by T. L. Haddix
“What, Fig?” Noah asked. “She has an orange patch that looks just like a fig on her side.”
“You need a cat,” Sydney said. When Sawyer looked at her with a frown, she held her hands up. “You do. Out there in that house all by yourself.”
“They are good company. I know someone who has some kittens, if you’re interested. They’re about three months old, so they’re not as dependent as the little ones.” Noah let the cat down on the back of the couch. “Do you two want something to drink?”
“No, thanks. I’m still stuffed from dinner,” Sawyer said. “And I have biscuits in the truck for breakfast tomorrow. Someone made them to prove she could cook. Is there anything you can’t do?” he asked Sydney.
“She sucks at math, and she can’t drive a stick to save her life. You made biscuits and you didn’t bring me any?” Noah glared at her. “I see how it is.”
Sydney narrowed her eyes. “Excuse me? Where’s my marinara, cuz? Seems like I remember you saying something about six quarts. And I can’t sew or knit or anything like that,” she told Sawyer. “Speaking of knitting, Grandma’s making baby blankets.”
Noah growled as he opened a cabinet. “They’re driving me nuts. Can’t you get them off my back? And I know who gave the chick at the library my number, by the way. Karma, Sydney. Karma.”
“Her mother needed a new kitchen,” Sydney protested. “What was I supposed to do? Send her to a box store? I thought you might appreciate the referral.”
“Sure you did.” He crossed to them, handing Sawyer two jars. “Here’s some marinara and some pesto. A gift.”
“You brat! That’s cruel, Noah. He makes the best marinara you’ve ever eaten in your life,” she told Sawyer, eyeing the jars with longing.
“Comes from living in Italy for so long. I told you, marinara for biscuits. Two dozen, please.” Her cousin watched her, an arch look on his face as he waited for her to cave.
She blew out an exasperated breath. “I haven’t had time to make them. I’ll try to do it this weekend, okay?”
Sawyer was grinning at their back and forth. “I’m so glad I never had a little sister.”
“They can be more trouble than they’re worth,” Noah conceded. “I have two if you count this one.”
“I’m not your sister.”
“Close enough.” He stuck his tongue out at her and Sydney made a face back at him, causing them all to laugh.
“We should probably go, get out of your hair,” she said.
“Just a second.” He went back to the cabinet and got another jar of sauce down, this time giving it to her. “Call it a bonus.”
Sydney held it to her, grinning with pleasure. “I know what I’m having tomorrow for dinner! Thank you!”
“Yeah, well, you know the price if you want more.”
As she and Sawyer walked back to her grandparents’ house, an easy silence fell between them. With crickets chirping, frogs calling, and lightning bugs still flashing, the night bore a distinctly romantic feel.
As much as she tried to convince herself otherwise, she couldn’t. Walking beside Sawyer in the dark felt too right. He was solid, giving off a strong presence both mentally and physically even through his quietness. She knew women who’d be afraid of him because of that, because of his height, but Sydney was used to tall men. Instead of being nervous, he made her feel safe, protected. Not that she thought she had anything to be afraid of up here on top of the mountain, but still. Her heart ached at the notion of how differently the night might end if he were attracted to her.
The lights were off in the farmhouse when they reached their vehicles.
“Do you think they’re okay?” he asked her. “It’s barely nine o’clock. I thought they were night owls.”
Sydney’s face heated, and she was grateful for the dark that hid her blush. “Um, I think they’re fine. They probably just turned in early.” There was no way in the world she was going to tell him they’d probably gone to bed but not for the purpose of sleeping. But Sawyer being the smart man he was, he picked up on her embarrassment.
“Oh. Oh, I see. Okay. That’s… encouraging, I suppose.”
“Sawyer!”
“What?” he said, laughing. “It is.”
“You’re incorrigible.”
“Look who’s talking.”
Sydney shook her head as she put the marinara in her car, tucking it safely into the mesh pouch behind the driver’s seat. “Thanks for letting me do this project. I’m eager to see what I can do with it.”
He came to the window when she slid behind the wheel. “I’m happy to help Mr. Grainger. It’s a noble mission he’s on. Just so you know, my main concern wasn’t the money.”
Very briefly, Sydney laid her hand on his where it rested on the door. “I know. I never thought that. Still, I appreciate the opportunity.” Her hand tingled where their skin had touched, and once it was back inside the vehicle and out of his sight, she curled her fingers around her palm. “I’d better go. You, too. I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Drive safely.” He stepped back and dug his keys from his pocket. “The biscuits were really, really good, by the way. In case I didn’t mention that.”
Pleased, she smiled. “I got that impression. Wait until you see what I can do with yeast bread.”
The man actually swallowed at the words. “Cinnamon rolls?” he said hopefully.
“Maybe. Goodnight, Sawyer.”
She started her vehicle and got her seatbelt on as he got in his truck. Once he had his engine going, she backed out, then headed down the driveway.
“You’re going to get your heart broken like it’s never been broken before, Sydney Marie,” she said in the quiet cab, classical music from the local NPR station playing in the background. “And you’ve practically begged for it to happen. Stupid girl.”
Instead of Sawyer being less attractive or her girlish crush fading upon closer interaction with the man, she was more drawn to him now than she had ever been in the past. The difference now was that she had a good idea of exactly what she was missing by not being romantically involved with him, whereas before, when she was nineteen, all she’d had to go on was what she’d read in books and seen in movies.
She didn’t know what in the world she was going to do with that knowledge, other than slowly go nuts lusting after her boss. There was no way Sawyer would ever see her as anything more than an impertinent, competent assistant or that troubled teenager she’d once been, she knew that. And if she didn’t figure out how to stop wanting more from him, she was in big trouble.
Chapter Nineteen
Sawyer’s mood was foul the next morning though he tried to hide it from Sydney. Even though he knew he was being ridiculous, he partly blamed her for the lousy night he’d had and the subsequent mood. After all, dreams of her had kept him tossing and turning most of the night.
His mood wasn’t enhanced when one of the young Lotharios from the state police post came in at eleven and started flirting with her. The only thing that kept him from losing his temper entirely was the fact that Sydney didn’t seem to be receptive to the man’s overtures in the least.
Still, he couldn’t resist a jab. “I didn’t realize you were divorced, Zander. I’m so sorry.”
The other man’s face flushed. “I’m not.”
“Huh. Well, this is awkward, then. I thought you were trying to pick up my assistant. My mistake.” Sawyer stared at him, daring the burly state trooper to say a word to the contrary.
Leighton “Lee” Harrison, the senior trooper who’d come in with Zander and the one who’d requested the meeting, rubbed a hand across his face to hide his smile. “Why don’t we go over these files?” he suggested, his tone conciliatory.
“Sure thing. Come on into the conference room.” Sawyer glanced
back at Sydney as the other men went through the door. She was shaking her head, her own cheeks pink, and she wouldn’t look at him.
Shit. He hadn’t meant to embarrass her, too. There was nothing he could do about it at the moment, however, so he went on into the meeting.
An hour later, they’d finished going over the case Lee was working on. Since Sawyer had worked with the people involved several times in the past, Lee had wanted his opinion.
“Thanks for letting me bounce this off of you,” Lee said, gathering up the papers he’d brought. “This helps.”
“If you’ll excuse me, I need to make a few calls. I’ll be in the car.” Zander stood without a word to Sawyer and left, barely acknowledging Sydney as he passed her desk.
“You know he’ll hold a grudge over what you did out there,” Lee told him quietly. “He thinks because he lives in Breathitt County he can do whatever he wants up here. And he’s been called on it a few times now but not so publicly.”
“He’s young, he’s stupid with self-importance, and he’ll be on his third marriage within ten years.” Sawyer didn’t bother tempering his words. “He thinks with his dick, and if he’s not careful, that’s going to get him or whoever he’s working with killed.”
“I’ll talk to him. He’s a good cop when he’s not trying to pick women up.”
