The Work Wife

by Allison B Hanson

  Wes took advantage of Jamie’s absence to set things up in New York. He didn’t think he could handle a dramatic goodbye scene. He didn’t want to leave her.

  He asked her to come with him, but she wanted him to be free to decide what he wanted without her swaying the decision. Plus, she said she’d feel better if he went ahead to make sure she would like working there before she did anything drastic.

  As he unpacked his clothes at the new apartment, he worried what this distance would do to them. He would happily move back to Boston if she’d asked him. Instead she was standing by him and supporting him on this journey.

  He owed it to himself and Benji to either join the company or step down. Blain and Douglas had given him three months to let them know. He would keep an open mind and do what was best for his future.

  And Jamie’s.

  His mother walked in his office, assessing the changes the decorator had made. It had been his first order of business.

  “It looks like a completely different office.”

  “That was the goal.”

  “Why do you go out of your way to reject everything your father built for you? I don’t know whatever happened between the two of you. I asked, but he said he didn’t know. He just said you hated him for some reason and he probably deserved it.”

  This was the opening he needed to spill the truth. Now or never.

  “He did deserve it,” he said while motioning to his new sofa. “Have a seat. I need to tell you something.”

  “Oh, no. This sounds serious.”

  “I’m afraid it is. I know it’s not something you’ll want to hear, but it’s time. Jamie said I needed to tell you so I can be free.”

  His mother’s brows pulled together and she patted his leg, encouraging him to go on.

  “Dad was having an affair with his assistant. I don’t know how long it went on, but I saw him with her. I’m sorry.”

  She stared down at her hands for a moment. Her shoulders lifted and fell as she took a deep breath. When she looked up at him her pale blue eyes were indifferent. He’d expected her to be upset. He’d expected tears, or maybe anger. Not this dispassionate shrug of annoyance.

  “I knew,” she said.

  “You knew? But—”

  “He’d always had affairs. Even since you boys were small. It was nothing.”

  “Nothing?” he choked out. “Your husband was unfaithful and it was nothing? Why did you stay with him?”

  She rolled her eyes as if he were being ridiculous. “He was rich. A woman doesn’t leave a rich man for something as minor as infidelity.”

  Christ. He couldn’t believe he was hearing this. She hadn’t even used his brother and him as an excuse. Somehow, it might have seemed excusable if she’d stayed to keep their family together. But no, of course it wouldn’t have been because of family. They’d never been a real family.

  This woman was nothing more than the gold digger she’d accused Jamie of being. She’d given up years of happiness for nothing more than money and the prestige of being Geoffrey Archer’s wife.

  “I can’t believe this,” he finally said.

  “I’m sorry, but it’s how I know you and this girl are not going to last. She’s not going to be able to be second either.”

  “I don’t want her to be second. I would never cheat on her. Never.”

  “It’s easy to say that now, when it’s new and you’re in love.” Wes twitched at the word and his mother noticed. She tilted her head to the side. “You don’t love her?”

  He let out a breath, along with the whole story. He wanted her to see how seriously he took commitment. Even if it hadn’t started out as a real marriage, he was damn well going to be faithful.

  “It started out as just a way to schmooze a possible client, but now it’s become something real. I’m not sure if it’s love, but I know she’s important to me.”

  “Important enough to get your estate if something happens to you?”

  “Yes. That important. If you’re still trying to get me to change the beneficiary on my accounts, you’re wasting your time.”

  “What about a post-nuptial? Just to make sure she doesn’t leave with half of everything that is yours.”

  Weston shook his head. “No.”

  “You’ve already admitted that you might not love her.”

  “I’m not sure yet. But I am sure that I want her to be taken care of.” He had always known he loved her in that way, at the least.

  “If you’re using this as some kind of incentive to make it work, there are better ways.”

  “I’m not. I know you think I rushed into this, and admittedly the wedding was a bit rash. But I’ve known her for five years, we have a connection that is stronger than many marriages. I know we can do this. I want it to work.”

  “Okay.” She held up her hands in a backing-off gesture. He was a little stunned that she’d given up so easily.

  “I’d like you to give Jamie a chance. You’ll have to apologize.” He would not back down on this. She’d been incredibly rude and he knew it hurt Jamie that he hadn’t defended her. He needed to do better.

  “Apologize?” His mother looked like she’s swallowed a bug. He’d never seen her apologize to anyone in his life.

  “You called her a harlot.”

  “I may have misjudged.”

  “If it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t be sitting in this office right now.”

  “Fine. I’ll reach out and amend my earlier comment.”

  While she hadn’t actually agreed to give a formal apology, it was the most he could hope for. “Thank you.”

  “Why didn’t she come with you to New York?” his mother asked with a smug expression.

  “She’s giving me space to decide what is right for me.”

  “Hmm,” his mother said, and left him to his piles of work.

