The Maverick Read Free Page A

café, and was risking heartburn for nothing. At least the beer was cold.
    While he waited, Griff looked around at the scarred tables and rough, wooden walls covered with all sorts of garish memorabilia. He doubted that much had changed in the pastforty years. The bar looked as if it might be original to the building, which was well over a hundred years old. Unbelievable that this place sat on such a prime piece of real estate. He wondered if Cass and her sister realized the value of the land.
    Of course they did. Cass was nobody’s fool, and her sister had identical genes.
    When his chili was served, he picked up his spoon with trepidation, but his first bite was a pleasant surprise. It must have been his mother’s terrible cooking to blame for his previous opinion. A good thing the food was tolerable since he’d have to make a return trip the next day.
     
    C ASS ’ S CELL PHONE RANG just as she was locking the door to her apartment. It was Sunny.
    “What’s up, sis?”
    “Did that new guy you met have unusual blue eyes and a Yankee accent?” Sunny asked.
    “Yes, why?”
    “I think he’s having a bowl of chili at table four. He asked me how my knee was doing. You might want to make a pass through here if you’re interested.”
    “Thanks for the heads-up,” Cass told her. “I’m due someplace shortly, but I’ll check it out.”
    Her first impulse was to go back inside and change clothes. Stupid idea. She looked just fine in pants and sandals, and comfort was important for the volunteer work she intended for the afternoon. Griffin Mitchell was no big deal, she told herself. Still, she took the steps a little faster than she usually did.
    She spotted Griff at table four, dressed in an expensive suit and chowing down on a bowl of chili. “Well, how is it?” she asked as she approached.
    He glanced up and smiled warmly, flashing those cutedimples again. “Quite good.” He glanced toward the door where Sunny stood, then back at her. “Cass?”
    “In person.”
    “Won’t you join me?”
    “For a moment,” she said. “I have to be somewhere in a few minutes.”
    “Can’t you play hooky for the afternoon? You can show me the sights of Austin.”
    “Sorry, but I’ve volunteered to stuff envelopes for a nonprofit organization, and since I’m the president, it would look bad if I was a no-show.”
    “I concede your point. Would you like some lunch?”
    “I’ve already eaten, thanks, but I’ll have a glass of iced tea and keep you company if you’d like.”
    His dimples flashed. “I’d like.”
    Cass signaled a waiter for tea.
    “How’s your knee today? Your sister said hers was fine and looked at me as if I had grown horns as long as those.” He motioned to the rack of a longhorn on the wall.
    She chuckled. “Got us mixed up, did you? A common occurrence. My knee is fine, too. I’m a fast healer.”
    He motioned to his bowl. “This really is very good. You ought to consider packaging and marketing it.”
    “We’re looking into the possibility. Think they would buy it in… You know, I don’t think you’ve mentioned where you’re from.”
    “I grew up on Long Island. And I’m sure at least one person there would buy it. My mother. She’s a Texas girl.”
    “Really? So you’re not a total foreigner.” Cass checked her watch. Karen would kill her if she didn’t get there to help. “Griff, I’m sorry, but I can’t stay longer. I have to get to my task.” She stood.
    He stood as well and peeled a twenty from the wad in his money clip, tossing it on the table. “I’ll go with you. You could probably use an extra pair of hands, and I’m not bad at stuffing envelopes.”

Chapter Three
    “See, I told you it would all come back to me,” Griff said as he licked another envelope from his stack. He’d shed his coat and tie rolled up his shirtsleeves and dived in.
    “I’m proud of you,” Cass said. “How long since you’ve actually stuffed any mail?”
    “In bulk? Must have