Page 134 of The Work Wife

“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.