“So, Sarah, I hear you were kidnapped by a group of terrorists,” Owen said. “You want to write that up and let me run it?”

Sarah choked on the bite of casserole she’d just taken. She swallowed, guzzled half of her glass of water, and stared at the man. “What?”

“I hear you’re a reporter. I want the story.”

“Investigative journalist, but—”

“So do I,” Jefferson said with a glare at his rival. “You have no class. That’s how you approach someone?”

“I’ll pay you a hefty advance for it,” Owen said as though the other man hadn’t spoken.

“I’ll pay more.”

Gavin stood and glared at the men. “You two should be ashamed of yourselves. Sarah’s a guest in my parents’ home and you’re like sharks circling bait. Knock it off.”

Sarah’s jaw dropped. The two men fell silent.

Gavin sighed. “I’m sorry, Sarah. This is my fault.”

“How so?”

“I told my father you might need a job and asked him to use his connections to see if these two might be interested. I didn’t think he’d invite them both at the same time.”

“You asked him to find me a job?”

“In a sense.” He paused. “Actually, no. I just asked him to introduce you to these gentlemen. I didn’t realize we would be inciting World War III.”

Sarah set her napkin on the table. “So, being a buffer was just a . . . lie . . . to get me to come?”

“No, no, no. That part was definitely true.” Gavin met his father’s gaze. His mother had gone still at his outburst.

Owen sighed. “Well, at least take everything into consideration. Pris, this casserole is amazing.”

Those words seemed to be the signal for everyone to start eating again. Except Sarah. She worked hard to keep her anger from spilling over and ruining the dinner Gavin’s mother had prepared. She made it through the apple pie, then stood. “Excuse me, please.”

Gavin made as though to follow her, and she shook her head. It wasn’t hard to find the bathroom, and she stood at the sink trying to convince herself that Gavin hadn’t meant anything by mentioning to his father that she might be in need of a job. And that his father was just trying to help by inviting the two men who obviously clashed on every level.

If anything, she should probably be grateful. Part of her knew he thought he was helping. But another part of her was screaming that it was similar to something her father might do, and all of the trust that she’d managed to build up had just been shattered.