Page 136 of The Work Wife

Mr. Witmer helped Wes back to his seat.

“A baby,” Wes said.

“She went to the doctor today. It was the lady-parts doctor, so I didn’t ask what the problem was, you know?”

“Right.” Wes understood why her father wouldn’t want the details.

“She thinks I don’t want to be married to her,” Wes said.

“Do you want to be married to her?”

“Yes. My mother told me the papers I was signing were to add Jamie as my beneficiary. I signed them thinking I was giving her everything, but I was ending our marriage. She must have been so upset.”

“She was. Then she got really mad.”

Wes didn’t blame her one bit.

* * * *

Jamie woke to an incessant beeping. It couldn’t be her heartbeat. At that speed it would have blown up. Unable to sleep through the noise, she blinked her eyes open to see white. White everything. The ceiling, walls, blanket . . .

She was clearly in the hospital. Surely heaven wouldn’t smell like this. And the beeping . . .

She turned her head toward the offensive machine and saw two lines moving at very different speeds. The one on top was slow, while the one on the bottom fluttered quickly. It was the same tempo as the one she’d heard at the doctor’s office when she’d been told she was pregnant.

A quick breath left her body as she moved her hand to her stomach. It was still as flat as it had been.

“The baby’s fine, Jamie,” Wes said from his seat on the other side of the bed.

She turned to see his face, strained with relief and concern, and then he broke down in tears. “Our baby is fine.”

He wiped his eyes but another tear ran down his cheek. “I never wanted to have our marriage annulled. It was a misunderstanding.”

“But you said—”

“I know what I said, but I thought I was saying it about a different document. My mother lied to us both.”

The relief was short-lived. She was glad he hadn’t ended things. But it had been a bad idea to get married in the first place. She’d only realized it after finding out about the baby.

She’d been so happy until she remembered she was alone. Her thoughts went to Wes and how adamant he’d been about not having children because it wouldn’t be fair to them.

“This was a stupid plan, not a real marriage.”

He shook his head and took her hand, careful of her IV.

“Jamie, it was a stupid plan, but it was the best decision I’ve ever made. I love you. I want to marry you. Again. Please give me a chance to be a real husband for you.”

“You love me?” She knew this man better than anyone, and she could tell by looking in his calm blue eyes that he meant what he was saying. The line at the top of the monitor sped up a bit.

“Yes. And not just as friends. I mean, you’re still my best friend, but I love you in a much different way.”

“I love you in a different way too,” she admitted.

He leaned over her to kiss her lips and then rested his hand on her stomach. “We’re going to be a real family. I’m going to marry you again as soon as you’re able.”

“Actually”—her father’s gruff voice startled Jamie as he walked into the room—“the two of you are still hitched.”

“What?” Jamie and Wes said at the same time.