Free Texas Hold 'Em by Kay David Page A

wasn’t the typical weary woman he was accustomed to seeing in places like this, and he’d eaten in quite a few of them. This girl was young and pretty, and her smile was artless as she looked down at them.
    “I’m April. What can I get you gentlemen?” She nodded toward Jessica. “And lady?”
    “Got any recommendations?” Bentley asked with a grin.
    “Yeah,” she deadpanned. “The restaurant one block over.”
    Austin chuckled, and she smiled, her blue eyes crinkling. “Actually the tacos are pretty good.”
    “Tacos it is, then,” he said as they all nodded. “And if you have it, a round of cold beer for my friends.”
    “We might run out of tacos, but we never run out of beer.”
    She retreated to the swinging doors at the end of the bar, and they began to talk over the last few days, stopping to joke with the waitress when she brought their drinks. The conversation ended abruptly when King Landry pushed inside the eatery.
    Santos groaned. The deputy wore a frown, and it was coming their way. If the locals had ears that could swivel, they would have pointed them toward their booth.
    King stopped in front of them and let his gaze swipe over the agents, but his stare landed on Santos and stayed. Putting his palms on the table, he leaned forward. “You ought to be in jail,” he said softly.
    “Probably so,” he drawled. “But not because of what happened earlier.”
    “If I’d been taking your statement, you’d be behind the bars right now.”
    He understood the man’s hostility. The deputy clearly felt Rose was being threatened in some way. If Santos had been in King’s boots, he might be even worse, especially if he was halfway in love with her, which King struck him as being. Every man who had ever known Rose, for one reason or another had wanted to protect her. And that was the last thing she wanted. Or needed.
    “Yeah, well, you’re not the sheriff. And I’ve answered all the questions from the person who is. It was an accident, after all.”
    “I’m not so sure.”
    “Well, that’s too bad. Because she’s the one in charge.”
    “True, but I was the one driving the truck you followed all the way out there.” King’s voice dropped. “Why don’t you tell me what that was all about? And while you’re at it, you can tell me how you knew what was happening to begin with.”
    Saving him from coming up with another lie, the waitress approached with a loaded tray. “Hey, King, watch out! Coming through, coming through.”
    She lowered it to a nearby stand, forcing the deputy to step back, the sizzling plates full of tacos and beans with generous scoops of guacamole on the side. She grabbed a round plastic container and set it on the table first, the steam of the flour tortillas inside seeping out of its lid. She handed out the food, glancing toward the uniformed man. “Have a seat, Deputy, and I’ll bring you the same.”
    “I’ll buy you a beer to go with it.” Santos held out his half-empty bottle, the tension palpable between the two men. “I was just about to have another one.”
    “I won’t be staying.”
    His curt answer raised a puzzled look from the waitress, who retreated without another word. King swung a look at the other agents. “Stay out of trouble,” he warned, “Or stay out of town. Preferably both.” Turning on his booted heel, he strode out the door.
    Jess watched him leave as she picked up her fork. “Great line,” she said with a straight expression. “I wonder how long he practiced it in front of the mirror.”
    The others chuckled and began to eat. Santos did the same, only he didn’t taste the food. He understood King Landry’s attitude just as he understood that of the other diners. There was more to King’s attitude than concern, though, and Santos couldn’t stop himself from recalling the way the deputy had held the station door open for Rose that night and guided her inside, his hand on her back.
    When the waitress returned with another round