Accidental Shield

Bryce grabs Valerie’s hand. “Look, there’s a sea turtle!”

She looks at me and I laugh.

Turtles, turtles, everywhere we go.

Maybe I never appreciated their huge, bulky bodies flopped down in the sun much before, but I do now. They saved our lives and brought me closer to this perfection.

She grabs her beach bag out of the truck and crosses the parking lot toward the beach with Bryce, while Mother joins me at the back of the truck.

“So you’re going to do it, Flint?” she asks. “Tell me I’m not going senile…”

“I’m thinking about it, Ma.” I shake my head, then reconsider why I’m bothering to hold my cards so close. “Yeah. I’m asking her.”

“Oh, Flint!” she chirps, throwing her arms around my neck. “I knew she was the one for you. The sweetness you deserve.”

I’m not sure how to respond. A small part of me thinks she might’ve said that about any girl I’d have chosen.

“I mean it,” she says, reading my mind. “Valerie’s special. She’s a new chapter in the Big Book of Flint. She found you right when you were ready to let go of the past. It’s fate, son. She needed you as much as you needed her, and now that all this nasty business is behind you both, you can focus on the future.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence, Ma,” I tell her.

Still beaming, she grabs both metal detectors out of the back of the truck. “Besides, Bryce is growing up so fast…I’m not sure how much longer I’ll be able to take him out. If I even blink, he’ll be in college, busy like all boys get. And going to these big resorts and ice cream shops myself would just be awkward, so…more grandchildren. Please.”

What else can I say? It’s so ridiculous, so Ma, I just burst out laughing.

Giving me a wink, she heads for the beach. I grab the cooler and another bag out of the back and follow.

She’s right. Val was the cure I needed before I even knew my own disease. Or hadn’t wanted to admit I had it.

In no time, Ma and Bryce are off scanning the sand with their metal detectors, giving us some sorely needed space. There’s a charge in my blood as I sit next to Val.

“They sure love treasure hunting,” she says.

“Did you want to join them?”

“No, not yet. Bryce said he’d yell if they found something good.” She bumps my shoulder with her head. “He said I need to keep you company.”

“Lucky you.” I smile, kissing the top of her head.

She laughs and then lets out a long sigh. “It’s been just crazy, hasn’t it?”

“Fucking nuts.”

No exaggeration. After her family moved back into their secured homes, the FBI field teams and legal machine went into overdrive. Ray’s info is still tearing apart the Cornaro Outfit worldwide.

“My mom called this morning. Wes gave them the go-ahead on resuming the fishing business. Turns out we just had to forfeit dad’s old Swiss account to the IRS. Their forensics team says the money never mingled too much with King Heron, so they won’t seize any physical assets.”

“Good to hear,” I tell her with a firm nod.

She looks up at me. “You already knew that, didn’t you?”

“Ray called yesterday evening. He’s excited to get things back on track.”

“It’s all thanks to you. I can’t thank you enough for helping him so much. And my mother.” She laughs. “And me.”

I give her a quick kiss. “It’s a gorgeous day. Feel that wind? Let’s take a walk.”

“Okay!”

I help her up and we walk to the ocean, winding along the shore with the gentle waves splashing over our bare feet. A big one crashes against my legs. I pull Val away just in time as she lets out a playful squeal.

Fine by me.

We’re heading in the opposite direction from Bryce and Ma, so we have plenty of privacy.

The sand gradually gives way to a rockier area. We stop there and I take a long moment to just look at Val in the sun, admiring her beauty.

The sheer gratitude that she’s in my life fills me.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Because you’re fucking stunning. Hard not to stare,” I tell her, meaning every word.

She laughs, lush heat flaming into her cheeks. “I think you’ve had too much sun.”

“Not the sun, babe. You, on the other hand…”

She frowns slightly.

I lift the hand I’m holding and rub my thumb over the black pearl ring on her finger. “You like this ring, don’t you?”

“Well, yeah. I, um…I only wear it every day like a crazy woman. In case you hadn’t noticed.” She closes her eyes. “I guess it’s just…your ring gave me hope while I was on Cornaro’s yacht.”

I nod, well aware that long, dark night will always leave scars.

Opening her eyes, she says, “I know that sounds silly, but it’s the truth. Things looked so bleak, but I had this ring. It showed me I had a lot to live for, to fight for, to survive for because there was a chance you’d come. That’s when I found the broken glass, knowing I needed some kind of weapon so I could fight back. Stay alive. All so I could see you again.”