by Jan Hudson
“The color is Terribly Pink.”
“Ahh. Excuse my faux pas.”
Downstairs, he helped her into the backseat of the chauffeured Town Car he’d hired for the evening.
“How very impressive,” Cass said when they were settled.
“That was the idea,” he said, winking. “This smells much better than most taxis. And it’s more comfortable. I was hoping you would appreciate it.”
“I do. I do.” To the driver she said, “Hi, Brad. How are you? I haven’t seen you in ages.”
“I’m fine, thank you,” he responded as he pulled away.
“How’s Barbara?” she asked.
“Great. She’s pregnant.”
“How wonderful! This is your first, isn’t it?”
“Yes, it is. We’re excited.”
“You know our driver?” Griff asked.
“Sure. Brad’s wife, Barbara, used to work at Chili Witches when they were in college and before they started their car and limo service. Austin has grown over the years, but basically we’re still like a small town.”
“You’ve convinced me.”
“Actually, the theater’s not far from here,” Cass said. “Walking distance if I’d worn more sensible shoes.”
“I’m glad you didn’t. I rather like those. Jimmy Choo?”
“Prada,” she said. “How on earth do you know about Jimmy Choo?”
“You caught me.” He laughed. “I confess I watched a couple of episodes of Sex and the City to see what all the fuss was about. I discovered it wasn’t a guy thing, but I do recall Jimmy Choo as being a coveted kind of shoe. I seem to remember Prada as being in the same category.”
A few minutes later they were standing in front of the old theater on Congress, the wide street that led from the front of the capitol building to the river, then many miles to the south beyond that. The Paramount was, according to Cass, over a hundred years old and looked rather ordinary from the outside. Inside was another story.
“I can’t believe this place,” Griff said. “It looks like a European opera house.”
“Beautiful, isn’t it? Sunny and I used to beg to come here all the time when we were little. It seemed very grand to us.”
“It is very grand. And only a little frayed around the edges.”
“There was a move to have the place razed a few years ago. Wouldn’t that have been a shame?” Cass said.
“I’ll have to admit that it would have.”
They stopped to have a glass of wine before the show, and after they were served, Griff said, “You’ve mentioned that your sister’s name is Sunny. Is that a nickname?”
“Yes. Her real name is Sundance, but no one has ever called her that.”
“What an odd name. Sundance…and Cassidy? Don’t tell me—”
Cass chuckled. “I’m afraid so. Our father was named Butch Cassidy Outlaw. His father seemed to think naming his sons after infamous outlaws was a tremendous PR ploy for business or politics or professions in the law. He was Judge John Wesley Hardin Outlaw. Our uncle was a junior, called Wes, and our father was half of the infamous pair played by Paul Newman and Robert Redford in the movie. My uncle Wes became a sheriff, and my father became a state senator, so I suppose my grandfather’s idea worked.
“I have several cousins also named after outlaws, and most of them went into law enforcement of one sort or another, and so a tradition was born.”
“And you became a lawyer,” Griff said.
“I did. And my sister became a cop.”
“Were you influenced by family tradition?”
“Hmm. I don’t think so. It just seemed to work out that way. Why did you become a lawyer?” Cass asked.
“Tradition again, I suppose. My father and grandfather were lawyers.”
“Interesting, isn’t it? That we are—were—both third-generation lawyers.”
He raised his glass. “To tradition.”
“To tradition,” she echoed, touching her glass to his.
Suddenly, both glasses shattered. Crystal shards and wine flew everywhere.
Chapter Four
“What the—” Griff spun around to see what had happened. A pair of rowdy boys had smashed into them, knocking their glasses together and breaking them.
The taller of the two looked sheepish and mumbled an apology.
Griff turned back to Cass. “Are you all right?”
“Just a little wet, I think. I feel a little like a ship being launched.” She dabbed at her jacket with a napkin.
“My God! You have blood on your cheek.”
She reached toward her face.
“Wait. Don’t touch it. You may have glass in the cut.”
“It can’t be too bad. It doesn’t hurt.”
