Page 20 of About that Fling
“How about we talk about something else?” Mark announced from the head of the table. Mia turned and gave her new husband a wilted smile of appreciation and released her death grip on Jenna’s hand.
“Yes, let’s,” Mia said. “Jenna, how was your date last night?”
Harriet gave a grunt of disapproval and stood up, flouncing off toward the canapé table. Jenna watched her go, wondering how much longer she should wait before making an excuse to go home and change from her party dress into yoga pants.
She turned back to Mia. “Date?”
“Didn’t you say you were going to see that guy again?” Mia asked. “The one you met at the wine bar.”
“Oh, right.” Jenna picked up her wine, reminding herself not to gulp it. “We decided it wasn’t going to work out. Our schedules are too busy and there just wasn’t enough chemistry.”
“Not enough chemistry?” Mia snorted. “Girl, I saw you the morning after you met him. You were oozing with so much chemistry you could have recited the periodic table of elements backwards.”
“Not true.” Jenna frowned. “Also a little weird. Besides, he lives out of town.”
“So? Long distance relationships can work, especially if they make you look like you did that morning. Seriously, Mark, you should have seen her.” Mia leaned toward her husband, hand on his arm. “She was practically glowing. I don’t know what that guy did to her in bed, but he should probably patent it.”
Jenna choked on her wine. “Right, well, all the same, I’m not going to see him again. Mark, how are things at work?”
Mark gave her a sympathetic smile and took the hint. “Things are great, thanks for asking. Dorrington Construction just landed a contract to build the new Parks and Recreation building over in Gresham. The steel erection should go through the summer, so I’ve got my work cut out for me.”
Mia grinned at him and picked up a stuffed mushroom cap. “Have I told you how sexy I find it when you talk about your work?” She popped the mushroom into her mouth and snuggled closer. “And also that you can say things like ‘steel erection’ and not mean anything dirty.”
He smiled and lifted his glass. “I might have meant it a little bit dirty.”
Mia laughed and turned back to Jenna. “Seriously, what is it about guys who work with their hands for a living? I can’t believe it took me ’til my early thirties to discover I’m more turned on by a guy with a tool belt than a guy with a briefcase.”
Jenna took another hit of wine and tried not to think about Adam’s briefcase as Mark planted a kiss on his wife’s forehead. “Come on now, let’s give Jenna a break and talk about something else. I take it things are still tense at work for you two?”
Jenna nodded and set down her glass. “The new mediator they brought in spent half the week explaining why throwing things wasn’t conducive to labor negotiations.”
“How’d that go?”
“The CEO didn’t take it well at first, but then the mediator asked about the stapler-throwing incident gently inquired when the CEO is getting his stitches out and?—”
“You don’t have to call him the mediator, Jenna,” Mark said gently. “I know it’s Adam. It’s okay. Mia and I talked about it. If she’s okay with her ex-husband working with the team, I totally support that.”
Mia rested a hand on her belly. “A man who’s secure—also a turn-on, in case you’re wondering.”
“I wasn’t,” Jenna said. “But Mark could stand on his head and juggle flaming rutabagas and you’d be turned on.”
“This is true,” Mia said with a smile. “But I still think it’s sexy you’re confident enough not to feel threatened.”
Mark shrugged and gave his wife a fond look. “There’s nothing to feel threatened by. It’s water under the bridge, and as long as we talk about it, I don’t have any problem with your ex being in the same workplace.”
“Open communication and honesty,” Mia said, nudging Jenna with her elbow. “Who knew it was that simple?” She frowned. “It’s not awkward for you, is it?”
Jenna swallowed. “Awkward? Why would it be awkward for me?”
“I just don’t want anyone on the team to feel weird about having my ex-husband there. I know we lived in Chicago when the divorce happened, so you’re really the only one at Belmont who knows the details of how it all went down. How bad things were. Still?—”
“It’s fine, Mia,” Jenna lied. “He seems very—um, very competent.”
“He does seem that way, doesn’t he?” She fell quiet a moment, looking down at her water glass. “I have to admit, the touchy-feely communication stuff surprised me a little.”
“What do you mean?”
“Communication was never my ex’s forte.” She glanced at Mark, who’d started chatting with one of his work friends. As she turned back to Jenna, she softened her voice. “I remember our fifth anniversary when I really wanted Adam, to surprise me with a trip to Hawaii. I spent the whole year talking about it, signing him up for email lists for these resorts on Kauai and buying this cute piggy bank so we could save for it.”