“Just watch your back. I probably shouldn’t have said what I did, but he caught me on a bad day.”
“Yeah. I’m sure that’s what it was.”
Sawyer knew Lee didn’t believe that was all to the story any more than he believed in the tooth fairy. And damned if he could come up with a reasonable excuse.
“How’s the new house?” he asked, standing, trying to change the subject.
Lee grinned, his blue eyes sparkling. “It’s great. And my neighbor across the street is even greater. I think I’m in love. She comes out on the porch wearing these little shorts and does her paperwork. Wears glasses. Nothing sexier than a bookworm with mile-long legs.”
Sawyer laughed, even as his mind drifted to his own glasses-wearing assistant. “You’ve only been moved in what, a week? Two? You aren’t wasting any time.”
“Doesn’t take long to spot someone like her. I’ve not really introduced myself yet, but I will soon.”
For all his friendly and outgoing personality, Sawyer knew Lee wasn’t really a ladies’ man. He had an active social life, but he didn’t use his badge and uniform to rack up notches on his bedpost like some LEOs did.
“You never did tell me where you live now,” Sawyer said.
“Tennant Avenue over in Airport Gardens. You should stop by sometime, check the place out.”
They’d walked into the reception area, and Sydney overheard the tail end of the conversation. “That’s where Rachel lives. Did you buy that house next to the brick wall?”
“That’s it,” Lee said. “Who’s Rachel?”
Sawyer grinned, then laughed out loud. “Sydney’s aunt, and your sexy neighbor who comes out onto the porch to do her paperwork, unless I miss my guess.”
Sydney’s mouth dropped open, then curved into a wide smile. “Oh, boy.”
Lee was shaking his head, his jaw set as he fought down embarrassed amusement. “That’s great. Any chance this conversation won’t get back to her? Is she single? And I’m Lee Harrison, by the way.” He held his hand out for Sydney to shake.
“Nice to meet you, and I won’t say a word. I can’t speak to Sawyer’s intentions, though. He and Aunt Rachel have been friends for decades now. And yes, she’s single, but her ex-husband was a state trooper, so you won’t even get in the door,” Sydney told him. “Sorry.”
“She has a thing against cops?”
“Only against dating them,” Sawyer explained. “Like Sydney said, she’s been one of my best friends for twenty years now. The Campbells that I spend holidays with? That’s her family. Sydney’s mom is her sister, Emma, who owns the photography studio two doors down.”
“Oh, okay. So you’re kin to Burke Lockhart and Rick Browning, I guess,” Lee said to Sydney.
“I am. And Aunt Rachel’s son, Easton? He’s in school now going for a degree in criminology. As soon as he’s old enough, he’s planning to become a trooper.”
Lee blinked at her. “Her son? Um, what’d she do? Have him when she was twelve or something?”
Sydney snorted. “Rachel’s going to love you for that.”
“She’s my age, Lee.” Sawyer didn’t bother hiding his amusement at the other man’s discomfort. “How old did you think she was?”
He shrugged. “I dunno. Around my age, I guess. Mid thirties, maybe. Wow.”
“At least you don’t have to worry about dating her now,” Sydney said.
“Why? Because she’s older than me? That doesn’t matter. Age is just a number.” He made the declaration so nonchalantly, Sawyer knew then he was seriously interested in Rachel, and it wasn’t just a case of his having the hots for his neighbor.
“Rachel’s fun. We go out a couple of times a month usually, just as friends,” he said to turn the knife a little and give Lee a push. “If she ever does decide to date again, whoever she picks would be a lucky guy.”
“Well, good luck if you go after her because you’ll need it.” Sydney got her purse out of the desk and stood. “I’m going to head to lunch, Boss. See you in an hour. Nice meeting you,” she told Lee with a brief smile, then left.
“Why do I get the feeling she’s offended?” Lee asked as they listened to her footsteps fade.
“I don’t know. Maybe she’s jealous you’re interested in Rachel?”
