The Maverick (6 page)

It was Jay who stole the show. Both Gloria and Min fell in love with Ben’s little boy, who was especially delightful in relating his Montessori class’s trip to a goat farm.

After the men left, Gloria said, “Jay is a little doll. And, Sunny, I like your Ben very much.”

“He’s a wonderful father and will make a good husband for you,” Min said. “He obviously adores you.”

Cass waited for comments about Griff, who had been charming and solicitous as usual. None came. She finally said, “Griff was very sweet to provide our dinner.”

“Yes, he was,” Gloria agreed.

Min began clearing coffee cups. “The ribs were among the best I’ve ever had. Just suited my taste.”

“What did you think of him?” Cass asked directly.

“He has beautiful eyes,” her aunt said. “Reminds me a bit of Paul Newman.”

Cass had lived with these women long enough to recognize a runaround when she heard it. “But what about him as a person?”

“I don’t know him well enough to have an opinion yet,” Gloria said, busying herself with cleaning up the remnants of their meal.

“Don’t bother with that,” Cass said, taking the bowl from her hand. “We’ll clean up later. Come on, Mom. Don’t dillydally.”

“About what?”

Cass chuckled. “About Griff.”

“He seems a bit too…”

“Slick,” Aunt Min chimed in.

“I was going to say ‘prep school,’ but that, too.”

“Oh, come on, you guys. You’ve been in France and loved it there. The French wrote the book on snobbery. And Griff’s no snob.”

“That’s only in Paris, and only a few people,” Min said. “The French are quite nice folks. And Griff is quite nice, too, I’m sure. We just need to get to know him better. He’s not a Texas boy.”

“True,” Gloria said. She yawned hugely. “My, my, look at the time. I think jet lag is catching up with me.”

“Me, too,” Min said, managing a yawn of her own. “I think we’d better get along home. We can talk all day tomorrow while we’re setting things straight at the café.”

A
FTER SHE AND
S
UNNY HAD
dropped off their mother and aunt, Cass said, “Obviously Mom and Aunt Min don’t like Griff. How do you feel about him?”

“The question isn’t how do any of us feel about him. How do you feel about him?”

“I’m not sure. Sometimes I’m crazy about him, and at other times I feel like he’s a little too…”

“Slick?”

Cass laughed. “Well, yeah. But I’ll tell you this. He’s hell on wheels in bed.”

“Cass! You haven’t already…”

“Yep. I have. And the man turns me on like a house afire.”

Sunny chuckled. “There’s something to be said about that.”

“For sure. And it’s not as if we’re into any sort of permanent commitment. Griff has made some noises about moving to Austin, but I suspect when his business is finished, he’ll hightail it back to New Yawk, and I won’t see him again until he’s back on business.”

“How does that make you feel?”

Cass thought for a minute. “Ambivalent.”

“Hmm. Exactly what is Griff’s business? I mean, I know he’s a lawyer, but what brings him to Austin?”

“I don’t know, and he won’t say. Confidentiality issues, I assume. I suspect he may be a consultant to some high profile firm or another. Being a lawyer, I understand the need for tight lips, and I haven’t pried.”

“The cop in me makes me curious.”

“I’ll admit to a little curiosity of my own. You know, I almost had a heart attack at dinner tonight when Jay said your dog was very much like Dr. Skye’s dog.”

“Lord, I know,” Sunny said. “Ben pulled that one out when he casually mentioned that Dr. Skye was a vet, and changed the subject. I could have kissed him. But, sis, sooner or later, probably sooner, we have to break the news to Mom about meeting the Outlaw relatives. Had any great revelations on just how we’re going to broach the subject?”

“Not a one.”

“Me, either. And we still have to tell them about the offer on our property, but let’s worry about it tomorrow. I’m pooped.”

O
N
F
RIDAY MORNING
, Cass packed her bag to move back to her apartment and her own bed. All the utilities were on again and the tables and chairs stored there had been moved out. Since the alarm system had been restored and upgraded, and Hank would be next door at night, she didn’t have any qualms
about staying alone, and she was sure Ben and Sunny would welcome a bit of privacy over the weekend.

