weird.
He liked fun-loving, happy women with sunny dispositions and lots of laughter. Why did he find the serious, unfriendly Jade so compelling?
“Well, if it isn’t Nancy Drew.” He offered an intentionally flirty smile, hoping to loosen her up a little.
Her icy stare knocked the smile right out of him. She nodded once, a head bob that was both dismissal and acknowledgment.
Did anything rattle Miss Prim and Grim?
“Let’s have a seat,” Dad was saying as he pulled out a chair for Jade. Sawyer would have done that. Wanted to do it. Instead he seated himself across from her and noticed she’d changed clothes. She was still buttoned to the top in a choke hold that could take out a sumo wrestler, but the light purple color looked good with her eyes.
Yeah. He was noticing way too much about a woman who really didn’t want to like him.
He folded his arms on the tabletop and let his gaze linger on her deceptively sweet face while she talked in that crisp, no-nonsense manner that made him straighten his posture.
“Your father is creating a list of disgruntled employees.” She flipped open the spiral notebook. “I’d like each of you to do the same for cross-referencing purposes.”
Sawyer exchanged looks with Dawson and they both laughed. They still had the twin radar at times, knowing what the other thought. “Disgruntled? Would that include us brothers? We stay disgruntled.”
“But Dad won’t let us stop working.” Dawson lifted his coffee cup in a salute.
Dan Buchanon smiled slightly. “My boys like to joke around.”
“I see that.” But she didn’t crack a smile. “Does anyone come to mind immediately? Anyone who was fired, injured on the job, or caused a problem? No matter how small or seemingly insignificant the issue, I need to know.”
The four men mentioned a handful of people but stalled out quickly. They ran a reputable business and treated employees well. Dan, a workaholic, could be tough and demanding, but Brady, Mom and the three sisters kept things running smoothly so that most employees loved to work for the Buchanons.
Everyone wanted to come to the Buchanon Built Christmas party and the Fourth of July cookout, the place where Dan handed out bonuses and gifts and goodies to show appreciation for the previous six months of success.
“This business goes back many years to Grandpa. Maybe our bad guy goes that far back, too.” Dawson’s usually serene face was troubled. “I’ll give the list more thought.”
Sawyer nodded. “Sure. I will, too.”
“Have we provided enough to get started?” Dan pushed up from the table. He really was a workaholic. Sitting around for too long made him antsy.
Jade stood as well and tapped a pen against her notebook. “I want to see the vandalized sites today if possible.”
“No problem.” Dad aimed a finger toward Sawyer. “Sawyer will show you around. You can use the time to discuss anything in his past that may have set someone off on a vendetta.”
“Dad! Come on. I’m not the guilty party here. And I have important work to do.”
Dan held up a hand, his universal signal for “don’t argue.”
“Dawson can handle your load today.” To Dawson, he said, “Call Clare Hammond to help out in Sawyer’s place.”
“Works for me.” Dawson knocked back the last of his coffee and pushed to a stand. “Clare’s a pro, almost as good as us.”
Sawyer liked working with her, too. He could actually make Clare laugh, something he couldn’t say for the PI. But maybe if he and Jade Warren spent some time together, if she got to know him better, she might loosen up. Maybe he’d even convince her that he was a good guy—a long shot, he thought with humor, but he was always up for a challenge.
And when had he ever refused a day off with a beautiful woman?
* * *
Jade’s sensible shoes crunched on the gravel parking area outside the Buchanon offices as she made her way to her practical white Chevy. Even after driving her motel neighbor to the store and back, she’d arrived with plenty of time to spare for the meeting with the Buchanon boss. Now that she’d met the main man in person Jade felt better, more in control.
She wished her feelings were the same about Bailey Shaffer. The kid with the cute baby boy was barely seventeen and completely alone. No education, no job, no transportation. If not for public assistance, she and baby Ashton would have nothing. Bailey seemed like a sweet girl, and her love for Ashton showed on her face and in every action. She was a good, if too young, mother in a very bad situation.
Jade shook her head, knowing she should be focused on the job instead of the teenage mother. But she hurt for the girl and worried about her and the baby.
Sawyer Buchanon was behind her a few paces, having stopped to grab a doughnut from his sisters. He’d offered her one but she’d refused. She didn’t know why. She loved doughnuts, especially the ones with chocolate icing and lots of sprinkles, but she didn’t want Sawyer to think he could beguile his way under her skin.
Again, she couldn’t put a finger on what it was about him. He ruffled her and she didn’t like the feeling. It felt like attraction and that scared her. She had always been a sucker for handsome, smiling men until Cam Warren taught her a lesson she couldn’t forget. She knew her weaknesses, so she had to be careful. She would not be a victim again.
“Hey, Jade. Hold up.”
She stopped, one hand on her car door, keys ready. Sawyer ambled in her direction, the sun glinting on his black hair. He was built tall, like his brothers and father, lean, well-proportioned and fit, with long legs that ate up the ground in no time. She observed him as she would a suspect, wondering what kind of man lived inside that too-perfect body.
Her stomach clenched. Or was that flutters? Awareness flutters.
Annoyed to think it might be, she bit out a reply. “What?”
“Ride with me.” He hitched his head. “My truck’s over here.”
“No need. I’ll follow you in my vehicle.”
His nostrils flared. He gave her a long, slow look that seared the ends of her hair. “Suit yourself.”
Sawyer spun toward his big maroon pickup while Jade contemplated what she’d done. If she wanted to dig into the guy’s past, she needed to spend time with him in his environment, get to know more about him than what was on his Facebook page.
Her refusal was a bad sign that he was causing her to react like a woman instead of an investigator. That simply would not do.
“On second thought, I might as well conserve fuel and ride with you.” Nice save, Jade. And Dale would appreciate her sacrifice.
Sawyer spun back, boots grinding the gravel. He still didn’t look happy, but Jade was certain she saw a triumphant gleam in his disturbingly attractive eyes.
Saying nothing, she grabbed her mini backpack containing camera, notebook, phone and wallet, and followed him to his truck. He opened the door, took her backpack and tossed it into the back of the double cab, and was about to help her up into the high passenger seat. She stared at his outstretched hand.
“I can do it.”
His hand didn’t budge.
She flashed a quick glance at his face. Mistake. Though he neither smiled nor spoke, he stood watching her, serene and easy, as if he helped women into his truck all the time. Which he probably did.
Ignoring him, if such a thing was possible, as well as his offered hand Jade grabbed the side of the door and started to boost herself up. She was woefully short.
Strong, masculine fingers steadied her elbow with