Page 68 of The Work Wife

* * * *

Two days later they were in the office working on a bid for a gymnasium, when Jamie’s phone rang. He could tell by the way she snatched it up to answer that it was her father.

“Daddy? You okay?”

Wes smiled at the endearment. He couldn’t imagine having that kind of relationship with his mother. He didn’t think the word mommy had ever crossed his lips. She had always been Mother.

“What are you—? Yeah, he’s right here. I’ll put you on speaker.”

Wes had an idea he wasn’t going to want to be on speaker with her father.

“—that sneaky son of a bitch.”

“Daddy, what are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about him hiring a nurse to come to the house every day and make sure I am okay. How many times do I have to tell you, I’m fine?”

“A nurse?” Jamie looked up at Wes as he sighed in defeat.

“How do you know it was me?”

“I was a goddamned detective for twenty-four years and I still have connections in the FBI. It’s not that hard to follow a trail.”

“I guess I should have thought of that.” Wes rubbed his forehead and frowned.

“You also should have thought about how I wouldn’t want you nosing around in my business.”

With that Wes walked over to Jamie’s desk and snatched up her phone. Three strides later he was already out in the hall, heading for the door. He pressed the screen to take Mr. Witmer off speaker and kept walking before Jamie could catch up to him. He needed to talk to her father alone.

“Mr. Witmer. Mr. Witmer! Can you stop yelling for a second? It’s just me. I left Jamie in our office. I need to talk to you.”

“Are you going to give me a choice or are you going to hire someone to force me to do it?”

Wes rolled his eyes. That was something Jamie would have said. “Look, I knew you weren’t going to want to have a nurse, but I did it for Jamie.”

“Then why is Mrs. Knox here at my house instead of yours?”

“Jamie doesn’t want to go on the trip to Jamaica because she’s afraid to leave in case you need her. It’s only a matter of time before she ends up down there taking care of you herself, and I know you don’t want that. She’s trying really hard not to fuss over you, but she’s worried all the time. You don’t see it. I do. It’s killing me.”

“Okay. Calm down.”

Wes hadn’t realized he was yelling, but the receptionist by the lobby was staring at him with wide eyes. “Can you please just allow us to take care of you a little bit? So Jamie doesn’t worry? Please?”

“I’ve told her I’m fine.”

“Yes, but she doesn’t believe you because you say you’re fine even if you’re not. And probably a little because of the Santa thing.”

The man snorted at that. “Okay. I’ll let Mrs. Knox fuss a little if it means Jamie stays up there, and goes on her trip.”

“I think it’s the only way she’ll be able to have a good time.”

“Is she around?”

“I walked out of our office. I can take you back.”

“Before you do that, I need to talk to you about something else.”

“Okay.” What now?