Page 14 of The Work Wife

Again he’d surprised her and she didn’t like this one any more than the restaurant with the miniscule crab cakes. She was certain she would be equally disappointed.

“No. I don’t think that’s a good idea. We both work tomorrow.” This was nicer than what she’d been thinking.

“Okay. Well, maybe another time.”

“We’ll have to see.” She slipped out of the car and hurried into her building. When she turned to wave, he was already gone. Wes always waited until she was safely inside before he pulled away.

Chapter 3

Wes had to laugh when Jamie walked into their office in all her Abominable Snowman splendor. The parka with the fur-trimmed hood, the angora mittens, the scarf up to her nose and the giant snow boots. This was her normal attire when the thermometer dropped under twenty degrees.

“It’s three inches of snow, James,” he teased as she struggled to escape her outerwear. “You look like you’re competing in the Iditarod.”

“Three inches on top of the six inches already on the ground.”

“Shouldn’t you have acclimated by now? You’ve spent five years in Boston. You know it’s cold in the winter and scorching in the summer.”

“It’s hell,” she grumbled.

Weston twisted his mouth to the side, thinking over her allegation. He was from New York. There wasn’t much difference between New York City and Boston, as far as the weather went. But New York did have better pizza.

“Yes. Hell,” he finally agreed, earning a satisfied smile from Jamie.

He’d never met anyone so determined to be right all the time. She made everything into a competition. Fortunately, he didn’t feel a need to compete with her.

The woman definitely saw them as a team. They were a single unit working toward a common goal. And 99 percent of the time they were completely in sync when it came to the goal.

“I wouldn’t need boots in Jamaica,” she grumbled as she kicked them off and yanked on her sneakers.

She was still worked up about the couples’ trip. Weston agreed it would be a great way to convince the McCaffertys that he and Jamie could give them what they wanted.

“I brought you coffee, but it’s probably iced by now.” She handed him the cup, with bright cheeks and a frown. “I made some of that casserole you like. I brought you half.”

“Thanks, work wife,” he said while rubbing his palms together. When he was first paired with a female partner, he had reservations. Not with her skill, but with the possibility of a physical attraction getting in the way of their job. He was glad that hadn’t happened.

“What is that?” She pointed at the paper on his desk. “I don’t like these pillars.”

“They hold up the building.”

“I understand that. I’m saying they need to be less aggressive.”

“Aggressive?” He didn’t know how to make a pillar less aggressive. It was a pillar, not a shark.

“They need to look less institutional and more . . . romantic.”

“Romantic pillars?” He made a noise between a sigh and snort. He’d never heard anything so ridiculous.

“Yes. Romantic.”

“How about this?” He quickly sketched out a rose winding up the pillars.

“You think you’re funny, but you’re not.”

“I’m hilarious.”

“No. Trust me on this. It isn’t so.”

“What do you want?” He handed over the paper, knowing whatever she came up with was going to be amazing. It always was.