Page 35 of Hidden Gem
She would help him, then set him free.
Marnie relaxed, content with her decision. It allowed her to stay a little longer, enjoy his touch, those words that burned into her core. He was that good. Even tired out of his mind, he managed to light up every inch of her, just by talking, touching, being there. Even in his sleep, Jason possessed her. She sat at his dining table as if in trance, unable to go home, unable to take her eyes off him.
Her phone pinged, delivering a reply from Tanya.
Al gd, c u 2mrw.
Would it kill her daughter to type a full word every now and then? Marnie smiled, placing the phone back on the table.
The honey reached her blood, making her body buzz and stomach gurgle. Her limbs felt heavy, her whole body suddenly spent.
Marnie finished her tea and snuck back into the bedroom, surveying Jason’s sleeping figure under the covers. He looked so vulnerable. Marnie lowered herself on the bed, carefully sliding under the covers. A waft of cool night air drifted in through an open window. In the dark, she couldn’t make out the scenery, but based on the layout of the house, the bedroom had a lake view. Marnie closed the window and curled up against Jason’s warm body, wondering what the bedroom looked like in daylight. She was ready to find out.
Chapter 16
Jason sat on the bed, keeping as still as possible. It was morning, but he didn’t want to wake Marnie. Instead, he studied the fine lines in the corners of her eyes, the way her skin turned rosy around her cheekbones, translucent under her eyes. Was she really 39? Did her age bother him? It might affect her chances of falling pregnant, but his own mother had been forty-two when he’d been born. Surely, they still had time. She’d told him not to worry about pregnancy, which meant she was probably on the pill. Even if there was another issue, they’d sort it out.
Inhaling the tropical scent of those curls falling on the pillow, Jason tried to imagine his future. Did he want a family? The thought might have been planted by his mother, who called every Sunday for an update on the subject. He knew his parents were proud of his achievements, but the one thing his mum craved was a grandchild. His brothers lived overseas with their families. He was their last chance for a local grandbaby. In their late seventies with failing health, they didn’t have many years left. Every time he visited their retirement village in Cambridge, twenty minutes from Hamilton, he braced for those longing looks and carefully worded questions. Was he seeing anyone? Did she come from a small or large family? Was she one of those career women?
His last girlfriend, Amelia, had been one of those, with such a busy schedule that dating her had mostly been an organisational challenge. During his election campaign, their relationship had died a natural death. The guilt of failing as a boyfriend turned into relief at not having to meet her expectations. He’d moved on, confident that everything would work out. Life had been on an upward trajectory. He’d felt invincible.
This morning, he felt connected to that old self, the dreams he’d had, things he’d believed. He would put on his lucky suit and smile at the cameras. Cameras... the thought brought back memories from the night before, along with a cold sweat.
With deep reluctance, