Page 11 of The Christmas Cover Rule
I take it as a sign that his confession was a slip of the tongue, and lost in that thought, I spill my own. “I don’t feel like listening to all the reasons why it was my fault.”
My eyes have adjusted to the room, but I’m still startled when Jonas’s calloused hand covers mine. I stop twisting the ring and hold my breath.
“Some asshole cheating on you is never your fault, Stella.”
Suddenly, the silk of my top feels too cool, and the warmth of his hand on mine feels hotter than a blue flame.
We lie like this for what feels like hours before I whisper, “Hey, Jonas?”
His muffled hum is drowsy, letting me know he’s already halfway to dreamland.
“I’m sorry I roped you into this.”
“Don’t be,” he breathes out, and I close my eyes just as he adds, “I like being roped around.”
CHAPTER 7
stella
When I woke up on the opposite side of the bed I had fallen asleep in last night, and Jonas was nowhere to be found, I thanked my lucky stars. I vaguely remember being wrapped up in a hold of warmth and muscles, and it’s unclear if I was dreaming or not, but I swear I could feel the weight of a heavy thigh trapped between my legs.
My phone buzzes against the bathroom counter, saving me from the thoughts I need to stop exploring.
“Hey, Mom.”
“Mija? You sound like you just woke up.”
I crack the door open just enough to catch a glimpse of the clock on the nightstand.Nine-thirty.God forbid a girl sleeps in while on vacation.
“No. I was just about to jump in the shower.”
“Oh, okay. Well, everyone did their own thing for breakfast this morning, but we booked a snorkeling tour for the ten of us today. We have to meet at the dock by one-thirty.”
The ten of us.I gnaw on my bottom lip, trying to imagine Jonas’s face when I tell him I got us roped into another activity with my parents. He’s gone above and beyond and beennothing but charming along the way. And while he continues to remind me we’re helping each other out, the truth is, he really only needed my wrist to get past the front desk. I’m using him to swindle my entire family.
“Well, you know I’ll be there,” I say with faux enthusiasm, “but, um…I think Jonas said he had some last-minute work emergency, though.”
“Of course. It’s nice that he’s so dedicated to his work.”
“He’s a real super hero, like that,” I deadpan, reaching into the shower and turning on the water.
“Do you know what he’s working on? Maybe Isabelle can help, and he can get it done sooner. I could ask if?—”
“Who knows?” I cut her off. “You know how it is. Someone’s always trying to sue someone else, right? I just cross my fingers, and hope that he’ll get it resolved quickly and he’ll be able to join us for tomorrow’s adventures.”
Steam begins to fill the small room, and since I know my mother well, I speak again before she gets another chance. “My shower’s running, so I’m gonna go, but I’ll see you at the dock later.”
“Okay, mija. We’ll see you. Tell Jonas we said hi.”
“Absolutely. Love you.”
“Love you, too.”
When I getout of the shower, the mirror is fogged up from top to bottom, and if I don’t get some air in the next second, I might pass out. I rip the towel from the counter, but in my haste, the clothes I had sitting there plop down onto the shower floor. I drop my head back, blowing a breath up to the ceiling, but there’s no fresh air left to inhale. I drape the towel around my body, crack the bathroom door, and let the cool air hit my face. With my head hanging out of the room like a smoker, I listen. When nothing other than thehum of the air conditioning and the tropical birds outside sounds, I call out.
“Jonas?”
No answer.