  He didn’t expect her to understand what a big deal this was. How could someone who was willing to stay married for the sake of money and power understand how it felt to have someone back him up when he was uncertain about where he wanted to go? To know she would stick by him, no matter what he decided.

  He almost felt sorry for the woman, except she’d made a choice to stay. She’d sacrificed happiness for money, and he had no respect for her decision.

  * * * *

  Ben peeked in his father’s old office and smiled at the sight of Wes sitting behind the desk. “You’re working,” he said as he went in.

  “Yes. Though I have to say I could have finished some of these projects myself if I didn’t have to spend so much time assigning projects to everyone. It feels like quicksand.”

  “Welcome to management.” Ben held out his hands as he took in the office. “It looks nice in here.”

  “Thanks.”

  “If redecorating the office was your only requirement, we could have taken care of that years ago.” Ben was so relieved to see his brother here. While he had been managing the business on his own, he knew he’d been spread too thin to actually do it well. He needed help, and now he wouldn’t have to do this on his own.

  “The new furniture wasn’t the only requirement.” Wes gave him a knowing look.

  “Right. Just say the word, and we will make a position available for Jamie.”

  Wes laughed. “Jamie is not going to want a position that was created for her. If she joins the company, she’s going to want a real job. Do you know nothing about women?”

  Ben shrugged it off. He knew plenty about Annabelle. No doubt she would be insulted if he tried to elevate her in the company for no other reason than that they were sleeping together. Though he’d offered, and she’d told him she was happy where she was. It gave her time for her other pursuits.

  “I know some things, and I’m learning more each day,” Ben shared.

  Wes lifted
his brow. “You’re seeing someone?”

  “Yes. It’s new. I’ll be sure to introduce you at least a day or so before we get married.”

  “You’re not going to get over it, are you?”

  “I’ll probably get over it before Mother.” Telling her had done the trick. She’d stopped talking and walked out of his office. It had been a great day.

  “I’m still pissed that you told her.”

  Wes obviously didn’t agree. “If you’d been in my shoes at the time, you would have done the same thing.”

  Wes frowned, but didn’t argue. “Do you want to go get some dinner tonight?”

  “Uh, I can’t. I have plans.”

  “With a girl?” Wes smiled as if he’d caught him doing something wrong.

  “Yes. With a girl.”

  “Can I meet her?”

  “No. Not until you learn to stop calling me Benji. I’m an adult.” While he hated the name, he had to admit he liked the affection that came with it. He’d missed having his brother nearby. Ben wanted to do whatever he could to make the transition easier so Wes would want to stay.

  “Fine. How about dinner tomorrow?”

  “I can probably make that work. Unless you’re too busy to get away from the office.”

  “I won’t be too busy. I have to eat.”

  “We’ll see.” Ben knew what it was like. Wes was only halfway through the project list. By the end of the week, he’d be staying late and ordering takeout.

  * * * *

  Her father frowned as he looked at her. “What’s wrong with you? You’ve been quiet. It’s a bad sign when you’re quiet.”

  Jamie was brought back to the moment by her father’s question. She would be leaving the next day to go back to Boston. Back to an empty apartment that held a cat she’d yet to find. And back to work in an empty office.

  “I’m just thinking,” she answered.

  “It’s a worse sign when you’re thinking.” He delivered his joke with a grin.

  He was doing well, all things considered. His doctors said so too. Jamie had gone to the appointment to make sure rather than take her father’s word on that.

  “What is it?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Jamie, you come down here and weasel your way into every little thing that is happening to me. Now tell me about you. Something’s bothering you. If you don’t let me help you, I’m going to move and not tell you where I’m going.”

  He’d been making that threat since she was in seventh grade. So far, he hadn’t even changed grocery stores.

  “Fine. Wes and I had a thing.”

  “Did he tell you he was rich?” His delivery was as casual as if he’d asked if Wes had told her he liked cheese.

  “You knew?” She gasped in surprise.

  “I told you I was checking him out.”

  “I told you not to.”

  “I’m the parent. You don’t get to tell me what to do.”

  She answered this with a sound that she’d learned from him.

  He chose to ignore it. “I confronted him about it. He said he was going to tell you when he was ready. He worried it might change things between you. Did it?”

  “I don’t think so. I mean this ring is real.” She tossed her hand in the air.

  “Why wouldn’t it be real?” His forehead creased in that detective-catching-someone-in-a-lie kind of way.

  Oh, right. He didn’t know that part. She swallowed and held it up. “It’s huge. I assumed it was a fake. Wouldn’t you?”

  “I assumed he was a dumb ass who didn’t have enough sense not to spend all his money on a piece of jewelry.”

  “It was his grandmother’s. He didn’t buy it. But I guess he could have.”

  “Maybe the money is bothering you more than you want it to.”

  She shrugged. “We also have a cat. I’ve never seen it, but the lady across the hall has been coming over to refill the automatic water and food bowls. He didn’t mention we had a cat.”

  “Jamie?”

  “Yeah?”

