Never Let Me Go (Welcome To Redemption) by Donna Marie Rogers

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