The Twin

“You really did have a previous engagement,” he said.

“Did you think I didn’t?”

“I wasn’t sure if it was a brush-off.”

“It wasn’t.”

He stowed her things in the backseat, then turned to her. “How about tomorrow night?”

“For what?”

“For dinner. With me.”

That clawing panic was back. She tamped it down. “I’d like that.”

“Where do I pick you up?”

“I live over the café. There are stairs around back. I’m A.”

“A what?”

She smiled. “I’m apartment A. My sister is apartment B.”

SUNNY WORKED HERSELF INTO a lather trying to find something to wear. She didn’t have any dating clothes, especially when she didn’t know where they were going. Of course Austin was a super casual town, but she really didn’t have much besides jeans and church clothes.

Her wardrobe, like her apartment walls, was pretty plain and boring. Her walls were beige; her carpet was beige; even the countertops in the kitchen were beige. The only spot of color in the living room was her light blue couch with the grape juice stain, and that was old—both the couch and the stain. If she was expecting company, which was rare, she draped a beige throw over the stain.

She’d never gotten around to hanging drapes or pictures. She kept meaning to, but she just couldn’t muster up the interest. The wooden blinds were nice and they provided privacy.

Finally, after she’d tried on every stitch she owned, Sunny gave up and called the clotheshorse for help. In less than two minutes Cass was at her door with a pair of black pants and a fussy blue-patterned blouse with fluttery sleeves.

Sunny frowned. “Cass, that’s not me.”

“Yes, I know. That’s why you don’t have anything appropriate in your closet. It’s perfect. Try it on before you decide. Have you got any heels?”

“Of course I have heels.”

“Let me see them.”

Sunny pulled out her best black pumps, and Cass groaned. “Those are old-lady shoes. Try these.” She pulled off the spike-heel peep-toes she wore and held them out.

“But they’re red.”

“Duh.”

“Okay, okay. I’ll try them.” Sunny strode to her bedroom with Cass trailing after.

She stripped off her best jeans and was about to step into the black pants when Cass said, “Oh, gawd! You’re not going to wear those are you?”

Confused, Sunny said, “I thought you brought them over for me to wear.”

“I meant those panties. They look like Aunt Min’s.”

“Forget it.” Sunny zipped the pants. “Nobody is going to see my underwear.”

“Well, you never know.”

“I know. Trust me. Nobody is going to see it.” She put on the blouse and the ankle-buster shoes. As she stood in front of the mirror, she had to admit she looked very nice. Not clownish as she feared. In fact, she looked—and felt—a little sexy.

“See?” Cass said. “I told you. You look terrific.”

“I look like you.”

“Is that so bad?”

Sunny grinned. “Actually, no. I look pretty darned good.”

Cass took off her dangling gold earrings. “Try these.”

They were perfect.

“Know what you need?” Cass asked.

“What now?”

“You need to go shopping if you’re planning to date this guy again.”

“Why?” Sunny gave her a kiss on the cheek. “I can borrow everything I need from my sister.”

“You wish. Buy your own clothes, sweetie. I hope you were planning to put on some eye shadow and liner.”

“I’m not sure if I even have any.”

Cass rolled her eyes. “Now I know you’re going shopping. Be right back.”

Twenty minutes later, after Cass had worked her magic and left, Sunny leaned close to the bathroom mirror and checked her makeup. She had to admit the difference was amazing and not overdone at all. Mostly she’d made do with lipstick and a little blush. Live and learn.

The doorbell rang and she startled. Was Ben here already? She took a deep breath and walked slowly toward the front door. Why was she feel so guilty doing this? Was she dishonoring Brian’s memory?

Just as she put her hand on the knob, the Senator appeared for just a second. He shook his head, smiled and vanished.

Chapter Six

Sunny almost let out a whistle when she opened her door. Ben stood there in dark brown slacks, a green shirt that matched his eyes and a killer leather jacket that looked butter soft. His dress Western boots were some exotic skin. Snake? Eel? She wasn’t up on such things.

Ben grinned, then he whistled. “You look beautiful. Turn around.” He made a circle with his finger.

She complied, feeling a bit silly and smug at the same time. “Thank you. I wasn’t quite sure where we were going. Will this do?”

“Oh, yeah.”

She picked up her wrap and they went downstairs to his waiting SUV. While it wasn’t a carriage, she noticed it had been washed since she’d seen it yesterday, and she felt as special as any princess.

They went to an upscale Italian restaurant downtown. While it was only a few blocks away, it was a world apart from Chili Witches. The tables were set with fine linen, and a plant-laden room filled with rustic antiques and shimmering candlelight created an inviting atmosphere.

When they were seated Sunny said, “How lovely this place is.”

Ben glanced around. “My sister recommended it. I’ll have to tell her you approved. Or maybe we should wait until we taste the food.”

“I’m sure it’s wonderful. I’ve heard great things about it, but I’ve never been here before.”

After they’d studied the menu and ordered, she said, “Tell me about your sister. Does she live here?”

