Free A Bargain with the Boss by Barbara Dunlop

make you suspicious?”
    â€œYou’re jumpy,” he said.
    â€œI’m annoyed.”
    â€œYou have no reason to be annoyed.”
    â€œI’ve got work to do.”
    â€œSo do I. And none of our work gets easier until Dixon is back.”
    Her eyes narrowed. “He shouldn’t be your crutch.”
    â€œHe’s everybody’s crutch. Do you know where he is?”
    â€œNo.”
    He gestured her forward. “Then, let’s go talk to Jackson.”
    Amber squared her shoulders and moved into the office.
    Jackson rose. “Nice to see you again, Amber.”
    â€œWhy do I feel like this is an interrogation?” she asked.
    â€œI have that effect on people,” said Jackson.
    â€œYou should stop.” She took one of the armchairs in the grouping.
    â€œI’ll keep that in mind.”
    For some reason, the exchange grated on Tuck. Jackson wasn’t flirting with her. But he was joking with her and Tuck didn’t like it.
    â€œYour questions?” he asked Jackson.
    Jackson caught his gaze and looked puzzled.
    â€œSure,” said Jackson, obviously waiting for Tuck to sit down.
    Tuck perched on the arm of a chair. He folded his arms over his chest.
    It took Jackson a moment to move his attention back to Amber.
    â€œI’m sure you’ll agree,” he said to her, “that Dixon has been gone longer than any of us expected.”
    â€œHow long did we expect him to be gone?” she asked.
    â€œDid he tell you how long he’d be gone?”
    Amber glanced fleetingly at Tuck. “His letter said a month.”
    â€œIt’s been a month.”
    â€œAlmost.”
    â€œNo phone call? No postcard?”
    â€œWho sends a postcard these days?”
    â€œPeople who want you to know they’re having a good time and wish you were there.”
    Amber’s gaze hardened. “I doubt he’s having a good time.”
    Tuck could almost hear Jackson’s senses go on alert.
    â€œWhy?” Jackson asked.
    â€œYou know about his ex-wife.” Amber wasn’t asking a question.
    â€œI do.”
    â€œThen you know he’s recovering from her treachery.”
    â€œTreachery?”
    â€œWhat would you call it?”
    â€œInfidelity.”
    â€œOkay.”
    Jackson paused. “What was your relationship with Dixon?”
    â€œHey,” Tuck protested. “Amber’s not on trial.”
    Jackson shot him a look of astonishment. “Should I be doing this without you?”
    â€œHe was my boss,” said Amber. “Full stop. And if one more person insinuates it was something inappropriate, I’m walking out the door.”
    â€œWho else insinuated that?”
    â€œBack off,” said Tuck. This was getting them nowhere. It was only annoying Amber, and rightly so. He didn’t blame her for being ticked off.
    â€œWho else?” asked Jackson.
    â€œTuck.” She slid him an angry glance.
    He held up his hands in surrender. He hadn’t considered anything of the sort for quite some time now.
    â€œAnd Jamison,” said Amber.
    Jackson’s tone slipped up in obvious surprise. “Jamison thought you were having an affair with his son?”
    â€œOnly because Jamison was having an—” Amber snapped her mouth shut.
    Jackson blinked.
    Tuck rose to his feet.
    Amber stiffened her spine.
    â€œYou’re going to have to finish that sentence,” said Tuck.
    She shook her head.
    â€œI insist.”
    â€œWe all know what she was going to say,” Jackson said.
    â€œI didn’t say it,” said Amber.
    â€œMy father was having an affair?”
    She glared at Tuck. “Let it go.”
    â€œWith who?” he demanded. Tuck’s first reaction was that it couldn’t be true. Then again, it absolutely could be true. Lots of high-powered, self-gratifying people cheated. Why not his father?
    â€œIt’s not for me to say,” Amber responded. “I