The Maverick - By Jan Hudson Page 0,36
of knowing.”
“That’s terrible,” Anita said. “Just terrible. I’m incensed about someone doing something so needlessly destructive. Was your lovely bar damaged?”
“Luckily, no. The floors in the dining room got the worst of it, and they’ve been replaced.”
“I’ll stop by for lunch one day this week and check them out,” Martin said.
Cass waved goodbye to the departing board and stayed behind a few minutes to go over a few things with Karen. Since it was nearing lunchtime, they walked to Katz’s Deli for a Reuben.
WHEN CASS ARRIVED HOME an hour later, she was surprised at the number of cars still in the lot and on the street. Going in the back way of Chili Witches, she ran into a frazzled Aunt Min in jeans and a red tee.
“What are you doing here?” Cass asked.
“Your mother and I came to help. Good thing we did. It’s been a mob scene here. I think every cop in Austin has been in. We’re doing a bang-up business. A few more days like this will make up for the losses of last week.”
“That’s great. Need more help?”
“Ask Sunny, but I think it has slowed to manageable now.”
Cass found her sister, who told her everything was under control and to enjoy the rest of her day off. Since Cass was picking up Griff soon, she didn’t argue.
If he was still interested in their excursion. After his odd behavior last night, she wasn’t sure. He hadn’t called to cancel, so she assumed it was still on. She’d made reservations for a Segway tour of the city, ending at the Ann Richards Bridge on Congress. The bridge, renamed after the late governor, joined the two halves of Austin separated by the Colorado River and its reservoir, Lady Bird Lake. She’d seen the Segway riders around town, and she’d been eager to learn to ride one. Or drive one. Or whatever. It looked like fun. She hoped Griff thought so.
At the appointed time, she drove to his hotel and was pleased to find him waiting outside for her and dressed in the jeans she’d suggested he wear.
“Hey, babe,” Griff said as he climbed into her car.
“Hey, yourself. Ready for an adventure?”
“Always. Where are we going?”
“Not far. In fact, just a few blocks from here.” She headed out to the place where she’d been directed. “First, we have to have a training session.”
“A training session? Are we going skydiving?”
“Lord, no. You won’t see me jumping out of a plane. Have you ever done it?”
“Nope,” he said, “but I’ve always wanted to try.”
“Must not have wanted to too badly,” she said, “or you’d have done it.”
Griff laughed. “Point taken.”
She soon pulled into the lot where the tour started and the training session was held.
“Segways!” he said.
“Yep. Ever been on one?”
“Never, but I’ve always—”
“Wanted to try,” she finished for him. “Me, too. Want to give it a whirl? They’ll guide us on a tour of interesting places in downtown Austin, and we’ll end up watching the bats.”
“I’m game. Let’s go.” He put his arm around her waist as they walked up to the training area. “Thanks for thinking of this.”
Learning to ride one of the two-wheeled contraptions, which reminded Cass a little of a cross between an old-fashioned push lawn mower and the front end of a scooter, wasn’t as difficult as she’d thought. You just stood on the platform between the wheels and leaned in the direction you wanted to go, then moved upright to stop—an intuitive connection between rider and machine. It had fat tires and all sorts of internal gyroscopes and high tech stuff. If you wanted to turn right or left, you simply pulled the handlebars in the corresponding direction. Easy. And fun.
Soon she, Griff and the other tourists were zipping around the practice course like pros and having a blast. They had an excellent guide, well versed in Austin history, who led them on the city tour, with stops at the state capitol and the historic Driskill Hotel, as well as some of the monuments and statues and notable houses around town. They rode down the length of Sixth Street and through the Second Street shopping district, and tootled around the lake. The tour was a lengthy one, and they ended up on the banks near the bridge at dusk.
As the lights of the city came on and the sun sank beneath the horizon, they dismounted and hung their helmets on the handlebars to see the final act of the show. Their guide stayed to watch their