Never Let Me Go (Welcome To Redemption) (9 page)

John laughed softly, giving his graying blond head a rueful shake as he pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose. “Guess I’ve been expecting the cops to show up since the moment that kid moved back in.” With that, he opened the door and stepped inside.

Since “that kid” in question was in his mid-twenties, Chase wondered why they’d agreed to take the felon in at all. But then, he wasn’t yet a parent or he’d probably understand.

He followed John inside at the same moment Hannah and Shar entered the kitchen.

Hannah busily avoided eye contact with him, while Shar gave him the stink eye with her arms crossed and her hip out.

“Sheriff.”

“Shar.”

Yep. Dimples had no doubt cursed his name up and down while filling her friend in on everything that happened the night before. His face warmed a bit at the thought. “Hannah, I was hoping we could grab a bite to eat together. I’ve got a taste for some of Carrie’s chili.” He prayed the stubborn woman wouldn’t argue with him for once.

She met his gaze; definitely a positive sign.

“I could eat.”

“Glad to hear your stomach is feeling better,” Shar offered with an oddly knowing grin.

Hannah leveled a look on her friend that Chase had witnessed plenty of times. It meant, ‘Shut the hell up.’

Thoroughly intrigued, he almost grinned himself.

“I love Carrie’s chili,” John offered. “Over spaghetti, topped with cheddar cheese, diced onions, and sour cream. Nothing better.”

“I’ll make sure and tell mom you said that,” Shar teased. “Though she may take exception since you said the exact same thing about
her
chili.”

“It’s in my best interests to keep your mother happy, Sharlet.” He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. “If you get my drift.”

“Oh, God, please,” Shar begged. “No visuals.”

Chase chuckled. “And on that note, we’re going to get out of your hair. Have a good evening, Russo family.”

John shook his hand and in an exaggerated conspiratorial whisper said, “Tell Carrie I’ll be by tomorrow for some of that chili.”

Shar gave her father an eye roll before smiling up at Chase with a look he wasn’t sure he wanted to know the meaning of.

“Night,
Sheriff
. Hannah, I’ll give you a call tomorrow.”

“Sounds good.” The friends exchanged one last meaningful glance before Hannah preceded him out the door.

At her driver’s side door, she turned and said, “I’ll meet you there.”

“You sure about that?” he teased.

She gave him a playful shrug. “Guess you’ll just have to have faith.”

* * *

“Still mad at me I take it?” Chase asked her once they’d been seated at a table in
Coffee To Chai For
, his sister’s coffee-slash-bakery-slash-sandwich shop. He’d meant it as more of an observation than a question.

Hannah shot him a look of surprise, but quickly returned her gaze out the window. “No, just…a little embarrassed.”

“Because…?”

“Really? You going to pretend like yesterday didn’t happen?”

“You have nothing to be…Listen, if anyone should feel embarrassed it’s me. I acted like an asshole, and I’m sorry.”

She shrugged. “You were honest. I can’t be mad at you for that. Rather, I can’t
stay
mad at you for that.” A reluctant grin settled on her beautiful face.

Chase waged an inner war between his head and his heart. Hell, ‘honest’ is the only thing he
hadn’t
been. “Hannah, I—”

“Hey, big brother, I’m glad you stopped in today,” Carrie said as she approached the table. “Hi, Hannah.”

Chase smiled at his baby sister, unsure whether she’d saved him from making the situation better—or worse.

Behind his sister came her waitress, Jenny Adams. The shy brunette greeted them with a warm smile, and he couldn’t help but notice the difference in her demeanor now that she’d left that loser husband of hers. It was beyond him how a nice girl like that could fall for a total dickhead like Roy Adams. Chase would love a reason to lock the abusive prick up and throw away the key, but it seemed he’d been keeping his nose clean since Charlie broke it last year.

Hannah smiled and said hello to both women.

Chase gave the menu a cursory glance. “Hey, Care, you got any chili left? I’ve had a taste for it all day.”