“Yes. Tracy and her husband and my two nieces. That’s one of the reasons we moved here.”

“We?” Her heart must have skipped a half-dozen beats. Dear Lord, surely he wasn’t married. Surely he wouldn’t have asked her out if he was married. Although, these days, who knew what men would do?

“My son, Jay, and me. I’m divorced.” He grinned. “You thought for a minute I was married, didn’t you?”

She fiddled with her water glass, then looked up and grinned. “What was your first clue?”

“The bug-eyed gape.”

She laughed. “Busted. You Texas Ranger types are sharp. I was always known for my poker face. Guess I’m out of practice.”

“Use it or lose it. How long have you been off the force?”

“About three years. Tell me about your son.”

“His name is Jay. He’s five and in kindergarten. Montessori. Right now he’s torn between becoming a fireman and a pilot.”

“Not interested in becoming a Ranger like his dad?”

“He’s not old enough to be impressed by the Rangers. Their class visited the fire station last month, and he thinks running the siren on a fire engine is much more exciting than what I do. My brother-in-law is a pilot for one of the major airlines, and Jay is very impressed by that—especially since he got to fly on a short hop to Dallas with Uncle Rick.”

“You know, I’ve always wanted to learn to fly. I’ve thought about taking lessons many times.”

“Then why don’t you?”

She started to give one of her stock answers, like she didn’t have the time or it was too expensive, then stopped herself. “I don’t know,” she said honestly. “It seems as if I always have one excuse or another, but I don’t think any of them are valid. I may look into it.”

“Good for you.”

Their lobster bisque was served—which was out-of-this-world delicious—and they chatted in a first-date way about inconsequential things. Neither his ex-wife nor Brian was mentioned. Politics was alluded to only briefly, and she could tell by his comment that they had similar leanings, which was good but not a critical factor in a relationship as far as she was concerned. She and Brian had been polar opposites politically, and it had been no big deal; it had simply been an accepted difference, not something they argued about.

The pasta was as good as the bisque, and the wine delicious. Ben was easy to talk to—and easy to look at. She loved the way his eyes crinkled when he smiled. She liked the strong planes of his face and jaw, his thick, short-cropped hair and the way his eyebrows rose when he was listening. He was a good listener.

Their conversation flowed easily, and there were no awkward pauses as they talked. She was surprised so much time had passed, when, as they lingered over coffee, she glanced down at her watch.

“I can’t believe the time,” Sunny said. “I need to get home.”

Ben glanced at his watch, too. “Sorry about that. Do you have an early workday?”

“Not too early, but I usually go to the gym first thing.”

He motioned for the check. “I used to do that, too. B.J.”

“B.J.?”

“Before Jay. Now he keeps me hopping in the mornings.”

After the check was paid and they were leaving, Ben put his hand to her back to guide her out. And left it there. It was a casual touch, but she was totally aware of his hand, of its warmth, of his closeness. His smell even tantalized her senses. He smelled nothing like Brian; his was a new scent, masculine, yet with an undertone of freshness and the vaguest hint of citrus and spice.

His touch made her nervous, but when his hand left her back to help her into the SUV, she missed the feel of it.

“Is Jay with a sitter?” she asked as they drove home.

“No, he’s spending the night with Tracy and his cousins. Rick’s out of town a lot, and my sister loves having the extra company. I think it was pizza and a Disney movie tonight. Tell me, is Sunny your real name or a nickname?”

Sighing, she said, “Both, sort of. It’s not something I tell everyone, because it doesn’t often come up, but the name on my birth certificate is Sundance. How’s that for a name?”

“I think it’s very…interesting.”

She laughed. “Diplomatic response.”

“No, actually, I kind of like it. Goes with the whole outlaw theme Sam was telling me about.”

“Exactly. My father was Butch Cassidy. It’s harder to come up with good women’s names. I’m just lucky I wasn’t named Blue Nose Sally.”

Ben hooted. “I’ll say.”

“My mother did it only because she thought it was what my father would have wanted. She’s always just called me Sunny.”

The drive home didn’t take very long. Ben parked, and when she started to reach for the door handle, he said, “Wait.”

“For what?” Was he going to kiss her? It seemed like forever since she’d been kissed. Her heart picked up its pace and sounded an alarm. Did she want him to?

Yes. Yes, she did.

No. No, she didn’t.

Yes, she did.

But she wasn’t supposed to want him to. There was the guilt again. Oh, Lord, what a mess.

“For me to come around and help you out.”

“For heaven’s sake, why? I’m perfectly able to open a door.”

“Call me old-fashioned.”

She smiled. “You are, aren’t you?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Wouldn’t some of her old buddies on the force carry her high if they could see her now? She’d fought hard to be treated as an equal. She had to. There was no place in law enforcement for fan-fluttering females. Being treated like one felt odd.

“Well, I’m not.” She opened her own door and stepped down.

She forgot she was wearing stilettos, stumbled and nearly fell on her keister.

Ben grabbed her elbow. “Gotcha.”

“Now I’m embarrassed.”

“No need to be. I know you’re an independent female, but I doubt if you wear those stilts on the job.”