  “I have cancer. Can you cut me some slack and just tell me what the hell is bothering you?”

  She raised her brow at him playing the cancer card. He knew that got her every time.

  “I encouraged him to go work at his family business to see if it was the right fit for him. I could tell it bothered him to have walked away because of something his father had done. I know it was the right thing for him. I know it’s something he needs to do so he can have some peace.”

  “And?” her father prompted when she stopped talking.

  “I’m not sure if it was the right thing for us. I mean, we just got married and now he’s living in another city. We won’t get to see each other. What if we drift apart?”

  He let out a breath and frowned. “You know that poem about letting something go and if it comes back to you it was meant to be?”

  Oh, God. He was using poem therapy. How pathetic had she become to warrant poem therapy? “Yeah.”

  “Well, it’s crap, but it does make a valid point. I let your mother go, and she didn’t come back. It wasn’t meant to be.”

  “Dad, she was stoned out of her mind half the time and wouldn’t have known how to get back if she’d wanted to.”

  “Still.” He held up his index finger. “It wasn’t meant to be,” he repeated. “If you and Wes love each other, a few hours’ drive isn’t going to do anything to ruin that. Besides, there’s all kinds of ways to stay in touch with someone. Send him a sext and he’ll be home in no time.”

  Her mouth actually fell open. More because he’d known the word sext than because he’d suggested she send one to her husband. “I think this conversation is over.”

  “Good,” he said. “Let’s go get ice cream. Ice cream always makes you happy.”

  She might have pointed out that it had worked when she was eight. Except she did want some ice cream. Not that she expected it to make things better.

  Her father’s logic only held true if Wes loved her.

  And she didn’t know if he did.

  * * * *

  Wes frowned at the pretentious restaurant his brother had brought him to. He just wanted to get something good to eat. From a menu that didn’t have things he couldn’t pronounce. A place where the only French item was fries.

  “Archer,” Ben said to the host, or maître d’, as it were.

  They were seated and Wes pointed to his selection from the menu, unable to say it. Benji—no, Ben—ordered them a bottle of wine.

  “Did you bring me to this fancy restaurant so I would see how grown up you are?”

  “No. I brought you here because it used to be your favorite place.”

  “It was?” He looked around and frowned again. It did look familiar.

  He sat back and realized he was probably a snob back then. He’d been rich, and his life was laid before his feet like royalty. No doubt he’d probably liked this place because he felt he should.

  When he’d run away to Boston he’d rejected everything he had, and became something else. Someone else. Jamie had influenced this change in him to some degree.

  “I guess I’ve changed,” Wes finally told his brother. “I’m more of a good-food person than an expensive-food person.”

  “Good for you,” Ben said with a smile. “The next time you get time for dinner I’ll take you to MacGregor’s. It’s my favorite place. And not because my girlfriend’s band plays there.”

  “Hold on. Your girlfriend is in a band?” He couldn’t even picture his stiff younger brother dating a rocker chick.

  “Yes.”

  “Does Mother know?”

  “Of course not. Don’t be ridiculous.” They both laughed.

  When the bottle was empty and the laughter was coming easier, Benji turned
contemplative—as drunk men often do.

  “Tell me why you left.”

  Wes let out a breath. He’d already shared the story with their mother. If he thought it might change the way Ben felt about their father, he might have kept it a secret, but neither of them were ever that close to the man. It was impossible to be close to someone who only cared about his business, and apparently his mistresses.

  “He had an affair.” Maybe he shouldn’t have blurted it out like that. Or at the very least he could have waited until Benji wasn’t sipping his water.

  Wes smacked him on the back as he choked.

  “What?”

  “Dad cheated on our mother.”

  “When? He was at work all the time.”

  “It was at work. I happened upon them one evening when I was staying late. It was more than unpleasant.” So much more.

  “I can imagine.”

  “It was only slightly more unpleasant than hearing Mother tell me she knew and didn’t care.”

  “You’re kidding. Mother knew and just looked the other way?” It was good to see that Ben was just as baffled by this behavior as Wes was. Maybe there was hope for them after all.

  “She didn’t want to give up the money.” Wes shook his head, still unable to comprehend.

  “Who was he with?” Ben asked, his brows creased in disgust.

  “His assistant. The worst part was I had a thing for her before that. She was hot. Not like Jamie, but pretty.”

  Ben swallowed and looked a little pale. “Does she still work there?”

  “I have no idea. She did when I left.”

  “What was her name?” Ben’s voice cracked.

  “I don’t know. Angie, Amy? Something with an A.”

  “Was she blond?”

  “Yeah.” Wes frowned. “Ben, you can’t fire her for something she did years ago. If she’s still with the company, it must mean she does a good job. I know I won’t be sleeping with her, so let it go.”

  “I have to go.” Ben stood, his eyes frantic.

  “Are you taking this badly? I’m sorry. I didn’t think you’d care this much.” He should have been more sensitive. Maybe Ben looked up to him more than Wes realized.