“You’re in luck. I have just enough to scoop you up a big bowl.”

“Great. Bring me a ton of crackers on the side, a large lemonade, and a huge slice of banana cream pie.”

“Got it. Hannah, can I get you anything?”

“I would love a cup of your vegetable chowder, and a chicken Caesar wrap—extra dressing on the side, please.”

“And to drink?”

“I’ll have lemonade as well. A small glass.”

“I’ll get their drinks for you,” Jenny said and hurried off.

“And I’ll be back in a few minutes with your food,” Carrie added as she finished writing down their orders.
 

As soon as she left, Hannah whispered, “Jenny looks great.
 
And I don’t think I’ve ever seen Carrie happier.”

“I’d have to agree with you there. Matt’s a great guy. He’s the only one who’s ever been able to handle that temper of hers.”

She grinned. “That’s because his is just as bad. I hear they argue almost every day. In fact, that’s why Marv started eating his breakfast here Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Delivery days are rumored to be the best times to catch a fight.”

Chase shook his head, though he knew as well as anyone what Hannah said was true. Carrie and Matt were as volatile as a match to gasoline, yet no two people had ever been so right for each other.

Jenny returned with their drinks, followed by Carrie who set a steaming bowl of her hearty Texas style chili in front of Chase, and a cup of her rich and creamy vegetable chowder in front of Hannah. She also plunked a bowlful of individually wrapped soda crackers on the table.

“I’ll be back in a minute with your wrap,” she told Hannah.

“Don’t forget my pie!” Chase reminded her as she bustled away.

“I have to get one from the back cooler, so just zip it and eat your chili!”

Several snickers followed Carrie’s response. Chase tuned them out and concentrated on the bowl of heaven before him. He smashed up several packages of the crackers and piled them on top, then picked up his spoon and dug in. After a few bites, he realized Hannah wasn’t eating her soup, but simply staring at him.

“What?”

“I think I’m a little jealous. You weren’t even half this excited about my pork chops, or my mushroom risotto.”

He considered that for a moment. “Completely different animals. Your pork chop was the best I’ve ever had, honest. And that risotto…I could eat it every night of the week. But there is just something about the perfect bowl of chili that excites the hell out of me. And this right here,” he pointed to his bowl, “is it. Perfection in a bowl.”

Hannah grinned rather smugly. “Guess I’m not the only dork when it comes to food.”

“I never really thought about it like that before, but yeah. We definitely have food in common. You like to cook, and I like to eat.”

Hannah shook her head. “I like to
create
it, and then cook it. Nothing excites
me
more than creating something new and fresh. Or putting a spin on an old classic.”

“Okay, I get it, I get it. Now
please
let me eat my chili in peace. And you might want to dig into your soup before it gets cold.”

She laughed. “Good Lord, eat already, before your body goes into shock or something.”

Carrie returned with Hannah’s wrap and a humongous slice of banana cream pie. She quirked a brow. “Big enough?”

Chase eyed it with feigned uncertainty. “Maybe. But save me another slice just in case.”

His sister rolled her eyes as she strode away.

Hannah took a bite of her chicken wrap and moaned with delight. Once she swallowed, she excitedly told him, “The dressing on this is out of this world. One day I’m going to talk Carrie into giving up this recipe.”

“Fat chance.”

“Well, I can keep trying anyway,” she conceded with a shrug.

“That you can. And if you’re successful, see if you can get her chili recipe, too.”

They were just about finished eating when Carrie came back and placed the bill on the table.

“Her business partner-slash-boyfriend is a gazillionaire,” Chase told Hannah with a teasing glint in his eye. “And she still makes me pay my tab.”

“That’s right, Sheriff. Can’t have people accusing me of nepotism.”

“Well, I’m accusing you of being cheap.”

Carrie smacked him on the back of the head.

“Oww. That’s it. I’m placing you under arrest.”

Carrie laughed. “For what?”

“A CTC.” He grinned. “Cruelty To Customers.”