“I think it should be looked at by a doctor,” Griff said.
“Maybe I can help,” a woman standing near them offered. “I’m a dermatologist. Come over to where the light’s better.”
They moved out of the crowd and the doctor looked at Cass’s cheek carefully.
“What do you think?” Griff asked.
“I think she’s very lucky that she didn’t get that nick in her eye. No major harm done. A dab of antiseptic ointment ought to do. Now the dress, I don’t know. Isn’t that silk?”
Cass chuckled. “It is.”
“If I were you, I wouldn’t let the stain set,” the doctor said. She rummaged in her purse. “Ah, here’s a sample that will do the trick.” She handed Cass a small tube of ointment.
“Thanks,” Cass said, handing her a Chili Witches card. “Drop by for a complimentary bowl of chili. Tell your waiter Cass sent you.”
“Thanks, I’ll do that. I’ve been there before, and I love your chili. Are you the manager?”
“My sister and I run it for the family.”
“Great to meet you. I’m Bev Strong, by the way.”
The dermatologist returned to her party, and Griff said, “I think I should call the car and get you home.”
“No way. I’m dying to see this show. My cheek will be fine.” Cass held up the tube. “And the dress is only a dress. I’ll run to the ladies’ room and tend to the damage. Be right back.”
Griff watched her walk away, marveling at not only the sexy swing of her hips but also the fact that she hadn’t let the accident ruin the evening. Again he thought how different she was from most of the women he dated.
Every time he was around Cass, he found her more and more intriguing. And more and more tempting. Too often he found himself thinking about her lips and her long legs, and weaving fantasies about both. Instead of charming her as he’d intended, he was discovering that she was the one wielding the flute.
He would have to watch that. Getting seriously involved with one of the principals wasn’t part of the plan.
Cass returned in a short time, and they took their places for the performance. The seats were excellent, as was the show.
When they were leaving the theater, Griff asked, “Want to stop somewhere for a drink and a bite to eat?”
“Sure,” Cass said. “There’s a great place just a few blocks from here that you might like. They have a fantastic wine selection and serve Spanish style tapas.”
Brad was waiting with the car, and he drove them the few blocks to the spot she’d suggested. Other theatergoers seemed to have the same idea, so the place was filling up, but they found a vacant table in a back corner.
“I adore tapas,” Cass said. “I even like to order from the appetizer menu at regular restaurants so I can have a little bit of everything.” She picked up her menu and scanned all the interesting selections. “What are your favorites?”
“Since you’re familiar with the house specialties,” Griff said, “you choose the food, and I’ll pick the wine.”
“Fair enough, but you might be sorry. I wasn’t kidding when I said I like to try some of everything. I’ll limit myself to four dishes. We must have the goat cheese cakes with lavender honey, and the spinach empanadas
. Do you like scallops?”
“I like everything except liver and grasshoppers.”
Cass smiled. “You’re safe then. I hate liver, too, and I don’t see grasshoppers on the menu. We can have the sea scallops wrapped in basil leaves and ham, and either the crawfish cakes or the roasted piquillo peppers.”
“Aren’t crawfish sort of like grasshoppers?”
“Bite your tongue, Yankee. Crawfish are more like shrimp. We’ll have the crawfish cakes. Trust me, they’re delicious here. Or maybe you’d rather have some fruit and cheese.”
“Get both.”
“Don’t tempt me,” Cass said. “I warned you that I like some of everything.”
“Then order some of everything.”
She chuckled. “I’ll restrain myself. I doubt if we can make a dent in the ones I mentioned.”
“Then we’ll take a doggy bag.”
“Doggy bag, my foot. We’ll take a Cass container. I don’t have a dog. I don’t even have a cat, though I’ve been thinking of getting one. Sunny is always after me to adopt one, and I kind of like cats.”
A waiter came and took their order. Griff chose a wine Cass had never heard of, but she had no doubt it would be excellent. He was that kind of guy. And, as it turned out, the wine was superb.
“Do you have a pet?” Cass asked him.
