The Work Wife

by Allison B Hanson

  He even pointed in case she didn’t remember where the door was.

  When she was gone, Ben returned to his position by her side and looked up at Annabelle, as calm as ever.

  “Where was I? Oh, right. Apologizing for being a complete dick.”

  She chuckled as her mind replayed something he’d said to his mother.

  Had he just implied that he was in love with her?

  She swallowed and nodded. “I forgive you,” she said.

  “Honestly?”

  “Yes. Don’t try to talk me out of it.” She laughed at his shocked expression. Was it so hard for him to figure out that maybe she loved him too? Maybe she needed to tell him. Or show him.

  “Thank you.” He leaned closer but held back.

  She didn’t.

  She reached for him and kissed him, happy to have everything resolved.

  When they’d gone as far as was possible in his brother’s office, she pulled away and looked into his eyes. Something serious lingered there, and for a moment she thought he was going to beg her for forgiveness yet again.

  “I love you,” he said instead.

  She nodded and smiled. “I love you too.”

  Chapter 25

  When Wes couldn’t get on a flight, he did something extreme. He readied the company jet. It was a ridiculous expense. Something his father had purchased. As soon as Wes was done using it to save his marriage, he would be selling it to reduce costs.

  As he waited for the plane to arrive he called Jamie again and, as expected, got no answer.

  With a sigh of determination, he dialed someone who might be able to help.

  “Let me guess,” her father answered. “You’ve made a terrible mistake.”

  “Yes. I trusted my mother and she tricked me into ending my marriage.”

  “This I’ve got to hear.” Mr. Witmer chuckled, but without any real humor. Wes knew he wouldn’t find anything funny if Jamie was upset.

  “I’ll be happy to tell you all about it when I get there.”

  “You’re coming here?”

  “Yes. She won’t speak to me on the phone, and I need to see her to fix this. I’m coming there.”

  “Hmm.”

  “What? She’s there, isn’t she?” God, he just needed to see her.

  “Not at the moment. She had a doctor’s appointment.”

  “Doctor? What’s wrong with her? Is she okay?” His original worry was replaced by a new one.

  “Relax. I’m sure she’s fine. She looked fine.”

  This coming from the man who knew how well one could look while being treated for cancer. “I’ll be leaving in an hour.”

  “Before you go to the trouble of coming down here, I need to ask you something.”

  “Okay.”

  “Do you love her?”

  “Yes.” Wes didn’t even hesitate. He was done hesitating when it came to important things like love and his future with Jamie.

  “She told me the whole story. Why the two of you got married in the first place. You don’t need to say you love her to keep up the charade.”

  “All right.”

  “I’ll ask again. Do you love her?” His voice was deadly serious. The tone used to get even the most hardened criminals to confess the truth. It was easy for Wes to answer. No intimidation required.

  “I do. The problem is I haven’t told her. She doesn’t know how I feel.”

  “Let me know when you land, and I’ll come pick you up.”

  He had a chance to make this right. And Mr. Witmer was on his side. Things were looking up.

  * * * *

  If there was one thing Jamie had learned from her father’s illness, it was to go to the doctor at the first sign of trouble.

  That thought was what had brought her to this point, standing in front of the medical center in shock. She hadn’t been prepared for the diagnosis.

  Knowing she wasn’t fit to drive at the moment, she walked down the street, her legs shaky. There was a coffee shop two blocks away. She would go there, have a cup of tea, and look over the brochures the doctor had given her. She’d be ready to formulate a plan once she had more information.

  In times like this, she would have called Wes, but she couldn’t. Not now. She’d lost her best friend when she’d lost her husband.

  When she looked up—finally noticing her surroundings—she realized she’d gone too far. She needed to focus on one thing at a time. It was the only way.

  Paying attention now, she stopped at the crosswalk and pressed the button for the light.

  When the signal changed, the SUV stopped and she began walking. One foot in front of the other. She’d just passed the corner of the person’s bumper when the car behind the SUV impatiently pulled around to pass. She tried to jump out of the way, but she moved too slow.

  * * * *

  Wes was able to fly direct to Newport News International so he didn’t have far to drive. To his surprise Jamie’s father called him as he was leaving the rental desk.

  “Hello?”

  “Are you here yet?” Chris Witmer asked, something odd in his voice, and not his normal irritation or grumpiness.

  “I’m in Newport News. I just got a rental, I’m heading out now.”

  “Do you know where the hospital is?”

  “The hospital? What’s going on? Are you okay?” He’d promised Jamie he would be okay. Wes had promised her he would stay married to her. Everyone was dropping the ball.

  “Jamie was in an accident this morning.”

  “Accident?” This was not what he was expecting to hear. It took a few seconds for Wes to change gears. “How bad? Is she okay?”

  “I’m not sure yet. I’m on my way now. I’ll meet you there and we’ll find out together.”

  “I’m on my way.”

  He programmed his phone to tell him where to go and followed the instructions and the blue signs until he arrived at the hospital where his wife had been taken after an accident.

