“I’ll let you get back to your day. Again, if you or your wife have any questions at all, please let me know.” She squeezed my arm before heading out the door. “And congratulations again.”
“Thank you,” I said, holding in a cringe at the swiveled heads I’d noticed behind her. Since my promotion to partner and a lot of staff moving between offices, with the exception of Will, I considered most of the people I worked with as friendly acquaintances. I still didn’t care who knew, but I didn’t feel like explaining anything. I couldn’t tell the truth of why we were married, but no one needed an in-depth explanation if they asked. I got married. My wife was in New York. End of story.
I made it a point not to date anyone I worked with, but most of the women I’d met over the years had been through coworkers. I doubted I’d get the same requests to meet a single friend of someone once word got out that I was married, but not only did I not care about that, I had no interest.
That realization was what had me the most on edge and snapping at Will and probably anyone else who would pry about the details of my weekend trip.
I’d deal with my fucked-up head later. In the meantime, I welcomed the distraction from the mountain of work I was about to dive into.
Before I set my phone on Do Not Disturb, I shot Julie a quick text.
Me:Good morning, wife. Looks like you’re all set. I’ll email you the paper you can use for doctors’ visits and prescriptions until your insurance card comes.
Julie:Thanks, doll. Can you talk, or are you busy?
I pressed the call button and brought the phone to my ear without thinking twice.
“Hey, I’m sorry to bother you on a Monday.”
“Are you okay?”
“Landon.” Her soft sigh filled my ear. “I’m fine. I wanted to thank you before you got too busy. And maybe I have a little husband separation anxiety.”
A laugh fell from my lips and relaxed me. Maybe that was the root of my agitation this morning. Julie and I had gone through an intense couple of days, and both of us were still acclimating to all that had happened. And almost happened. Our wedding kiss still lived rent-free in my head and replayed on a loop whenever I closed my eyes.
“I may have a little of that. What are you doing this morning?”
“Meeting with a freelance creative recruiter on Zoom in about an hour and figuring out what top to wear so my boobs don’t take over the conversation.”
“They are pretty loud.”
“Tell me about it.” Her easy laugh was literal music to my ears. “I’ll let you go be a big shot. I just wanted to thank you since I wouldn’t have been able to consider this if you didn’t wife me up.”
“Wifeyou up?” I snickered. “Is that what the kids say now?”
“I think. I’m too old to know. And maybe I texted you because I wanted to hear your voice.”
I rolled away from my computer and leaned back in my chair. Her voice soothed me right back, especially when I noticed some energy in it. The consuming worry had been in the back of my mind since she’d told me about her diagnosis, and I didn’t expect it to ease anytime soon. The lilt in her voice eased some of the frayed nerves I’d left Vegas with, if only for the moment.
“My voice is all yours whenever you want to hear it. Can I call you on my way home?”
“Sounds good, doll.”
A smile ran across my mouth. I went from lusting after her in person to mooning over her from a distance—and both needed to stop.
“Good luck, darlin’. Not that you’ll need it.”
“Oh, I need it,” she said with a chuckle. “But thanks.”
After four meetings and hours of catching up on email tasks, I felt the crick in my neck tell me I was done. My tired eyes read 4:45 in the lower right of my screen, and I was just about to text Will about a quick drink after work when a call came through from reception that someone was here to see me.
I opened my calendar and scanned the meetings for the day. There was nothing after three, and I had no clients scheduled until later in the week. I stood, wondering who would just drop in at almost five on a Monday.
“I never thought I would have to ask to see my son.”
My head whipped around at my father’s voice.
“Dad, what the hell are you doing here? Is everything okay?”
