Page 19 of The Work Wife

“No. I’m not going out with him. We didn’t go out the first time. It was just work.”

“Where did you go?” he asked, trying his best to sound casual.

“Menton,” she mumbled as she sipped her beer.

Menton? Duane had taken her to a fancy restaurant to talk shop, and Wes had brought her to Applebee’s? She always picked Applebee’s when it was her turn to choose, which was why he’d suggested it.

He should have taken her someplace fancier so she knew he valued her as a partner.

They finished their meal in silence as he struggled with his failures to play the game as well as Duane. When the waitress asked if it would be separate checks, Jamie said yes, as he said no.

“Why would you pay for my meal? We only pay for each other on our birthdays.”

“Did Duane pay for your meal at Menton?”

“Yeah, but I was helping him, and trust me, I deserved to be compensated for spending time with him. Talking to him for any length of time should entitle me to the best little crab cake the world has to offer.”

“The guy’s a snake, Jamie. We’ll get to number one like we planned. I promise. I know I haven’t been as determined as you in the past. But I see how important it is to you, and I’ll do whatever it takes to make it happen.”

“I know we will. And even if we don’t, I’d rather be on Team Two with you than have to deal with him.”

He felt better until she pushed her twenty-dollar bill across the table.

“And I’m paying for my own meal,” she announced. “Because we’re friends. And friends don’t need to buy their friends’ loyalty. Got it?”

* * * *

Jamie spent the whole night tossing and turning, trying to come up with some way to go on this trip. She only remembered she was supposed to pick up coffee when she was walking into their office.

He glanced up and then frowned. “Was it my day? I’m sorry, I forgot.”

“No. I just remembered it was my day. I’m the one who forgot.”

“Are you okay? You’re wearing your forty-degree coat and it’s only twenty outside.”

“I guess I didn’t notice.”

“What’s wrong?” was his immediate reply. He’d even jumped up from his chair to come closer. “Are you sick? Do you have a fever?” His hand twitched and for a second she thought he was going to reach out to touch her head, but he didn’t.

“Yes. I have cabin fever. Maybe if I wear my forty-degree coat it will become forty degrees. And how sad is it that I would be happy for forty-degree weather?” She threw her hands in the air. “I’m going to go get coffee.”

She rushed out of their office and went to the break room to get them each a cup. Hoping it would magically change the season. Maybe she would find a spouse at the coffeepot and she’d be admitted to join the trip.

When she came back, Wes was leaning on her desk.

“Thank you,” he said as he placed the cup on the table and crossed his arms again. “I know you’re bummed about Jamaica. But you need to let it go. Maybe one day we’ll be married and will get invited to these things too.”

She knew he’d meant they’d be married to other people, but the way he’d worded his statement caused a spark of an idea. Maybe it was a good idea, most likely it was madness. But it quickly ignited and burned its way through her mind.

She waited until the kernel of thought formed into a full-fledged scheme before she smiled at Weston.

“That’s it. That’s what we’ll do. We’ll get married.”

Chapter 4

Jamie waited for it to sink in. She didn’t know what she expected. Maybe that he’d tell her she was brilliant. Instead, his brows creased in confusion.

“But neither of us is even dating anyone.” He backed away from her. “Why do you have the same smile as the Grinch when he comes up with the plan to steal Christmas?”