks, best brother ever.”
Then they were out the front and slipping into the limousine, while Louis held the door.
“Now can you tell me where we’re going?” She rested her head against the back of the seat.
“No, now you can relax and be patient.” He smirked and raised a brow. “Any guesses?”
“Dinner somewhere?”
“We already ate dinner. Loved the calzones. My compliments to the chef.”
She laughed, low and musical. “Dessert, then? Ice cream?”
Now it was his turn to laugh. “My surprise doesn’t include food.”
She lifted her head. “More episodes of Apollo?”
He threaded his fingers through his hair. “No. You know how much I enjoy watching myself on screen.”
“I’m stumped.”
“You’ll know soon enough. What’s on the menu for tomorrow?”
She yawned. “Way to change the subject. Tuesdays, I usually make meatball subs. They’ve proved a hit with the younger crowd. And macaroni and cheese for a side.”
“Sounds like my next meal. Have you heard from Rosie?”
“Yes, she called me a little while ago. They came home from the hospital today. She sounded worn out but that’s to be expected.
Tia’s doing great.” She sat up and looked out the window.
The evening sun slipped toward the horizon, casting the sky with a pale pink glow.
She could see Terminal Tower in the distance. “We’re going downtown?”
“Not quite.”
Louis turned onto West 10th Street. She pressed her face against the window. “This is residential.”
“True.”
“Why are we stopping here? Whose house is this?”
He smiled. “Mine.”
Bethany looked from Hank to the white-brick colonial house. Someone had turned the porch light on in anticipation of their arrival.
“You bought it?”
He nodded. “It once belonged to my grandparents. They built it. I’d like to show it to you.”
Louis held the door open, and she slid from the car.
“This is amazing.” She studied the large house.
Four wrought-iron pillars lined the front porch, which was built on a brick foundation.
All the windows contained shutters, and stone steps led to the porch with an iron railing on either side.
A roof with a large chimney covered the porch, and it looked like a small dormer topped the roof.
She couldn’t see much beyond that in the dark.
“I stayed here for a month during the summers I visited my grandparents as a kid. Let me show you the inside.”
He grabbed her hand and pulled her along, his excitement as contagious as a child on Christmas morning.
The inside was even more impressive. The front room contained shiny wooden floors and a wide staircase that led to the upper level.
“Follow me.” He flicked on a light switch and led her through a small kitchen. Built-in cabinetry that someone had painted olive green lined the walls. A black and white checkerboard tile decorated the floor.
Hank pointed to the side wall. “A back staircase used to be in here, but the next owner must have removed it. I would sneak down the steps on warm summer nights when I couldn’t sleep and hang out on the screened-in porch, where I could catch a breeze.”
“It’s wonderful and so quaint. You must have really loved it here.”
Hank opened the door onto a long porch, which wrapped around the side of the house. The smell of roses kissed the air. “I did. Come with me. There’s more.”
And then he was pulling her into the family room, which had a large front window and was lined by built-in bookshelves. To the side, an oversized stone fireplace dominated the space.
“Grandpa told me these stones were pulled from the lake. He and his brother built the fireplace by hand. They also poured the sidewalk out front.” Pride rang in Hank’s voice.
Bethany rubbed a hand across the massive stones. “They must have been some craftsmen.”
“Grandpa knew his way around a toolbox. I feel close to him fixing up your building.”
She liked how he said your building and not my building. “What did he think of his grandson becoming a television star?”
Hank turned and laid a hand on the mantel, so she couldn’t read the expression on his face. “I’ll never know. He had a heart attack shortly before I got the role that made me famous. I never got to tell him. I didn’t even know he hadn’t been feeling well.”
She touched his arm. “I’m sorry, Hank. I’m sure he would have been proud of you. But he didn’t leave you or your parents the house?”
Hank sighed and the sound carried a world of disappointment. “He left it to my mom, but when she died suddenly, and it ended up in my hands, turns out there was a loophole in her will that allowed my dad to claim it. He sold it for cash and didn’t tell me.”
“That’s awful. Did you try to buy it back?”
“Yes, but by the time I found out, the new owners had already lived in the house for six months. They loved the house and the neighborhood and refused to sell to me. I’ve had a realtor watching the house ever since, in case it came on the market.
The day I was late to meet you for dinner—that was the day I found out it was for sale.
I had my assistant make a cash offer. Yesterday, the owners accepted and agreed I could come here tonight to show you around. ”
“That’s why you were late?”
“I was late because I was exhausted and overslept. But when I woke, I got the call, which distracted me. I had to talk to my financial advisor about making repairs to the building.”
“I wish you’d told me that’s one of the reasons you were late that night.”
He swiveled toward her and grasped her hand. “This place is special to me. I wasn’t quite up to telling you about it—wasn’t even sure it would be mine. Besides, would it have made a difference? You were already worked up about the interview, remember?”
Looking into his eyes, she couldn’t lie. “Probably not. But what will you do with it now that it’s yours?”
Hank shrugged. “I don’t know. Clean it, I suppose. Host a party for my friends.”
“Oh.” Bethany could picture Hank in all his glory, his Hollywood friends coming to Cleveland for the night to party and then jet-setting out again in the morning.
“You really shouldn’t look at me like that.”
“Like what?”
His eyes glittered in the dim light. “Like you wouldn’t be invited to the party.”
“Oh, I wasn’t—”
His lips settled on hers—hot, hard, thorough—and all reasonable thought deserted her.
The more she kissed him, the more she wanted to go on kissing him.
The feel of his lips on hers. The tender way he cupped her face with his hands.
His long, lean body and the hardness of his chest pressed against hers.
She felt safe, cherished, protected. She felt like she belonged in his arms. Like she came alive when he was kissing her.
Like life was more exciting, more pleasurable, more real.