The Maverick - By Jan Hudson Page 0,12

of an SUV. A man nearby was giving a small boy a boost up a tree. All three waved as they pulled up and parked.

“We’re going to ride in a helicopter!” the boy shouted, pointing to the pad.

“I know,” Cass said. “Won’t that be fun?” She introduced Griff to Sam McKee, Sunny’s fiancé, and Jay, his son.

“Jimmy and Janey are already here,” Jay said. “And another one of their cousins. The little kids didn’t come.”

“Who did come?” Cass asked Sunny.

“As I understand,” she said, “Frank and Carrie stayed in Naconiche to babysit the younger children so that everybody else could make it.”

“Look,” Jay shouted, pointing at the sky.

A sleek blue chopper hovered over their area, then set down on the pad. The boy jumped up and down with excitement, and his father could hardly restrain him until the door opened.

The pilot, a smiling blond man about Griff’s age, motioned them aboard. Everybody ducked under the blades and loaded onto the craft. Griff brought up the rear, admiring Cass’s lovely long legs and shapely butt as she climbed in ahead of him.

“Gabe Burrell,” the pilot shouted, offering Griff his hand. “Welcome to the celebration.”

“Thanks. Griff Mitchell. Sweet machine you have.”

“Just traded up for it. She’s a honey. Fasten your seat belts, and let’s go see the bluebonnets.”

When everyone was secure, Gabe lifted off and swung south over rolling hills dotted here and there with color. Nice view, Griff thought, but hardly spectacular. A few minutes later, he had to retract that when they topped a rise and a valley of blue seemed to stretch for miles.

“Wow!” he said.

“Indeed,” Cass said, speaking loudly over the roar of the engine. “Gabe helped Mother Nature along. He scattered thousands of seeds here to make sure we had a good showing this year.”

They made two circles, then set down in a field of blue flowers a short distance away from a canopy set up by a winding stream. Several people were standing outside waving.

“Talk about a photo op,” Griff said. “And I didn’t bring my camera.”

“I did,” Cass told him. “I’ll share pictures.” She pulled a camera from her bag and began snapping the moment she stepped off the helicopter. Then she grabbed his hand, “Come on, and I’ll introduce you to everybody. Uncle Wes! Aunt Nonie!” she yelled, waving. “Hi, everybody!”

Trotting along behind her, Griff met the gray-haired couple who were the former sheriff of Naconiche and his wife, a retired schoolteacher who now ran an ice cream parlor on the town square.

“Griff, this is J.J. and Mary Beth. J.J. is the sheriff of Naconiche and Mary Beth owns the Twilight Inn and Tearoom.”

Griff shook hands with the tall, dark-haired J.J. and nodded to his pretty blonde wife. They exchanged a few words. Soon another couple joined them—Cole, who was even taller than J.J., and a former cop who had turned to college teaching, and his wife Kelly Martin-Outlaw.

“Kelly’s a doctor,” Cass told Griff. “Actually, we have several doctors in the family, but she’s a medical doctor. Cole is a Ph.D. and teaches criminal justice, and Skye is a vet. Where is Skye?”

“She and Sam are driving over from San Antonio,” Cole said. “They should be here any minute.”

“Speak of the devil,” J.J. said, pointing toward a vehicle coming down the lane. “Here they are. Griff, you want a beer?”

“Sure.”

“Cooler’s this way. Come on, Cole, let’s get this guy a beer.” J.J. slapped an arm around Griff’s shoulders and steered him toward the canopy.

Along the way, a tall dark-haired woman stopped them. “Hello,” she said, smiling and offering her hand. “You must be Griff. I’m Belle Outlaw Burrell, sister to these brutes. Welcome to my bluebonnet farm.”

“This is your place?” Griff asked.

“Sure is. Gabe’s wedding present to me. Isn’t it beautiful? We were married here, along with Sam and Skye.”

“Happy anniversary,” Griff said.

“Thanks, I—”

“We don’t have time to chitchat now, sis,” J.J. said. “We’re headed for the beer before Sam gets to it and drinks it all up.”

Belle laughed. “I don’t think you have to worry. We have enough for a large army. Where’s Flora?”

“I haven’t seen her,” Cole said. “Did she come with you?” he asked Griff.

“Who’s Flora?” Griff asked, trying to keep everybody straight.

“Gabe and Skye’s mother.”

He shook his head. “She wasn’t in our group.”

“She’s not terribly fond of flying,” Belle said. “I think she and Suki must be driving out from the ranch with the rest of the food.”

“Belle,” J.J. said. “Beer.”

“Don’t let me stop you.” She made a sweep of