  When he parked, Chris was getting out of his vehicle two aisles over.

  “What happened?” Wes asked, knowing they’d just spoken.

  “The officer said she was walking across the street and she was hit by a car.”

  “Oh, God. Hurry.” Wes wanted to pick the man up and carry him.

  After a short visit at the nurse’s station, where Wes lied and said he was Jamie’s husband, they were sent to a room to wait for the doctor. All they knew so far was that Jamie was in surgery and should be out soon.

  “Surgery,” Wes groaned as he sat next to Jamie’s father. “This is all my fault.”

  Mr. Witmer sniffed as if in agreement.

  “Isn’t there someone on the force you can contact to get more details about the accident?” Wes asked hopefully.

  “That’s not a bad idea.” The man pulled out his phone to text the slowest message ever.

  Before they got an answer, the doctor came out with a smile on her very young face.

  “Are you Jamie Archer’s family?”

  “Yes, I’m her husband, and this is her father.” Wes practically shot out of his chair.

  “Everything went well. She’s being moved to recovery now. Give us about an hour and we’ll have her moved to a regular room and you’ll be able to see her.”

  “What happened?”

  “Her left leg is broken in four places. We had to place pins at two of the breaks and a plate near her hip. The others were clean and will heal on their own. She’s got some abrasions and contusions, but she and the baby will be just fine.”

  Wes stared at the woman for a moment. The word baby echoing though his head.

  “Baby?” Chris said the word and it echoed again.

  “Oh, I’m sorry. You didn’t know?” The doctor frowned and looked at Wes. “
You didn’t know either?”

  Wes might have shook his head. He wasn’t sure. The doctor pressed her lips together and patted his arm.

  “Don’t worry. We’re monitoring the baby closely. She’s only about six or seven weeks. The baby’s heartbeat is strong and steady. I don’t see any cause for alarm.”

  “They’re going to be okay?” Wes needed to verify this part.

  “Yes, they are. Sit tight and we’ll bring you in as soon as we can.”

  Mr. Witmer helped Wes back to his seat.

  “A baby,” Wes said.

  “She went to the doctor today. It was the lady-parts doctor, so I didn’t ask what the problem was, you know?”

  “Right.” Wes understood why her father wouldn’t want the details.

  “She thinks I don’t want to be married to her,” Wes said.

  “Do you want to be married to her?”

  “Yes. My mother told me the papers I was signing were to add Jamie as my beneficiary. I signed them thinking I was giving her everything, but I was ending our marriage. She must have been so upset.”

  “She was. Then she got really mad.”

  Wes didn’t blame her one bit.

  * * * *

  Jamie woke to an incessant beeping. It couldn’t be her heartbeat. At that speed it would have blown up. Unable to sleep through the noise, she blinked her eyes open to see white. White everything. The ceiling, walls, blanket . . .

  She was clearly in the hospital. Surely heaven wouldn’t smell like this. And the beeping . . .

  She turned her head toward the offensive machine and saw two lines moving at very different speeds. The one on top was slow, while the one on the bottom fluttered quickly. It was the same tempo as the one she’d heard at the doctor’s office when she’d been told she was pregnant.

  A quick breath left her body as she moved her hand to her stomach. It was still as flat as it had been.

  “The baby’s fine, Jamie,” Wes said from his seat on the other side of the bed.

  She turned to see his face, strained with relief and concern, and then he broke down in tears. “Our baby is fine.”

  He wiped his eyes but another tear ran down his cheek. “I never wanted to have our marriage annulled. It was a misunderstanding.”

  “But you said—”

  “I know what I said, but I thought I was saying it about a different document. My mother lied to us both.”

  The relief was short-lived. She was glad he hadn’t ended things. But it had been a bad idea to get married in the first place. She’d only realized it after finding out about the baby.

  She’d been so happy until she remembered she was alone. Her thoughts went to Wes and how adamant he’d been about not having children because it wouldn’t be fair to them.

  “This was a stupid plan, not a real marriage.”

  He shook his head and took her hand, careful of her IV.

  “Jamie, it was a stupid plan, but it was the best decision I’ve ever made. I love you. I want to marry you. Again. Please give me a chance to be a real husband for you.”

  “You love me?” She knew this man better than anyone, and she could tell by looking in his calm blue eyes that he meant what he was saying. The line at the top of the monitor sped up a bit.

  “Yes. And not just as friends. I mean, you’re still my best friend, but I love you in a much different way.”

  “I love you in a different way too,” she admitted.

  He leaned over her to kiss her lips and then rested his hand on her stomach. “We’re going to be a real family. I’m going to marry you again as soon as you’re able.”

  “Actually”—her father’s gruff voice startled Jamie as he walked into the room—“the two of you are still hitched.”

  “What?” Jamie and Wes said at the same time.

  “I had my guy look over the papers Jamie signed. They only included your marriage in Massachusetts.” He held up a certificate. “You were legally married in Virginia and still are.”

  Wes turned to her and she looked up at his big grin as happiness filled her heart.

