The Wife Read Online Free PDF Page B

uncoordinated fool. “I’m fine. I just tripped on my shoelace.”
    Jamie and Ashlee both look at my perfectly tied shoes in confusion. I smile, shrug, and hop back on my treadmill without another explanation. Jamie gives me a knowing side smile that was once so familiar, and it makes my insides twist with confusion. It would have been bad enough to be embarrassed in front of people I work out with every day, but Jamie being here is like a cruel joke.
    I begin to run again and quickly pick back up my pace, not wanting to show the pain in my body. I make the mistake of looking into the mirror in front of me to see Rita and Lee with curious expressions and mischievous smirks in reaction to Jamie’s concern. “Not now.” I know they are wondering about Jamie as much as I am.
    I know they have no idea the mysterious man running at the end of the aisle is my Jamie. How could they? I’ve never showed them any pictures of him. I destroyed all but one when he broke my heart, and I never brought that picture to California. It’s safe and sound, hidden away in a shoebox at my dad’s house in New Jersey, where all of my memories of him are locked away.
    I’m careful not to look in Jamie’s direction as the class continues, but can feel his gaze on me. I’ve always been able to tell when he’s watching me: it feels as if the room is alive with electricity. I hate that the connection we had when we first met is still there. With everything that’s going on with my marriage, the last thing I need in my life is another man who makes me feel as if I’m not good enough. The feelings I have at being in the room with him again are beginning to make me seriously reconsider accepting the job with his company. This evening, I’ll have to see who I’ll be working on the design process with before I make my final decision.
    I go through the rest of the workout as usual, but when it’s over, I beeline it for the door without a word to Rita or Lee. I can text them when I’m safely in my car and as far away from Jamie as possible. I’ll be damned if my first conversation with Jamie after all these years is when I’m a sweaty hot mess, with bleeding burns on my knees and elbows from eating it on the treadmill. I quickly put my phone to my ear, although no one is on the other end and begin a pretend conversation as I walk as fast as I can to my car.
    “Lex!” Jamie’s voice calls out from behind me.
    I hate that he’s calling me Lex. The familiarity of it scratches at my heart. I don’t turn to answer him and continue with my fake conversation. I’ll see him next week if he decides to move forward with the design I have in mind for the restaurants—that is, if I actually decide to take it after my meeting tonight. All I want to do right now is go home and pretend this morning didn’t happen.
    I hop in my car and pull away. I have a momentary sense of relief until I glance in my rearview mirror to see Lee and Rita talking to Jamie as he watches my car pull away. “Shit,” I say under my breath. By the time I get to dinner with Lee tonight, she’ll know exactly who Jamie is and why I was so flustered in class.
    The entire car ride home, I try to focus my thoughts on the weekend I have planned with Mike and the boys. Our therapist suggested a trip together as a way to see whether we can reignite our love for each other by taking ourselves out of the grind of our busy lives. I was surprised by how upset Dr. Murphy got when we said we were taking the boys with us on the weekend away, but it has been months since we’ve all spent any extended amount of time together. When Mike suggested we take them with us, I agreed excitedly, knowing that his love for our boys can only help mend his love for me and our relationship. I know she thinks that we need alone time to work on us, but it’s not just about me and Mike: it’s about the boys, too—it’s about our family.
    Mike and I decided to take the boys to San Diego to go swimming