Even though she and Sunny had tried to discourage them, her mom and Aunt Min were determined to pitch in at the café to get things up and running. Sunny was taking them by a leasing agency to pick up a car, while Cass went ahead. The new baseboards were almost down by the time she arrived at Chili Witches.

And Griff was there. Looking as if he’d just come off the jogging trail, he smiled when he saw her. “Good morning.” He gave her a brief kiss.

“Been out for a run? I’ve been missing my time on the trail.”

“I jogged here instead of around the lake. Thought I’d see if you need me to help with anything. I’m supposed to have a meeting later, but I can reschedule if there’s anything I can do for you.” He caught her hand and touched it to his lips.

“Nothing, but thanks. The new baseboards look good, don’t they?”

“Look fine to me, but I’m no expert on baseboards.” He glanced up from where he was nibbling her fingers, and grinned. “I do, however, excel in some other areas. Could I take you away from all this tonight? I can make reservations at Hudson’s on the Bend.”

“Oh, could you?” She beamed at the mention of the unique restaurant in one of the outlying areas near Lake Travis. “I haven’t been there in ages. Are you ready for rattlesnake or wild boar?”

He wiggled his eyebrows slightly. “I’m feeling adventurous, to be sure.”

The double entendre wasn’t lost on her, and his tongue between her fingers brought a sudden visceral response. “Are you now?”

“I am.”

When a throat cleared and a male voice behind her said, “Ma’am?” Cass turned to find one of the carpenters.

She tugged her hand from Griff, and said, “Yes?”

“I have a question about something in the office area.”

“I’ll be right there.” To Griff, she said, “Pick me up here about six-thirty.”

“Here?”

“Upstairs in my apartment.”

“Do you think staying there is wise?”

“Of course.”

He started to say more on the subject, but she was sure her expression stopped him. “Could I mooch some water from you?”

“Sure.” Cass pulled a bottle from the cooler, and Griff chugged it down. “Want another for the return trip, or do you want a lift back to the hotel?”

He gave a little twitch of a smile. “Oh, I think those old bones can make it.” He kissed her cheek. “See you this evening.”

“D
AMMIT
!” G
RIFF SLAMMED
down the phone and pulled on his jacket.

Sometimes Walt could be such a jackass. Sometimes? Hell, how about
all
the time. He was getting fed up with his partner. Griff had spent most of the day checking out a couple of sites that would work perfectly well for their building project, both of them cheaper than the O’Connor property appraisal and both available. But for some obscure reason, Walt had his mind set on the Chili Witches site, and Griff was having a hard time trying to steer him in another direction. Not only was the O’Connor property more expensive, Walt had just taken it upon himself to send them a registered letter upping his previous offers. Stupid.

When Griff had said, “Walt, let me handle this in my own way,” he’d only laughed in that irritating way he had and remarked that Griff’s way didn’t seem to be working.

“Dammit!”

He’d hoped to gently bring up the subject of selling the property to Cass after their night together, but the flooding emergency had scotched the plan. He intended to ease into the subject tonight…or tomorrow morning if he got lucky.

He sensed that Sunny would be more amenable to selling out than Cass would. Cass was the one committed to saving old Austin. Their mother and aunt, he wasn’t so sure of. The pair of them were sharp old gals. They reminded him of his mother. The whole thing would have to be handled with finesse and not the ham-fisted way Walt worked. Sometimes Griff wondered if Walt wasn’t losing it.

When he got back to New York, he was going to call a meeting of the partners and have this out once and for all. Things weren’t working lately. Maybe he was simply tired of living out of a suitcase, but as the front man for the firm, travel was a reality of his position. What were his options?

D
ELIGHTED TO BE BACK
in her apartment, Cass dressed for a night out with Griff. She dabbed on a bit of the lovely French scent her mom had brought her, then stepped into her black heels. Just as she gave her outfit a final check, the doorbell rang. Her heart did a little flip, and she had to force herself to walk slowly to the door. She even checked the peephole before she opened it.

It was Griff, looking like a million bucks. Make that ten million.

“You look lovely, dear.”

“Thank—”
Ohmygawd!
Her heart almost flew from her chest. Who said that? She hadn’t even opened the door.

Standing stiff and still as a post, she closed her eyes and refused to look behind her. She almost hoped it was a burglar; the other alternative was scarier. Unable to stand it a moment longer, she opened one eye and peeked over her shoulder.