She flicked him on the neck with her fingers. “Might as well make it a felony.”

Hannah chuckled, and Chase leveled a mock frown on her. “There’s room for two in her cell, you know.”

She pulled her lips in between her teeth, but mirth continued to dance in her eyes. If they had been somewhere private, Chase would have been sorely tempted to kiss the irksome woman.

“Oh, hey,” Carrie said as if she’d just remembered something. “If you two aren’t busy Saturday, Matt and I decided to have a cookout since we won’t be home Memorial Day.”

“Going to Mom and Dad’s?”

She made a face. “Of course. I’d never hear the end of it if I didn’t. You?”

“I’m not sure yet.” He hadn’t even thought about Memorial Day with everything else that had been going on lately.

“Well, if you do, you should bring Hannah. Mom and Dad would love to see her.”

Hannah smiled that room brightening smile of hers. “I’d love to see them, too. They always stop at the diner when they’re in town for burgers and fries to go, but it’s been a few months since I saw them.”

Chase didn’t know whether to strangle his sister or thank her. Hell, Chase was so damn confused about his feelings for Hannah, he didn’t know whether he was coming or going. Maybe this nudge was just what he needed.

“What can I bring to the cookout?” Hannah asked. “I have a killer recipe for cowboy beans.”

Carrie’s eyes lit up. “Ooh, I hadn’t even thought of baked beans. Sounds perfect, Hannah, thanks.”

“Would you like
me
to bring anything for the cookout?”

Carrie thought about it for a second. “Nah, I think we’re good. Matt ordered enough beer and soda for an Army, and he and Caleb are manning the grills; we’ll have brats, hotdogs, hamburgers, and chicken. Lauren is going to help me with the salads, plus I’ll bake all the buns and rolls. Tina’s bringing like four of those big fresh fruit trays.”

“Wow, those aren’t cheap,” Chase said, knowing his other sister could be even more frugal than this one.

“I guilted her into it,” Carrie admitted with a self-satisfied grin. “She’s a frickin’ lawyer, yet she can’t pick up a lunch check once in a while?”

“I hear ya. But wouldn’t it be cheaper to buy whole fruit and just cut it up?”

“It would,” Carrie agreed. “A lot cheaper. But you know Tina and the kitchen—oil and water.”

“Okay…so what about paper plates and napkins? Plastic forks and spoons?”

“I’ve got plenty of those foam plates at home from my last trip to Sam’s Club, and I’m just going to write off napkins and plastic cutlery from the shop. Oh, and Wes and Tara are bringing the deviled eggs, Charlie and Dana are bringing a pan of Snickers bars, Jenny is bringing lemon bars, and Allie offered to bake a couple of apple pies. Plus, I’ll bake a few dozen cookies for the kids.”

“So what, I was the last person you invited?” Chase half-heartedly complained. “What about Marv, has he already been invited?”

Carrie tried to hold back a smile, but failed miserably. “He’s bringing a can of mixed nuts.”

Chase merely shook his head.

“Sorry, big brother, but you’ve been a little busy lately. I tried calling, left several messages, in fact, but you never called me back.”

At the reminder, Chase offered up a sheepish apology. “You’re right, I’m sorry. I kept meaning to, but it’s just been one thing after another the last couple of weeks.”

Carrie cast Hannah an imperceptible glance. “I get it. Just make sure you don’t miss the cookout. Craig is going to be there. He’s coming home…maybe for good.”

Not the greatest news Chase had heard. He and little brother didn’t have much in common seeing as how they’ve always been on opposite sides of the law. “Yeah? I’ll believe it when I see it.”

Carrie’s expression grew a tad defensive, as it always did when the subject of their jailbird baby brother came up. “He asked if he could stay with me until he can find an apartment, so he must be planning to stay in Redemption for a while.”

“Huh. Well, Mom and Dad will be thrilled.”

“Tina and I are pretty stoked as well.” Carrie picked up their empty plates. “Wish you were a little more excited about it.”