Page 58 of The Work Wife

His leather sectional separated the dining and kitchen area from the living room, though it was all one big open space. They spent the rest of the evening watching mindless TV like he imagined most married couples were doing.

He looked down when he felt her leaning heavily against him to see she’d fallen asleep. For a moment he considered carrying her to bed, but since their second wedding and the kiss, he’d been touching her a lot more than necessary for this ruse. He needed to be smarter about this.

Shaking her awake, instead, he stood and moved a safe distance away.

“Do you have everything you need?” he asked.

“Yeah. I’m good. Thanks again.”

“No problem.” He watched as she shuffled down the hall to her room and hoped this wouldn’t become a problem.

Chapter 11

Jamie dropped her toothbrush in the holder next to Weston’s and left the bathroom, ready to go to the office. Wes was walking out of his bedroom at the same time.

“You ready?” he asked.

“Yeah. I just need to grab my bag.” She stopped. “Oh, should we pack lunch?”

“Let’s go out today. We’ll pack lunch tomorrow.” That was fine with her. They could use a little time alone, away from the office so they didn’t have to play the happy newlyweds the entire day. It was becoming difficult to turn it off when they were alone. Twice she’d caught herself touching him when no one else was around to see it.

Wes seemed to be having the same struggles, but neither of them said anything.

By the time they were sitting at the airport the next week, waiting for her father to arrive, she was looking forward to the distraction.

“Damn, it’s cold here,” her father said in greeting as he squeezed her tight. When he released her, he reached to shake Weston’s hand. “Why on earth would people want to live here?”

“I got a great job here, remember?” she said, pulling her jacket tighter. It had snowed again that morning, but it had stopped.

“And in five years you couldn’t find someplace warmer?”

“It’s a great company. Lots of benefits.”

“Like this trip to Jamaica?” her father asked, his eyes flitting from her to Wes. Was that suspicion?

“Yeah. It’s going to be great.” Warm weather and rum punch. She couldn’t wait. Not to mention unlimited access to their next client.

“I’ll take that.” Wes reached for her father’s suitcase, but her dad tugged it away and said, “I can get it myself. I’m not old.”

“Right. I wasn’t trying to say you were.”

“Be nice, Daddy.”

“I’m always nice.”

Sure he was. Always.

He got in the car without another word, and Jamie relaxed. If her father had any suspicions about them, he would have already started questioning them. The fact that he was sitting in the back seat, staring out the window quietly, meant she and Wes had convinced him.

They just had to keep it up for a few more days.

* * * *

“This is a nice place,” Mr. Witmer said as he rolled his suitcase into Wes’s apartment. “What’s the rent on a place like this?”

Wes cringed, not wanting to get into it. Thankfully Jamie jumped in before Wes was obligated to answer.

“Dad, come see the harbor.”