people as she passed, including a group of three Austin police officers. They all laughed at something she said to them. A fourth cop came in before she moved on, looped his arm around her neck and kissed her cheek. She grinned and bumped her hip against his.
Ben watched the interplay. Boyfriend? Lover? Or was she just a flirt? He picked up the menu and studied it.
He didn’t get very far with his studying before Sunny was back with his tea.
“Here you go,” she said. “Your waiter will be right with you.”
“You seem to draw a lot of cops.” He glanced to the table of four.
She laughed. “Yep. It’s because they get a twenty percent discount on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.”
“Really?”
“Uh-huh. You get one, too.”
“And why is that?”
“You’re a cop, aren’t you?”
“Well, sure, but I meant why the discount?”
She grinned. “Because I’m civic-minded. And because I used to be one.”
“You? A police officer?”
The surprise must have registered on his face, because she laughed. “Is that so hard to believe?”
“I just can’t picture you with a gun on your belt.”
She sobered. “I wore one for a lot of years. Oh, here’s Pete to take your order. Enjoy your lunch, Ben.” Sunny turned and was gone before he could say another word.
Ben ordered his meal and ate without speaking to Sunny again. The place was busy, and he watched her move around all over the rooms, smiling and talking to this one and that. He lingered a bit after he was done, but she never approached him again. Finally, he rose and started for the door.
“Everything to your liking, Ben?” she asked, suddenly appearing by the hat rack. She handed him his Stetson.
“Yes, ma’am. It was.”
She smiled. “Come back soon, and bring your friends.”
“I’ll do that.” He hesitated a couple of beats, trying to think of something more to say, but he was tongue-tied and nothing came out. He nodded, crammed his hat on and left.
What the hell had gotten into him? He’d never been shy around women. He’d hoped to flirt a little bit with her, maybe ask her out for coffee or something, but he’d felt like a damn teenager all of a sudden. Crazy.
He was still trying to figure it out when his cell phone rang and his thoughts switched to business.
SUNNY STOOD AT THE DOOR and watched Ben talking on his phone. He was one fine-looking man.
“Fine-looking man,” the Senator said.
She glared at the Senator and strode to bar. Grabbing a pitcher of iced tea, she made the rounds refilling glasses. What she didn’t need in her life was a man. Fine-looking or not.
When the lunch-hour crowd died down, she went into the kitchen and started filling a dozen plastic containers with chili, labeling the mild and medium lids. She saved the “hotter than hell” stuff for the café’s few adventurous paying customers. These were for some of Austin’s homeless. By the time the bowls were boxed up with spoons, napkins and crackers, Marge was there to pick them up.
The plump, gray-haired woman was all smiles as usual and wagging the insulated box from the previous day. “Thank you so much, Sunny. This means more than you know.”
“You always say that, Marge, and it is I who should be thanking you for all your work. A few cups of chili is nothing.”
“Oh, but it is. Chili is one of our favorite items. We have to make the guys take turns.”
“Need any salad today?”
Marge shook her head. “We have plenty from the restaurant next door, but thanks anyway.”
Sunny insisted on carrying the box outside to the mission’s vehicle. A myriad of good food smells flowed from the van when Marge opened the door.
“Looks like you hit the jackpot today,” Sunny said. “Reminds me that I haven’t eaten.”
“The restaurants in Austin are very kind to us. I collected all this in only half an hour. If you’re not in the mood for chili, the catfish at Hooks looked very good today,” Marge said, winking.
“Sounds like a winner to me.”
Marge waved as she roared off to serve the hungry folks who would be waiting for what might be their one decent meal of the day.
On cue, Sunny’s stomach growled, reminding her again that she hadn’t eaten anything since the cup of yogurt she had for breakfast many hours ago. She decided to take Marge’s suggestion and headed for Hooks, the seafood restaurant next door to Chili Witches. She and Cass often traded meals with Sid and Foster, the owners who’d also been tenants of the building for years.
Sid, a slightly plump man with thinning rusty hair, bustled over when she opened the door. “Hello, baby doll,” he said, giving her an air kiss. “Where have you been keeping yourself? Your sister just dropped in a few minutes ago. Want to join her or do you have a yen for some privacy?”
Sunny glanced around the room and spotted Cass, who grinned and waved her over. “I’ll join my sister. What’s good today?”
“Oh, my dear, we have some pecan-crusted catfish that’s to die for. Foster has outdone himself.”
“I’ll have that. Tell Foster hi for me.”
“I will,” Sid said as he held out her chair. After she was seated, Sid bustled off to get her drink. Sid bustled everywhere.
“Hey, sis,” Cass said. “How’s it going? I haven’t seen you in a couple of days. Avoiding me?”
She almost laughed off the question, but a funny little hitch in her breath stopped her. Had she been avoiding Cass? Not consciously, of course, but maybe she had. Why?
“You have,” Cass said, leaning forward. “Why? Is it a man?” She grinned. “Give, sis.”
“Don’t do your lawyer bit with me. You know that I don’t respond well to grilling.”
Cass laughed. “Look who’s talking. The grill queen. You’re like a pit bull, but don’t sidestep the question. What’s been going on with you? You know we always tell each other everything.”
Sunny thought for a moment. What was she avoiding? Not wanting to stir up old feelings, she deliberately hadn’t mentioned Sam Outlaw’s visit to the café. “Oh, I had to run a million errands yesterday, and the band practiced last night.”
Cass lifted one eyebrow and waited.
“Something sort of interesting happened