“Have I been teetering?”

He smiled. “Not at all.”

As they walked up the stairs, Ben walked beside her, his hand on her back again. It felt warm and solid and…tantalizing. Should she invite him inside?

No. Definitely no. She wasn’t ready for that.

When they reached her door, she retrieved her key, turned the lock and pushed the door ajar. She turned and said, “Ben, I had a wonderful time tonight. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. I enjoyed it, too.”

He gently gripped her shoulders and lowered his face to hers. Here it comes, she thought, her knees turning a little wobbly.

But his kiss was so brief she almost missed it.

“Good night,” he said.

“Good night.” She went inside, closed the door and leaned against it. She heard his boots taking the wooden stairs as he hurried down and the sound of his engine as it roared to life. Then he was gone.

When the last echo died, a tap on the door beneath her head startled her. She checked the spy hole, almost hoping it was Ben returning.

Instead she saw Cass and opened the door.

“Tell me everything!”

“DAMN!” BEN SAID AS HE drove home. This wasn’t turning out at all the way he’d planned. He’d been looking for a simple, no-strings relationship. A casual affair to fill his needs. This was going to be more complicated. He felt it in his bones.

First off, Sunny’s being part of Sam Outlaw’s family made things awkward. Second, she didn’t seem the casual-affair type. Oh, she might play the independent woman, and truth was, she was an independent woman. No one, man or woman, who was a wimp got to be a detective. Still, he could tell she wasn’t cut out for an occasional romp in the sack. He sensed an underlying vulnerability in Sunny that brought out his protective streak. Did he still want to get involved with her and chance being played for a sucker again? Did he want to take things any further?

He was still paying for the mess Marla had made in his life. His and Jay’s. He wasn’t ready to jump back into something serious. Jay was his first priority.

But something about Sunny Outlaw Payton—

Oh, hell, McKee. You’d better cut and run while you have the chance.

ON TUESDAY MORNING, SUNNY followed her usual routine: a quick breakfast, paperwork, then a visit to the nearby animal shelter. She loved animals, but with her schedule, she’d never felt comfortable having more than Sadie, her nine-year-old cat. Sadie had been a feral kitten she’d saved from euthanasia, and the small Siamese mix still spent most of her time under Sunny’s bed or in some other secret hiding spot. Sometimes the only way she was sure she really had a cat was when the food and water disappeared. She’d tried to adopt another cat, hoping Sadie would adjust better with a companion. It had been a disaster, and the second cat had ended up with a friend to prevent it from being totally traumatized.

Sunny loved dogs. She always had, but living in the apartment above the café, combined with dreadful working hours and Sadie’s temperament, wasn’t conducive to having a dog. She’d tried that once, too. Sadie had terrified the poor little mutt and had shredded her couch, so Sunny re-covered the couch and found another home for the pup. Now she volunteered at the animal shelter for a couple of hours a week. She walked dogs and played with them and tried not to get too attached. Dogs that were there on one Tuesday often were gone by the next.

Annabelle, a permanent employee, gave her a new dog to walk. A beautiful, mostly German shepherd about three years old, he was extremely well behaved.

Sunny squatted down and scratched his ruff. “You’re a beauty, sir. How did you come to be here?”

“Somebody was moving out of the country and couldn’t take him,” Annabelle said. “A real shame.”

“We need to find you a good home, boy.”

Maybe Ben’s son would like to have a dog. Or maybe he already had one. She’d have to ask. If she ever saw Ben again. He hadn’t called or dropped by for lunch the day before, but he’d probably been busy.

Had he been disappointed in their date?

No, she told herself. Don’t go there. If he asked her out again, fine. If not, that was fine, too. No big deal.

BEN HELD OUT UNTIL THURSDAY. Sunny had been on his mind most of the time. And a sudden cold snap made it a great day for chili. He stopped by about half past twelve, and it seemed as if half the people in town had the same idea. The place was packed.

He didn’t even see Sunny. He looked around the crowd, trying to spot an empty place. Some lanky college kid in a red shirt pointed him at a table for two behind a post, and another one brought tea and took his order. He finally glimpsed her behind the bar pulling a tray of drafts. He tried to catch her attention. Tried, hell, he practically stood on the table and flagged her. She smiled and nodded toward him, then said something to a waitress and motioned his way before she hoisted the tray and went off to deliver the beer to the other room. The waitress came over and filled his tea glass, and that was the last he saw of Sunny except for a fleeting glance of her back now and then.

Damn.

Against his better judgment, Ben had planned on asking her out again. He spent a long time over his lunch, but he was finally forced to pay up and leave. He had to get back to work. Once the crowd had thinned out, he’d been tempted to ask for her, but his pride had gotten in his way.

Guess he wasn’t the only one who had reservations about their getting involved. He’d thought their date had turned out well. She’d seemed to be enjoying herself, but maybe he’d misread the situation because for sure she was treating him like a leper today. Marla had called him a loser more than once. Maybe Sunny was looking for somebody more exciting than he was.

Damn.

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