Page 34 of Hidden Gem
“Don’t worry, I didn’t say anything. I just let her believe that her secret was safe. It is, isn’t it? You haven’t told anyone?”
“No, I haven’t. But that’s not the point. Kathleen has no business going after you. blackmailing you—”
Marnie’s eyebrows shot up. “She didn’t blackmail me.”
“Did she offer you money? Gifts?
“Chocolates.” Marnie winced. “I gave them away.”
Jason fixed his dark gaze on her, his forehead wrinkling with concern. “You know why she did that, right?”
“To show gratitude?”
He shook his head, a rueful look in his eyes. “No. To make you feel like you owe her. So, you’d be more likely to do what she asks.”
Marnie shuddered. “Do people really think like that?”
Jason turned away, a grim look in his eyes. “I can see that you don’t and that’s great. But Kathleen’s not like you. She’ll lie and deceive you if it serves her purpose.”
“She’s right though, isn’t she? You want the housing portfolio.”
Jason smiled. “That’s no secret. Anyone in my position would be after her job. That’s how it works. Nobody goes into politics to become an associate minister. I know she’d like to paint me as the snake here, but...” He averted his eyes. “Everyone does what they have to do to get ahead. You just have to have good motives.”
Marnie didn’t want to ask, but she had to know. “Have you done anything like this?”
Jason grimaced, rubbing his forehead. “I’m not perfect, but I don’t go around blackmailing members of the public. I’m not protecting multi-million-dollar property investments, either.” He released a deep sigh, still avoiding eye contact. “But no, I’m not perfect.”
Marnie sensed there was more to it, but she didn’t want to push him. She waited for him to look at her. He smiled, and the pain in his eyes filled her with compassion. Even when smiling, he looked so tired, like something was eating him. Maybe she could give him what he needed tonight.
“You need sleep.” She walked them to what she thought might be the door to his bedroom. Score. They both collapsed on the perfectly made king bed.
Working together as if they had a well-established routine, she helped him out of his sneakers and trackpants and under the covers. “Wait,” Jason mumbled, reaching for the laptop on his nightstand. He opened it and typed his own name in the search field, filtering the results by time.
“What are you looking for?” she asked.
“Just... checking.” He closed the lid and dropped the laptop on the floor.
“You think that video will be in the news?”
“Yeah. Or... something else.”
He looked so tense, even when lying in bed. Unable to look away, Marnie rested her cheek against the feather down pillow, letting the room whirl as much as it liked. She stroked his temple, tracing down his golden stubble. Minutes ticked by, unhurried. Eventually, his breathing slowed, settling into a deep rhythm. It was like witnessing a miracle.
Confident he’d fallen asleep, Marnie got up and tiptoed to the kitchen. The clock on the wall showed it was 8:30 p.m. Soon, Tanya would come home from the movies. If she found her mum not home, she’d call. What could she tell her? She hardly knew what was happening herself. It was too early to mention Jason. But if she wasn’t going to bail on him, she needed an excuse to stay out all night. Marnie foraged Jason’s pantry for something to eat. She landed on a bottle of honey and squeezed some straight into her mouth. A quick sugar hit would help her think.
She could say she was spending the night at the hospital with Nanette. She should have been looking after her ex-mother-in-law anyway. Tanya knew her grandmother was accident prone. Something could have happened. But what if she wanted to come and visit? It was unlikely, at least during the night, but could easily blow her cover. She’d have to find a way to put her off.
Marnie swallowed another mouthful of honey and took out her phone.
Hi, hon. Hope you had fun at the movies. I’m at hospital with Gran, she had a wee fall. She’s fine but they’ll monitor her overnight, I’ll stay here. See you in the morning!
She took a breath and hit ‘send’, cringing at the lie. It sounded believable – close to the truth, like all good lies. She was the one who’d had a ‘wee fall’. She was the one who needed monitoring.
Leaning on the cool marble of the kitchen island, Marnie waited for her heartrate to settle. She was too rusty and clueless, unprepared for Jason’s reaction, the intensity of his touch, his words. He’d been looking for her. He couldn’t sleep without her. It made no sense. Even if it was true, being someone’s sleeping pill didn’t sound like a solid foundation for a relationship. It didn’t mean he wanted her for anything else. And what did she want? She’d dreamt of finding someone to grow old with, maybe someone divorced like herself. Whichever way she looked at this – her and Jason – the pieces didn’t fit.
Marnie rummaged through the cupboards and made herself a cup of tea. She chose a yellow mug with a chip on it, a dish that didn’t seem to fit in with the rest of his matching white china. She took her drink to the dining table where she could see through the bedroom doorway. Jason twitched in his sleep. His head whipped left and right on the pillow, like dodging invisible fists. Marnie held her breath, wishing he wouldn’t wake up. After a moment, he seemed to settle again, muttering something on his outbreath. What was torturing him in his sleep? She had a feeling it was the same thing that kept him awake.
Whatever it was, he’d get better. One day, he’d be well again and ready to start a family. Based on everything she’d learned, he’d make an amazing father. He was principled, funny, disarming, someone who could win you over with a few carefully chosen words, make you see things from his perspective. But being gifted and persuasive didn’t make him right. Deep down, Marnie knew she wasn’t the one. She couldn’t force him to be there, to see her struggle with buttons and shoelaces, wake up every morning with swollen fingers, wince at every step she took. That’s what you did with your elderly relatives, not with your new girlfriend. Maybe, if she had the disease under control, things would be different. But it was too early to tell how the symptoms would progress. Who in the right mind would want a ticket to this ride? She didn’t, for sure.
