Page 12 of Hidden Gem
Marnie had no desire to stand in line, so she wandered in the opposite direction, hoping to find a seat where she could wait it out. At the back of the banquet hall, she spotted two chairs, perhaps set up for the elderly. Perfect. She lowered herself onto one in the far corner, removed her shoes and tucked her feet under the seat. An involuntary moan escaped her lips as she stretched her aching feet.
“That good?”
She flushed when she looked up and saw Jason standing next to her. His Adam’s apple moved up and down as he swallowed.
Marnie dropped her head to hide from his eyes and caught a glimpse of her own cleavage. Goodness. She’d forgotten how revealing her dress was. From where Jason was standing, he could have dropped a coin down there, like a slutty slot machine.
She grasped her greenstone necklace to cover his view. “I’m just waiting for that queue at the door to clear. Didn’t feel like standing.”
Jason grabbed the other vacant chair. “Great idea. Do you mind if I wait with you?”
Marnie shrugged, her heartbeat climbing to triple digits. “You’re a politician, right?”
He offered his hand, along with a campaign grin. “MP Jason Hallett, Labour.”
Marnie’s breath caught at the firm handshake as her brain searched for a fake name to offer. She’d learnt her lesson in the bathroom and wouldn’t make the same mistake again.
Jason’s hand squeezed hers. This shouldn’t be hard. She made up names for fictional characters all the time. In fact...
“I’m ... Beatrice.” The name of her last heroine, a fictional woman much braver and more adventurous than she was. “I voted for Labour. I mean, you have my vote. No need to... you know. You can relax.”
Jason’s mouth dropped open for a second, and he burst out laughing. “Thank you. But I’m not here to win your vote. I wanted to discuss something else.” His smile turned pained, and a hint of uncertainty clouded his eyes. He shifted closer, his voice turning so quiet she could barely hear it. “I just wanted to ask about what you witnessed in the bathroom earlier and whether you’d told anyone about it.”
Marnie’s fingers gripped the edge of her seat like it was about to take flight. “It’s none of my business. I haven’t talked to anyone. I won’t.”
His gaze dipped to her chest, heating her skin, and she brought both her hands to her necklace again.
“It’s okay. Tell anyone you like. Nothing like that will ever stay a secret. If it’s something the public should know, for the good of the country, better that it’s out, right?” He studied her face as if it had the bathroom saga written on it.
Marnie swallowed the lump in her throat. Was a lady slipping and falling in the loo a matter of national security? She’d promised Kathleen to keep it to herself. She couldn’t go back on her word. Marnie shook her head, trying to look as casual as possible. “I don’t think there’s anything worth sharing.”
“Are you sure?”
The intensity of his gaze made Marnie’s cheeks flood with warmth. She thought back to the moment by the wash basin, that little stumble, a memory lapse of a few seconds. What if the minister was losing her mental faculties? Could it possibly be that serious? Would Marnie get into more trouble by revealing the secret, or by keeping it? Dammit, why did life have to be this difficult? All she wanted was to run off to the hotel room and put her head under a pillow.
Beatrice would know what to do. Her fictional leading lady was fearless and fascinating. She’d have played this game and enjoyed every minute of it. How was it that she could write these characters but not impersonate them? Or could she?
“Please, Beatrice?” Jason’s eyes pleaded, searching for the truth.
A strange feeling stirred in Marnie’s gut, getting stronger by the second. Maybe this was her last hurrah, this moment right here. She had a chance to truly be someone else for one night. What happened if she took it? Marnie removed her hand from her necklace, letting the cool stone rest against her skin.
His eyes followed it as if hypnotised. He blinked twice, eventually meeting her eyes.
“I don’t want to discuss it here,” she whispered, her voice disappearing into her throat. “Can we go somewhere private?”
Jason’s eyes lit up. “I know the perfect place. Follow me.”
