“I don’t think so, but I feel like I know you. Oh, wait a minute. I’ve seen you running.” His frown eased. “Every morning this week, I’ve passed you on my way to work. I live a few houses up the street. My name is Brad Drummond.”
Her anonymity was still intact. A wave of relief ran through her. “I’m Jaye.”
“I missed the beginning of the game. Is Penn State winning?”
“Yes. The second half just started.”
His gaze drifted to the neck of her print blouse, down to the leather belt cinched at her hips, and dipped to the faded denim clinging to her thighs before completing the journey up again. “Are you the new consultant for Blake Glassware?”
Along the back of her neck, prickles crept—small as a spider’s feet and just as creepy. Why was this stranger so curious? “Yes, I work for Nick and Mitch.”
“I’ve been looking forward to meeting you ever since Phil told me the factory’s new consultant was a runner. Is there any chance you’d tolerate a training partner? I promised a friend I’d do a half marathon with him, but I keep finding excuses not to work out.” He reached for a beer with a lopsided smile. “I’d stick to my training schedule if I could run with someone—running is less boring with a partner. In exchange for letting me tag along, I can show you a couple of trails with fantastic views.”
“To tell you the truth, I’m staying off the trails until hunting season is over.”
“Then we’ll stick to the roads.” He popped a pretzel into his mouth. “I know every single one between here and Syracuse.”
The mention of her hometown sent a twinge of unease through her body. “Why Syracuse?”
“I’ve been driving up there for the past month. My architecture firm won a bid to design a state-of-the-art computer lab for a firm up there.”
Jaye’s tension skyrocketed. No wonder he thought she looked familiar. She had to get away from this man before he recognized her. Perhaps an animated discussion about raising whistle pigs would drive him away.
“We’re adding a new wing to a computer software company, and the owner of the firm wants a cutting edge look. I love working with a client who isn’t afraid of doing something different. After collaborating for just a couple of months, I can see why his company is so successful. The guy never stops working.” Brad studied her with a quizzical look. “In fact, you look like a younger version of his wife, who is very pretty by the way.”
Heat exploded in the center of her chest as though he’d thrown molten glass down her blouse. Jaye plucked at her neckline and struggled to take a full breath. She wanted to be ordinary just a little while longer. With a shaky hand, she picked up her drink. “I think I’ll return to my seat. Nice meeting you.”
“Are you running tomorrow?”
“I’ll be away, visiting family.” For a piercing moment, she longed to be in her parents’ house now—away from curious eyes and prying questions.
Brad speared a hand through his dark hair. “Could I have your cell phone number? I’ll give you a call on Monday.”
“You can reach me at the factory.” Evasion was a tricky business. She had to be careful, or else he’d grow suspicious if she kept offering excuses to avoid him.
He extracted his wallet and handed her a business card. “Don’t hesitate to call me if you need anything. I know how lonely it feels when you’re new in town. I look forward to seeing you.”
Jaye recognized the name of the architecture firm on the card. Her father mentioned the company when she saw him the previous weekend. The coincidence was too close for comfort. A tiny bead of sweat rolled between her breasts. She pocketed the business card as if she meant to keep it.
Brad flashed a handsome smile. “Are you seeing anyone?”
For Pete’s sake, couldn’t he see she wasn’t interested? Time to roll out the whistle pigs. “Did I happen to mention I’m in the market for a farm? Someplace with a few acres and low fences.” A warm hand settled on the small of her back and she jumped.
“She’s seeing me.” Mitch leaned around her and took a bottle of water off the bar.
“You?” Brad snarled and shook his head. “You don’t get along with consultants.”
“I get along with this one.” He squeezed her waist.
“How convenient,” Brad muttered.
Jaye felt Mitch’s arm go rigid and looked over her shoulder. The vein along his temple bulged. Uh-oh.
He braced his hand on the bar. “What do you mean by convenient?”
A number of curious gazes turned toward the three of them. Jaye had to admit the mounting tension between Brad and Mitch was far more compelling than the football game. A scant four feet separated the men. She was right in the middle, close enough to feel the testosterone oozing off both of them. If she spent much time caught in this sea of male hormones, she’d grow a mustache.
Brad lowered his voice. “The last I heard, you weren’t seeing anyone. Tara told me you were still alone.”
A savage smile broke across Mitch’s face. “She’s wrong.”
All thoughts of diverting the conversation vanished. Jaye wanted to find out why this Tara person cared whether or not Mitch was alone.
“I just asked Jaye to go running with me.” Brad glanced at Mitch’s big arm and frowned. “Do you mind?”
“Not my place to tell you or Jaye what to do.” Mitch spoke through gritted teeth.
Brad’s
