The War of Pawns (The Human Chronicles -- Book Three) by T.R. Harris Page B
Authors: T.R. Harris
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ravishing Latino beauty, who had been fending off the advances of all the young studs from Coronado her entire adult life. They didn’t impress her much; all macho bombast, and nothing more, great for a quick tryst, but nothing long-term.
After that first passionate encounter, Maria had resisted Adam’s advances for anything more long-lasting, yet the competitor in him never relented.
But then one night he’d gone too far.
He had showed up at her apartment late that night, drunk on his ass, banging on her door, and otherwise being just an obnoxious asshole. At the time, Maria shared an apartment in the Claremont area near Mission Bay with another girl from San Diego State. At first, the roommate had threatened to call the police, but Maria quickly went outside to try to defuse the situation.
There, on the once-quiet cul-de-sac, at three in the morning, Maria had really laid into him, calling him everything from a disgusting bore to a stalker. Even in his inebriated state, Adam was profoundly embarrassed. He really liked Maria, and now here she was making him feel like a desperate nerd in junior high, trying to get his first kiss.
But she was right. Ever since joining the SEALs and falling under the influence of the macho-competiveness of the unit, he had not been himself. He normally wasn’t such as asshole. Instead, he was a serious, mature-for-his-age man with a well-developed goal in life. Yet now, the over-the-top confidence that SEAL training had instilled in him had overflowed into his interpersonal relationships. And here he was falling for a woman who was not impressed with his bullshit.
He slinked home that night, believing he would never see Maria again.
Two weeks passed without any effort on his part to make contact with her again, yet with each passing day, he began to realize just how much he missed her. He thought about sending her cards and flowers, but concluded that would only confirm her belief that he was a stalker. How could he express his love for her if he couldn’t see her again?
With his time in San Diego drawing to a close, Adam decided to go for broke, and the San Diego Chargers football team helped him out.
Maria was a big fan of the team, and he knew she was going to the game that coming Sunday. So Adam devised a plan. Of course at the time, he had no idea how expensive airplane banner advertising was. But this was love, and it was his last chance to win Maria’s heart before he headed east and Virginia Beach.
So draining his savings, along with a few reluctant loans from his buddies, Adam came up with the $2,000 it cost for a plane to fly the banner over QualComm Stadium during the game.
It was a simple message: I’m Sorry, Maria. Give Me Another Chance. Adam.
The banner made the evening news, and soon went viral.
How could she say no?
Six months later they were married in a small church in Chesapeake, Virginia. Maria was already two months pregnant at the time.
It was hard on the newlyweds at first, as Adam was constantly either in advanced training or off on a secret mission somewhere. And it only got harder when Cassie was born. He hadn’t been there for the birth; instead he was wrapping up a six-month deployment in Iraq.
Everything changed for Adam the day he returned and saw the big, bright eyes of his daughter looking up at him. She seemed to know instinctively who he was – at least that’s what Adam thought. It was as if someone had flicked a switch on his heart, and from that moment on, Adam Cain was a devout family man. Nothing else mattered. He would do anything for Maria and Cassie.
As his career in the Navy progressed, Adam found that his new-found maturity actually helped. SEALs are very serious people; it’s not all about the bravado. Once he settled down in his personal life, Adam found advancement easier, as well as an unspoken respect coming from the senior personnel. Chief Rutledge, his NCOIC, confided in him that he was on the fast-track for
After that first passionate encounter, Maria had resisted Adam’s advances for anything more long-lasting, yet the competitor in him never relented.
But then one night he’d gone too far.
He had showed up at her apartment late that night, drunk on his ass, banging on her door, and otherwise being just an obnoxious asshole. At the time, Maria shared an apartment in the Claremont area near Mission Bay with another girl from San Diego State. At first, the roommate had threatened to call the police, but Maria quickly went outside to try to defuse the situation.
There, on the once-quiet cul-de-sac, at three in the morning, Maria had really laid into him, calling him everything from a disgusting bore to a stalker. Even in his inebriated state, Adam was profoundly embarrassed. He really liked Maria, and now here she was making him feel like a desperate nerd in junior high, trying to get his first kiss.
But she was right. Ever since joining the SEALs and falling under the influence of the macho-competiveness of the unit, he had not been himself. He normally wasn’t such as asshole. Instead, he was a serious, mature-for-his-age man with a well-developed goal in life. Yet now, the over-the-top confidence that SEAL training had instilled in him had overflowed into his interpersonal relationships. And here he was falling for a woman who was not impressed with his bullshit.
He slinked home that night, believing he would never see Maria again.
Two weeks passed without any effort on his part to make contact with her again, yet with each passing day, he began to realize just how much he missed her. He thought about sending her cards and flowers, but concluded that would only confirm her belief that he was a stalker. How could he express his love for her if he couldn’t see her again?
With his time in San Diego drawing to a close, Adam decided to go for broke, and the San Diego Chargers football team helped him out.
Maria was a big fan of the team, and he knew she was going to the game that coming Sunday. So Adam devised a plan. Of course at the time, he had no idea how expensive airplane banner advertising was. But this was love, and it was his last chance to win Maria’s heart before he headed east and Virginia Beach.
So draining his savings, along with a few reluctant loans from his buddies, Adam came up with the $2,000 it cost for a plane to fly the banner over QualComm Stadium during the game.
It was a simple message: I’m Sorry, Maria. Give Me Another Chance. Adam.
The banner made the evening news, and soon went viral.
How could she say no?
Six months later they were married in a small church in Chesapeake, Virginia. Maria was already two months pregnant at the time.
It was hard on the newlyweds at first, as Adam was constantly either in advanced training or off on a secret mission somewhere. And it only got harder when Cassie was born. He hadn’t been there for the birth; instead he was wrapping up a six-month deployment in Iraq.
Everything changed for Adam the day he returned and saw the big, bright eyes of his daughter looking up at him. She seemed to know instinctively who he was – at least that’s what Adam thought. It was as if someone had flicked a switch on his heart, and from that moment on, Adam Cain was a devout family man. Nothing else mattered. He would do anything for Maria and Cassie.
As his career in the Navy progressed, Adam found that his new-found maturity actually helped. SEALs are very serious people; it’s not all about the bravado. Once he settled down in his personal life, Adam found advancement easier, as well as an unspoken respect coming from the senior personnel. Chief Rutledge, his NCOIC, confided in him that he was on the fast-track for
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