“Lord, no. I don’t even have a live plant in my apartment. I’m gone so much that it’s impractical. If I settle in Austin, I might get a dog. I’ve wanted one since I was a kid, but my younger brother had allergies, so I had to be content with fish. It’s not the same.”
“Kind of hard to play fetch with a fish.”
He laughed. “True.”
“What kind of dog do you want?”
“I’m not sure.”
“You need to talk to Sunny or to Skye, my cousin’s wife. Sunny volunteers at one of the animal shelters, and she’s always looking for good homes for the cats and dogs there. Skye’s a veterinarian and a bit fey. She could probably look at you and recommend the perfect pet.”
“That sounds interesting.”
“She’s an interesting lady. All my relatives are interesting. In fact, I’ll be seeing several of them on Sunday. We’re having a bluebonnet picnic. Maybe you’d like to come along. I’m sure you’d be welcome.”
He grinned. “You’re eating bluebonnets?”
“Not that I know of. It’s sort of an anniversary party and celebration of the bluebonnets for a couple of my first cousins. They had a double wedding in a bluebonnet field before Sunny and I met them last year.”
Griff frowned. “You just met your cousins last year?”
“It’s a long and complex story. Ah, here’s our food. I’m famished.”
The table was so filled with the variety of delicacies she’d ordered that Cass had a difficult time knowing where to start. She reached for a small spinach empanada and took a bite. “Ah, heavenly. Here, taste.” She held out the other half, and he ate it from her hand.
“Very good. Are you going to feed me the rest of the meal?”
Smiling, Cass said. “Nope. Grab your fork. It’s every man for himself.”
They tasted everything, then chose their favorites. The wine was an ideal complement.
“Tell me about your long-lost cousins,” Griff said as he helped himself to another scallop.
“Well, they weren’t exactly lost. Sunny and I knew about them, but they didn’t know about us. We were, as they used to say, born on the wrong side of the blanket.” When Griff looked puzzled, she said, “We were illegitimate. Our father was married to someone else when we were conceived, and he died before we were born. To give him credit, he loved my mother deeply, but his wife wouldn’t consent to a divorce. Someone shot him on the steps of the capitol before he could convince her to let him go.”
“Shot him? Who?”
Cass shrugged. “Nobody knows. His murder was never solved. Anyhow, my mother thought the Outlaw family would consider us an embarrassment, so we never met any of them, and none of the Outlaws knew about us until Sam Bass Outlaw, one of my cousins who’s a Texas Ranger, came into Chili Witches a few months ago. Since then, we’ve become great friends. Seems that none of them cared much for Iris, the Senator’s wife, and she remarried and moved to Ohio or Iowa or somewhere years ago.”
“Fascinating.”
“Isn’t it? Sounds like a soap opera or something. There was never any secret about who our father was, but Mom conveniently neglected to mention that they weren’t married. We stumbled on that bit of information ourselves. Mom is going to be mortified to know we’ve met all our Outlaw relatives and love them.”
“She doesn’t know you’ve met them?”
“Nope. And she and Aunt Min will be arriving from France in a few weeks, and the you-know-what’s going to hit the fan. Are you going to eat that last crawfish cake?”
“Want to flip for it?”
She laughed. “See, I told you crawfish was good.”
“I bow to your good judgment.”
They ordered more crawfish cakes and another bottle of wine, and talked about everything in the world. When the waiter began to hover and Cass noticed that the bar was almost empty, she glanced at her watch.
“Dear Lord! Look at the time! It’s two in the morning, and I have to work tomorrow.”
“Two? I can’t believe it.” Griff motioned for the check and handed the waiter his credit card. “Sorry I’ve been so thoughtless. Let’s get you home and into bed.”
Cass lifted her brows at him, and he gave her an innocent look. “No double entendre intended.” Then he spoiled his comment with a wolfish grin.
She laughed and gathered her purse. Griff was the most fascinating man she’d met in ages, and she could go swimming in those eyes of his. Was the giddiness she felt from the wine or his charm? Remember he’s a New York lawyer, she reminded herself, and he studied Charm 101 at Harvard.
