think it worked out okay."
"It worked out better than okay. You did a great job."
Warmth flooded Kate’s cheeks. "I, uh, better get back to the dishes."
"Hey , before you do, I forgot all about something until I heard Amelia talking about that dinner. We’re invited to a company dinner next Friday. Drake’s trying to lure a new client and everyone not in the field is invited to attend along with their spouses."
Kate hesitated. She never did well in social settings , but for Jared she’d do it. "Sounds like it will be...fun."
Jared laughed. "Probably not but at least the food will be good. Drake won’t waste his money on high priced cardboard."
"Well, I’m all for eating a free, delicious meal, especially if I don’t have to make it."
*****
Early the next week, Kate started to panic about the party. She had nothing to wear. The only thing she had that came remotely close to being appropriate for the dinner was her wedding dress but that wasn’t really appropriate. And something about wearing it again to a business dinner party just didn’t sit right with her. Finally Kate bit the bullet and approached Jared one night after the kids had gone to bed.
He was in the library and looked up from the computer when she knocked on the open door. "I don’t mean to disturb you."
"You’re not." Jared swung away from the computer and stood. "Did you need to talk to me about something?"
Kate nodded, not sure how to proceed.
"Why don’t we sit over there?" Jared gestured to the chairs in front of the unlit fireplace. "More comfortable than sitting at this desk."
"I hate to ask you this , but I’m stuck." Kate stared at the darkened fireplace, not wanting to meet Jared’s gaze.
"This sounds serious. What’s wrong?"
"It’s about the party on Friday. I have nothing to wear." Kate peeked at Jared then in time to see a smile flit across his face.
"Isn’t that what all women say?"
"Well, in my case it’s true. I never went to formal occasions in Seattle. The only fancy dress I have is the one from our wedding, and I don’t want to wear that to a business dinner."
"I see your problem. Well, sure, buy yourself a new dress."
Kate shifted uncomfortably in the seat. "It’s not just buying a dress. I, uh, need some money."
"Money?" Jared looked at her in surprise and then dismay. "We never set up anything for money , did we?"
Kate shook her head. "You give me the money for groceries and stuff for the kids and that’s been enough , but for this dress...I don’t have enough in my savings to buy anything."
"And you shouldn’t have to worry about that. I meant to reimburse all the money you’ve spent over the past few months for the kids."
"I didn’t mind, Jared. It was the least I could do."
" I mind. If you’d been able to get hold of me you wouldn’t have had to spend all your savings. The least I can do is give it back to you."
Kate sat silently for a few minutes. That was not what she wanted. "Jared, I really don’t need money for anything. I have enough for the incidentals and you’re taking care of the bills and groceries and whatever the kids need."
"You shouldn’t have to come to me asking for money every time you need some, Kate. You need money of your own."
"Okay , but can we just put it into a joint account or something? I’ll take some of it and invest it, but I’d like to contribute to the household."
"You do contribute to the household," Jared informed her. "More than you’ll ever know."
Kate didn’t want to argue with him. "If you prefer to just give me the money, that’s fine. I’ll take care of investing it and using it for my needs."
Jared gazed at her for a moment and then nodded. "I think we need to discuss this a little bit more , but for now I’ll just give you some money for the dress and whatever else you need." Jared stretched out his leg and pulled his wallet from his back pocket. He handed her some cash and then a credit card. "Spend as much as you need. If you need
"It worked out better than okay. You did a great job."
Warmth flooded Kate’s cheeks. "I, uh, better get back to the dishes."
"Hey , before you do, I forgot all about something until I heard Amelia talking about that dinner. We’re invited to a company dinner next Friday. Drake’s trying to lure a new client and everyone not in the field is invited to attend along with their spouses."
Kate hesitated. She never did well in social settings , but for Jared she’d do it. "Sounds like it will be...fun."
Jared laughed. "Probably not but at least the food will be good. Drake won’t waste his money on high priced cardboard."
"Well, I’m all for eating a free, delicious meal, especially if I don’t have to make it."
*****
Early the next week, Kate started to panic about the party. She had nothing to wear. The only thing she had that came remotely close to being appropriate for the dinner was her wedding dress but that wasn’t really appropriate. And something about wearing it again to a business dinner party just didn’t sit right with her. Finally Kate bit the bullet and approached Jared one night after the kids had gone to bed.
He was in the library and looked up from the computer when she knocked on the open door. "I don’t mean to disturb you."
"You’re not." Jared swung away from the computer and stood. "Did you need to talk to me about something?"
Kate nodded, not sure how to proceed.
"Why don’t we sit over there?" Jared gestured to the chairs in front of the unlit fireplace. "More comfortable than sitting at this desk."
"I hate to ask you this , but I’m stuck." Kate stared at the darkened fireplace, not wanting to meet Jared’s gaze.
"This sounds serious. What’s wrong?"
"It’s about the party on Friday. I have nothing to wear." Kate peeked at Jared then in time to see a smile flit across his face.
"Isn’t that what all women say?"
"Well, in my case it’s true. I never went to formal occasions in Seattle. The only fancy dress I have is the one from our wedding, and I don’t want to wear that to a business dinner."
"I see your problem. Well, sure, buy yourself a new dress."
Kate shifted uncomfortably in the seat. "It’s not just buying a dress. I, uh, need some money."
"Money?" Jared looked at her in surprise and then dismay. "We never set up anything for money , did we?"
Kate shook her head. "You give me the money for groceries and stuff for the kids and that’s been enough , but for this dress...I don’t have enough in my savings to buy anything."
"And you shouldn’t have to worry about that. I meant to reimburse all the money you’ve spent over the past few months for the kids."
"I didn’t mind, Jared. It was the least I could do."
" I mind. If you’d been able to get hold of me you wouldn’t have had to spend all your savings. The least I can do is give it back to you."
Kate sat silently for a few minutes. That was not what she wanted. "Jared, I really don’t need money for anything. I have enough for the incidentals and you’re taking care of the bills and groceries and whatever the kids need."
"You shouldn’t have to come to me asking for money every time you need some, Kate. You need money of your own."
"Okay , but can we just put it into a joint account or something? I’ll take some of it and invest it, but I’d like to contribute to the household."
"You do contribute to the household," Jared informed her. "More than you’ll ever know."
Kate didn’t want to argue with him. "If you prefer to just give me the money, that’s fine. I’ll take care of investing it and using it for my needs."
Jared gazed at her for a moment and then nodded. "I think we need to discuss this a little bit more , but for now I’ll just give you some money for the dress and whatever else you need." Jared stretched out his leg and pulled his wallet from his back pocket. He handed her some cash and then a credit card. "Spend as much as you need. If you need
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