Page 47 of The Work Wife

“Right.” His one-word answer wasn’t going to work forever. But then, it only had to work until Friday.

“But you’re not going to elaborate?”

“Not yet.”

“Know this. If you’re fooling around on my daughter not even a week after you promised to be faithful, I’ll end you.”

“If I were to do such a thing, I would want to be ended. That would be pretty low, and I’m honored that you would think I would do such a thing.”

“I don’t like sarcasm.”

“But Jamie—”

“I don’t like sarcasm when she does it either.”

“But you like her more than me,” Wes said.

“A little bit, yeah.”

Weston wanted to point out the sarcasm in Mr. Witmer’s answer, but decided it wouldn’t work in his favor.

“Is there anything you need in town?”

“If you can find a time machine to go back and let me talk some sense into my daughter, that would be nice.”

“How far back would you need to go?”

Mr. Witmer scrunched up his face in thought before answering.

“Pretty far.” The man smiled, actually smiled at Weston. It only lasted for a second or two, but Wes saw it as a step in the right direction. Hopefully his plan would get him closer to winning the man over.

His plans kept him busy most of the day and into the evening. He faced matching looks of annoyance even though he’d brought a pizza from Jamie’s favorite place.

He didn’t sleep well that night. He was too excited. Jamie, once again, tried to weasel information out of him before they went to bed, but he’d kept it a secret. He left in the morning before anyone was up to go take care of a few last-minute things.

When he returned, it was to find matching frowns on the faces of Jamie and her father. It was time. Finally.

“Thank you for your patience.”

Her father didn’t call him on the sarcasm this time, though Wes had been oozing with it.

“I’d like to take my wife and father-in-law out for lunch.”

“You’re laying it on a little thick aren’t you?” Jamie whispered so her father wouldn’t hear.

“Just go with it.” He hoped he hadn’t made a huge mistake. “Trust me.”

* * * *

Trust him, Wes had told Jamie.

Despite all his strange behavior the last couple of days, she did trust him.

“I made reservations at Diablo’s for two o’clock,” Wes announced as Jamie stared at him in confusion. What was he doing? It sure wouldn’t have taken all morning and the day before to make a reservation.

“Wow. Diablo’s. Swanky.” Her father seemed impressed.

Jamie was more suspicious than impressed. It only got worse when it was time to go and Weston asked her to wear a nice dress.