Page 74 of Always Be True: Tino
Chapter 20
Tino knocked on the heavy wooden door and braced himself for an ass-kicking or at least a figurative one. He wasn’t even sure why he’d shown up, but ignoring the summons from Cyrus Waines would’ve reeked of cowardice. No doubt the old man wanted to rip Tino a new one for hurting his granddaughter.
Esther opened the door. “Tino, you’re right on time. Come on in.”
He followed her into the foyer, trying to look far more in control of the situation than he actually felt. “Mr. Waines left a message that he wanted to see me.”
“So I hear.” The housekeeper smiled as she pointed toward the library. “He’s waiting for you in there. I’ll be along with lunch for the two of you in a few minutes.”
Really? Since when did being called on the carpet require refreshments? He was about to say something when he realized that Esther had already deserted him. Well, he could stand there and dither or he could find out what the hell was going on. The door to the library was open just a crack. He was saved from having to decide whether he should knock or go straight in when the decision was made for him.
“The chessboard is set up in here.” Cyrus sat in the open doorway glaring up at him. “Or are you going to hide out here all day?”
Tino met the man’s faded gaze head-on. “I’m considering it.”
The old man’s hoot of laughter was a bit on the mean side. “Well, at least you’re honest about it. Now, get in here.”
Tino followed him into the library. Cyrus wheeled himself around to one side of a chess table set up in front of the window. He waved his hand toward the opposing chair. “Sit down. I get tired of having to look up at you.”
This was a different chess set than they’d played with before. Tino picked up one of the pawns and studied it. “Seriously? A storm trooper?”
“My daughter and son-in-law bought the set for me, knowing I love both chess and the original threeStar Warsmovies. They’ve bought me a bunch of different sets over the years. I guess it’s hard to come up with gifts for the man who has everything.”
He slid a pawn forward to start the game. “Well, everything except for a few great-grandchildren.”
Tino had been about to make his own move when Cyrus dropped that little bombshell. His hand was shaking only a little as he put his pawn into play. “Not sure where they’ll be able to buy some of those for you.”
“Don’t be a smartass, boy.”
“Sometimes I can’t help myself, sir.”
“Try harder.”
They lapsed into a long silence as the play continued. A few minutes later, Esther delivered the promised sandwiches and drinks. She set everything out on Cyrus’s desk. “Gentlemen, lunch is served.”
Her employer didn’t even glance up. “We’re in the middle of a game.”
Esther rolled her eyes. “Eat now or I’ll take it all away. As I recall, you really hate stale sandwiches for dinner.”
When she sailed out of the room without a backward look, Cyrus muttered an obscenity. “I sign that woman’s paycheck, so I know for a fact she works for me. You’d never know it by the way she acts.”
“Have you ever called her bluff?”
“Once.” Cyrus backed away from the table and headed for his desk. “How do you think she knows I hate stale sandwiches?”
Tino couldn’t help but laugh. It occurred to him that Esther and his mother would really hit it off, considering neither one of them was inclined to take any crap from the men in their lives. He studied the array of salads and sandwiches Esther had laid out for them. She’d outdone herself once again. “I love a good game of chess, but it would be a real shame to let this spread go to waste.”
“Yeah, but don’t tell her that. She’s impossible to live with as it is.”
“I’m guessing she’ll figure it out for herself when there’s nothing left but crumbs.”
His host looked a bit disgruntled by that thought, but that didn’t stop him from loading up his plate. Tino happened to glance across the room and spotted the woman in question hovering right outside the library door. She gave him a thumbs-up and disappeared from sight.
They made quick work of the meal. Tino even went back for seconds. He was going to need all of his strength to get through the game Cyrus had in store for him, and he didn’t mean the chess match they were about to resume.
When they once again faced each other across the board, Cyrus picked up right where he’d left off. “You disappointed me, boy.”
“How so, sir?”
