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He spotted Vic’s SUV and headed inside. She was waiting for him by the bar.
As he walked up, she said, “Let’s sit outside.”
He nodded. “Sounds great.”
When Michael, the owner, came out, Cal ordered a pinot noir that the man recommended. Vic ordered a chardonnay after Michael’s glowing description.
It was a beautiful evening. A slight breeze wafted past them, and overhead stars were just peeking out in the darkening sky.
Michael brought their wine out, and Cal took a swallow from his glass. “I’m glad you called. I’d considered going out for a beer, but I didn’t feel like going alone. It’s always better to drink with a partner.”
She chuckled. “I’m glad you were up for coming.” With a sigh, she took a sip of her wine. “I was pacing the room. I had to get out of there, no matter what.”
“I get it. I’m pretty wound up myself. This guy’s tats have me leery. We’re not dealing with some punk. He’s a killer. A real bad guy.”
“I’m anxious to see what we can get out of the bastard tomorrow,” she said grimly. “Guys like him don’t talk easily.”
“No, they usually don’t. We’re going to need leverage at some point. How’s your Spanish? I can get by, but I’m not fluent by any means.”
“My mom’s Hispanic and I grew up speaking it, so I’ll handle that aspect if he won’t speak English.”
“Great. He won’t be able to get out of talking that way at least.” He let his gaze rest on her for a moment. Her large brown eyes seemed more relaxed since they’d come outside. Her thick, dark hair was pulled back in a ponytail, emphasizing the prominent curve of her cheekbones and her long slender neck. Full, expressive lips gave her a soft, feminine appearance that her jeans and loose T-shirt belied. He figured that she was used to de-emphasizing her looks in order to fit in with her male colleagues. But her beauty wasn’t something she could hide.
He took another swallow of his wine. Michael had been right. It was good.
He noticed that Vic wasn’t wearing a wedding ring. But that didn’t necessarily mean that she wasn’t married. Some people in law enforcement didn’t wear a ring in order to protect their families. He said, “So, is there a Mr. Vic?”
She chuckled. “Unless you’re talking about my dad, no.” She took a sip of wine. “How about you. Are you married?”
“No. Never met the right person, I guess.”
She nodded. “Same here. That and I’m probably too focused on my career.”
“I hear you. Being a Ranger means I’m not home much.”
She grimaced. “Tell me about it. It makes serious dating pretty hard, right?”
He sighed and raised his glass for another drink. “Yep. Unfortunately. Not many people are up for a relationship where your partner is a no-show a lot of the time.”
“The way I like to look at it,” she said, “is that the time I do have with someone is really special. I value it and remember every moment. That’s something that you can’t say about a normal relationship.”
He thought about what she’d said. “Huh. That’s a valid point.” He grinned. “I’ll have to try that reasoning out if I ever find time to date again.”
She shrugged. “Right. That’s my problem too. Finding time.”
“Do you have any siblings?” he asked. Getting to know Vic seemed more important the longer he sat there, and he’d wondered from time to time what her story was.
“Yep. Two brothers and a sister. How about you?”
Her keen eyes were alert and interested. There was definitely something to this getting-to-know-each-other stuff. “I have two brothers. I’m the middle child.”
And he was a classic middle child too. Although more rebellious than his siblings, he’d also been the peacemaker of the three. And he’d moved out as soon as he’d completed high school, joining the Marines, something that neither of his brothers had done. His middle child characteristics also made him a great team member, something which had stood him in good stead in the Marines and now in the Rangers. Overall, he was satisfied with his life and had long ago gotten over his childhood feelings of being overlooked or overshadowed as he was growing up.
She grimaced. “I’m the oldest, so I had the responsibility of watching my brothers and sister. And I had to help a lot around the house. My mom was old-school like my grandma, and she relied on me for a lot of things that I wish she wouldn’t have.” She shrugged. “But it made me a hard worker. I learned to finish my chores fast so that I could do the things I wanted to do. Like read.”
She took a long swallow of her wine. “You talk about leaving home. I shook the dust off my feet as soon as I graduated. I received a full ride to college and got my BS in Criminal Justice, then was accepted into the DEA.”
He nodded. “So why did you choose the DEA?”