Lee stared at him, an unholy gleam of amusement lighting his eyes. “Yeah. I’m sure that’s it. She’s jealous. Of me and her aunt. Yep.”
Sawyer crossed his arms over his chest and scowled fiercely. “Spit it out.”
“Nothing to spit out. You just about take Zander’s head off for being his normal, ‘charming’ self, even though she wasn’t the least bit interested in what he was offering. You can’t stop looking at her when you think she isn’t watching you—which she does, by the way. She puffs up and leaves when you sing the praises of her ‘sexy’ aunt. No, nothing to spit out that I can think of.”
“I’m old enough to be her father,” Sawyer told him quietly. He decided to open up a bit. Keeping the growing attraction he felt for Sydney to himself was driving him nuts, and aside from Rachel, Lee was his best friend. “I’ve known her since she was little. I can’t just have an affair with her and then have the two of us go our separate ways.”
“So what about having more than an affair?” Lee asked, serious. “I know you think you can’t take that chance, but maybe she doesn’t want kids. Some people don’t. I don’t.”
“Sydney does.”
Lee watched him closely for a moment, then sighed. “Too damned bad there’s no way to get kids other than to create them yourself. You’d think they’d come up with something, I don’t know, where you could borrow other people’s kids or um… what’s it called?” He pretended to think, tapping his fingers against his temple, then snapped them. “Adopt. Yeah, adoption. Too bad that’s only something you can do with dogs and cats.”
“Smart ass.”
“Chicken shit.”
Sawyer flipped him off. “I’m too old to adopt.”
“Well, then, you’re too old to have kids the normal way, too. Better get you a cane, an adult diaper, and a room in a nursing home.” Lee was relentless, even though his tone wasn’t harsh. “Big former state trooper, too scared to take a chance at being happy. I’ve never seen you so torn up over a woman before. And I’ll bet a month’s paychecks she’s as torn up over you. Just think about it, okay? Try to take your emotions out of it. Ask her out for dinner or something.”
“Hadn’t you better
go check on Zander? He’s liable to leave you or find a heap of trouble on his own.”
Lee took the hint and moved toward the door. “Call me if you want to talk. Any tips on Rachel?”
“Let me know when you plan to introduce yourself so I can bring popcorn and watch?” Sawyer teased. He shrugged. “Seriously, though, I think Sydney’s right. You’ve got an uphill battle. That said, she could use a good guy in her life and I know you are one. Good luck.”
“Thanks.”
Sawyer didn’t go back to his office for a while after Lee had gone. Instead, he sat down behind Sydney’s desk, looking at the pictures and geegaws she’d arranged on its surface. It wasn’t cluttered or overstated, but it very clearly reflected her personality.
Lee was right. If he didn’t do something soon, the tension was going to build to the point that the wrong thing would slip out at the wrong time, and Sydney could get hurt.
About halfway through the walk back up to their vehicles last night, he’d realized just how expertly Owen and Sarah had played him. He tried to convince himself he was imagining it, but no. They’d set him up to take a romantic stroll with their granddaughter, he was sure of it. But what he couldn’t figure out was why. Surely they knew any sort of relationship between him and Sydney wouldn’t be appropriate.
He groaned and rubbed his eyes. Like Lee had said, he’d not been this torn up over a woman in… well, probably in twenty years. And he didn’t like the sensation, not one bit.
“I’ll let it ride for now,” he muttered. “Hell if I know what else to do. Maybe the situation will rectify itself.”
But he didn’t believe that any more than he believed his feelings for Sydney would disappear overnight. No, he was in trouble. He just hoped he could find his way out of this mess before someone got hurt.
Chapter Twenty
Sydney hadn’t known what to expect Wednesday morning, but it wasn’t what she got. Sawyer was late getting in, and when he did arrive, he was standoffish. She was on the verge of asking him if she’d done something wrong when the two state troopers arrived for their eleven o’clock meeting. The shorter one, Lee, seemed nice enough, but his burly companion, Zander, turned her stomach. He’d taken one look at her when they’d come in and instantly assumed she’d be an easy target.