Still, despite her own admonitions, a shiver went up her spine when he touched his hand to her back as they left. The man was another heartbreaker, but her hormones didn’t seem to care. If she was smart, she’d drop him like a hot rock. Now.
But instead of thinking of ways to discourage him, all her mind could conjure up were visions of silk sheets and a hot mouth.
ON THE DRIVE BACK to her apartment, Griff had to clutch his thighs to keep from taking Cass in his arms and kissing her. He’d never wanted to kiss a woman so badly. He hesitated, not wanting to rush her, nor embarrass her with the driver present. Griff wanted to do more than kiss her, but he blocked those thoughts as best he could.
Should he accept her invitation to the picnic Sunday? Yes, he decided. Ingratiating himself with her family couldn’t hurt.
“Were you serious about my going with you to the picnic on Sunday?” he asked as they walked upstairs to her apartment.
She hesitated for a millisecond, and his heart lost a beat. He prayed she wasn’t having second thoughts about him.
“Of course. I can pick you up at your hotel about ten-thirty, and we’ll drive to Wimberley.”
“Wimberley?”
“My cousin Belle and her husband live there. It’s a small village southwest of here, very picturesque. It’s casual. Jeans or shorts.”
When they reached her door, she turned and lifted her face. Kissing her was the most natural thing in the world.
And the most mind-blowing. He had the strangest urge to throw her over his shoulder, beat his chest and carry her into his cave. She would have hated it.
Ignoring the urges he felt, he smiled and said, “I’ll see you on Sunday.”
ABOUT MIDAFTERNOON ON Saturday, a florist box arrived for Cass. She took it to her office to avoid the curiosity of her staff. Inside she found three perfect yellow roses and an adorable stuffed kitten with big round eyes and a stitched smile.
The card read: “Thank you for a wonderful evening. Maybe this kitty will do until you can have a real one. I’ll be the one pacing eagerly in fro
nt of my hotel on Sunday morning. Griff.”
She put the roses in a bud vase from the supply closet and hugged the kitten. How dear of him to remember her comments about a cat.
She smiled. Charm 101 again. She had his number for sure, but it was fun playing the game. And it was only a game, a flirtation. Despite his interest in moving to Austin, she suspected he’d be gone in a week or two.
Chapter Five
Griff was true to his word. When Cass pulled up to the front of his hotel at ten-thirty on Sunday morning, he was waiting by the door. He wore khaki shorts, some high-end sport shoes and a pale blue polo shirt the exact color of his eyes. He looked good enough to eat with pecans and fudge sauce.
He broke into a grin when he saw her drive up in her little red convertible. “Good morning,” he said, climbing in. “I love a woman who is punctual.”
“That’s me.”
She’d worn khaki shorts as well, but her shirt was red and her shoes were a third the cost of his. But then, she told herself, she wasn’t interested in engaging in a fashion price war. Today was for fun and comfort. When he was buckled up, she headed through town toward Mo-Pac, the freeway that ran along the railroad track and would take them southwest to join up with the more scenic route to Wimberley.
“I like your ponytail,” he said. “It makes you look like a teenager.”
“I wish,” Cass said. “I love to ride with the top down on days like today, and a ponytail is the easiest way to cope with the blowing hair problem. Isn’t the weather gorgeous? March and April are the very best times of the year in Texas. The wildflowers are blooming and the temperature is pleasant. By May many days will hit ninety degrees, and by August it’s hotter than Hades. I guess it’s a trade-off for not having to deal with snowplows.”
“It doesn’t snow in Austin?”
“Occasionally. I think we got about an inch in a brief snowfall four or five years ago. And sometimes we get ice, but it’s usually gone in a day or so and everybody is running around in flip-flops again.”
“Tell me about where we’re going,” Griff said.
“Well, first we’re going to Wimberley to the Burrells’ house. That’s Gabe and my cousin Belle Starr Outlaw Burrell. We’re meeting my sister and her fiancé Ben as well as my cousin Sam Bass Outlaw and his wife, Skye.”