There
he
stood. Tall, gray-haired and smiling. Her heart hammered faster.

“You!” she croaked.

“Me.”

“But—but—but you can’t be there.”

He chuckled. “I can’t?”

The doorbell rang again. She glanced at the door, then back over her shoulder. He was gone.

Quickly, she unlocked the door and yanked it open.

Griff’s smile faded. “What’s the matter? You look as if you’ve seen a ghost.”

Cass must have gone a shade paler. She couldn’t have had much blood left in her face. “Come in. I’m not quite ready.” She turned and fled toward the bathroom.

Shaking and feeling a bit queasy, she propped herself against the vanity and stared at herself in the mirror. She did look as if she’d seen a ghost. Well, she had. Or had she? She splashed water on her face and buried it in a towel. Making an effort to clear her mind, she focused on deep breathing, the kind she’d learned in yoga classes.

Fatigue, she told herself. Fatigue had her mind playing tricks.
Cool it, Cassidy.
She did some more deep breathing until the shaking stopped. When she was calm, she repaired her makeup and added an extra dash of blush.

Pasting a bright smile on her face, she went back to the living room. “Sorry to keep you waiting.”

“It was worth it. You look fantastic. Want to order a pizza and stay in?”

“No way. My mouth is watering for diamond-back rattlesnake cakes.” Picking up her big purse, she took Griff’s arm and steered him to the door.

Although it was a half hour drive to the restaurant, the route was one of the prettiest in Austin. A bit after seven they pulled to a stop in the lot of the restored rock cottage with a huge Texas flag displayed on the wall between the blue-shuttered windows. The fragrance of its beautiful flower and herb gardens filled the evening air.

“Want to sit inside or out on the patio?” Griff asked.

“Inside I think.”

The restaurant was a cozy and colorful mixture of rustic and elegant, and the tables were set with crisp white cloths and gleaming glasses and tableware.

When they were seated and looked at the menu, Griff said, “You weren’t kidding about the rattlesnake.”

“Nope. They have lots of exotic dishes here, and if venison, quail or wild boar doesn’t suit you, they have tamer things like ordinary steak and lobster. And their wine list is extensive.”

“Are you up to trying the chef’s seven-course meal?” Griff asked. “I don’t believe I’ve ever had seven courses before. Five maybe.”

“Go for it,” Cass said. “I don’t think I could eat that much, and I don’t much care for duck.”

“I love duck. What looks good to you?”

“I think I’m going to ask the chef for his recommendation.”

“You know the chef here?”

“Of course. Where do you think he comes for chili?”

The chef did indeed have suggestions, and they had a fabulous meal.

“Now I can say I’ve eaten rattlesnake,” Griff said.

“Think anybody in New Yawk will be impressed?”

“Cass, what is it with you and New York? You must have really been stung there. Was it a man?”

“Only partly. That was the final straw.” She stared into her wineglass and moved it in a slow circle. “It’s a matter of ‘New York is a great place to visit, but I wouldn’t want to live there.’ And even though I was fairly successful, I really wasn’t cut out to be a lawyer. I suppose that because Sunny and I were raised with the Outlaw myth of everybody in the family choosing an occupation in law and law enforcement, we naturally gravitated in that direction.”

“And now you sell chili.”

She laughed. “And now we sell chili.”

“Ever thought of franchising the place? I think Chili Witches would go over great in New York. And Chicago. And Denver.”

“Sunny and I have talked about it, but we’ve never gone beyond the talking stage. We’ve also given some thought to a company that wants to offer a frozen version commercially.”

“Sounds like a great idea,” Griff said. “Who was the man?”

She frowned. “Who wanted to market frozen chili?”

He shook his head. “No, the man in New York.”

“Just another attorney with my firm.” She shrugged. “We were engaged, but that didn’t stop him from throwing me under the bus to score points with the bosses. I trusted him, and he used me.”

“I’m sorry.” Griff looked pained, and she wanted to hug him for his sensitivity. “What did he do?”

She signed. “I really don’t want to talk about it. I’d much rather have dessert. What looks good to you?”

He grinned, cocked an eyebrow and stared across the table at her.

Cass returned his grin with a cheeky one of her own. “Besides that?”