  “We’re still married,” he whispered, pressing his forehead against hers.

  “I would have married you a few more times anyway.”

  Epilogue

  Jamie walked into the office to a chorus of “Surprise!” Instinctively her hand went to her stomach, but it was unnecessary. She’d given birth six months ago.

  Their daughter was spending the day with Jamie’s dad. Otherwise known as the new babysitter.

  Jamie agreed to the arrangement after her father was given a clean bill of health. It also helped that she and Wes had bought a house a block away and their office was in their renovated attic.

  Shadow liked to lie in front of the large windows in the front where Jamie could see the ocean. Through the windows in the back she could see her father’s backyard.

  She looked around their office at all the people. Ben and Annabelle were there, though she’d just seen them three weeks ago at their wedding.

  Mrs. Knox—Roberta—was off to the side, smiling. And there in the center of the room was Wes.

  He came closer as her father walked in, carrying their daughter.

  “What is going on?”

  “It’s your one-year anniversary with our company,” Wes pointed out happily.

  It hadn’t taken long for Wes and Ben to revamp Archer Worldwide. They sold the jet, took care of the building that could have ended the company, and most importantly they’d forced their mother out.

  The woman only escaped legal consequences because Jamie begged Wes to let it go. Jamie didn’t want to have to spend another minute near the woman. Annabelle and Ben had agreed.

  They would have started their own division sooner, but they’d wanted to finish the plans for Holly’s headquarters. They’d hit the number one team that quarter, and then they announced their plans to leave Blain & Douglas.

  “You know how I feel about surprises,” Jamie whispered to her husband as Wes took their daughter from her dad.

  “Come on. You have to like some surprises, right?” Wes held Camille out to her.

  She held their daughter and nuzzled her soft cheek. “You’re right. Some surprises are wonderful.”

  Her husband bent down to kiss her and whispered in her ear. “Did I mention there’s cake?”

  Don’t miss the other

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  GETTING DOWN TO BUSINESS

  Plus read all of Allison B. Hanson’s novels

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  From

  Lyrical Press

  Some jobs come with unexpected benefits . . .

  Alyssa runs her personal life just like her professional one: smoothly and efficiently. She learned in the worst way possible that investing her heart in a relationship only leads to disaster, and she won’t take that risk again. Pleasure is still on the table though—as long as there are no feelings involved. Until a one-night stand leaves a lasting impression.

  When after-work drinks lead to an after-hours hookup, Grayson finds himself playing by Alyssa’s rules—but she leaves him wanting more. Even when they discover they work for the same company, Alyssa is all business—on the outside, at least. As far as she’s concerned, keeping Grayson at a safe distance is now part of her job description, even if it’s her most challenging task. But when her living situation falls apart, Grayson makes her an offer she can’t refuse . . .

  The terms of their new merger are strict: roommates only; hands off. But every contract can be broken—and every heart can be melted—if the deal is sweet enough . . .

  Who said mixing work and pleasure was a bad idea?

  For Kenley Carmichael, getting fired for sleeping with the bos
s’s husband is almost funny—at 28, she’s still a virgin. Not that her now ex-boss would believe it—Kenley’s got the face and figure to attract plenty of men, even if she’s never found the right one. A job at New Haven Custom Boats is a chance to start fresh and learn a whole new skill set. Trouble is, she can’t stop wishing her incredibly hot new boss would introduce her to some decidedly un-businesslike pleasure . . .

  Zane Jackson needs a new assistant, but when his pregnant sister hires her replacement, she chooses a girl who reminds him of the kind who broke his heart in high school. Zane might not be that shy boy anymore, but sweet, sexy Kenley makes him feel every bit as awkward as he did then—and even hungrier to kiss her. She’s the perfect woman for the job—but he wants her to be so much more.

  Interoffice dating can only lead to trouble—unless it leads to true love . . .

  Whispering breezes, clear mountain lakes—and her ex.

  Alexis Montgomery thought her marriage was fine. Sure, they were going through hard times, struggling to get pregnant—but she and Ian had chemistry, friendship, and love. Or so she thought, until she found the separation agreement waiting for her on the countertop.

  Ian Montgomery feels like life is spinning out of his control. He’s got a new girlfriend, even if he can’t remember why he’s supposed to want one. His family clearly likes his ex-wife more than they like him. And then he inherits the romantic family cabin in the rolling Blue Ridge Mountains, where he and Alexis honeymooned. Or rather, they both inherit it. Together.

  A weekend alone with fresh air and fresh wounds seems like the worst thing that could happen to an ex-couple trying to keep it civil. But life is full of surprises—and Ian and Alexis are in for a big one…

  A romantic cabin in the mountains. And a man who knows how to get lost…

  With a brand-new M.D. behind her name and a wonderful man by her side, Nichole Atherton thought she had her happily-ever-after all sorted out. Then her fiancé told her he was gay. Nic can fake a smile better than anyone, but she’s hanging by a thread. She just has to make it through her best friend’s wedding…and an encounter with his nightmare little brother, Tucker Matthews.