Mitch chewed for a moment and wiped his mouth on his sleeve. “I’d hunt for your food if you’d cook some for me.”
Shock at his offer made her take a small step backwards. “You would?”
“Yeah.”
Her spirits lifted like they had when she handed little Lydia the unicorn balloon two nights ago. A grateful smile tugged at Jaye’s mouth. “Thanks.”
He grinned back at her.
Jaye’s cell phone chirped beside the fruit bowl.
Mitch glanced at the screen and his expression hardened. He handed the phone to her.
The text was from David. “I’m calling all your friends until I find you.”
“I saw the message.” Mitch’s clipped voice bounced off the old oak cabinets. “Who is texting crap like that to you?”
Letting out a calming breath, she slid the phone onto the table. “His name is David, my ex boyfriend.”
Mitch unzipped his coat, revealing a sweat-stained green shirt. “I need to know what to expect if this guy shows up. What’s going on?”
She tucked her short hair behind her ear and shrugged. “Up until last week, I worked down the hall from him. I left without saying goodbye. He insists we have unfinished business.”
“Do you?”
The abrupt way he said those two words made her stomach clench. “Our relationship ended months ago.”
He put the half-eaten apple on the counter. “You broke up with him, not the other way around.”
“Yes.” She prayed Mitch wouldn’t ask why.
“Is there any chance your friends will tell him where to find you?”
“No. They’ll protect me.”
“From what?” He scowled.
His fierce expression reminded her of a Marine heading into battle. She swallowed a mouthful of air, surprised he wanted to know what scared her. Even though the lonely part of her longed to talk about it, she didn’t want to pull him into this mess. “There’s nothing to worry about. My ex isn’t the violent type.”
Mitch’s mouth formed a sober line. “He already surprised you, didn’t he? How do you know he won’t shock you again?”
“That’s a terrifying thought.” Shaken, she lowered herself into a chair beside the old kitchen table. “David definitely surprised me, but he did nothing dangerous. He cheated on me, that’s all.”
The kitchen clock ticked, filling the ensuing silence. For a moment, Jaye wondered if Mitch even heard her.
“How did you find out?”
His voice was devoid of sympathy. If anything, he sounded like he was discussing a business matter. She crossed her arms across the front of her blouse to ward off a sudden chill. “Two months ago, a couple of friends talked me into going to a club across town. David was there, dancing with a girl. She was gorgeous, with long blonde hair, a big chest, and blue eyes. She looked nothing like me.”
The hard wood spokes of the kitchen chair dug into her spine like an overzealous masseuse. “At first, I couldn’t believe the man was David. He’s not one for public displays of affection, but he was all over that girl. They were making out and he had his hand under her skirt.” Humiliation blanketed her, heating every inch of her skin. Jaye traced her index finger along a gouge in the surface of the table. “He insisted she was just a fling, a way to escape the enormous pressures he’d been feeling, but I knew that wasn’t true. Rather than listen to him lie, I left. I’ve been running ever since.”
“And he’s been texting you ever since.” Mitch jerked his chin toward her phone.
“I won’t pick up his calls or respond to the texts.” She managed a sardonic smile. “He’s never had a girl say no to him, which makes me irresistible.”
Mitch’s gaze darted to the chipped Formica counter and back. “There’s no way your ex will find you in a brick ranch hidden in the back woods of northern Pennsylvania, right? Is that why you took this job?”
“In part, yes. Lately, my future looks clear as mud. I’m hoping being here will bring things into focus again.”
“You’ll be safe here.”
A reassuring calm laced Mitch’s voice. For the first time that morning, Jaye’s pulse stopped tapping on her eardrums. She could hear the small voice inside her head much clearer, and spoke the words aloud. “I knew this was the right place the instant I walked into your house.” Lacing her fingers together in her lap, she tried to take a deep breath. A bubble of sadness sank in her chest. “I’m supposed to start working for my father in a few weeks. He wants me to come up to Syracuse on weekends so I can get up to speed. He’s expecting me before noon today. I should get going.”
Mitch placed her cereal bowl and the carton of milk in front of her, the action resonating with the silent command to eat.
She stared at the granola, doubtful she could stomach a mouthful. Besides, she had some granola stuck in her bra if she got hungry.
He held out a spoon like he was offering a promise.
Jaye pinched the handle between her thumb and forefinger, careful not to touch Mitch’s hand. She gave the spoon a half-hearted tug.
Mitch’s fingers tightened around the handle. His gaze drilled into hers. “Tell me if your ex decides to visit. If he does show up, I’d like to have a word with him.”
Chapter Nine
“I can’t believe you eat so much food.” Lilly Baxter cut into the buffet line and rolled her eyes at Jaye.
The snide comment bothered Jaye, but she swallowed her irritation. She’d come to Davis Software to build goodwill among her team, not to make enemies. Jaye looked at the large sandwich and pile of potato chips on her plate and shrugged. “I’ve been craving salty chips all morning.”
“Doesn’t seem fair. If I look at a carb, I gain five pounds,” Lilly complained, reaching for a Caesar salad.
“How about we make a trade?” Jaye admired the thick gold waves trailing down Lilly’s back. “My metabolism
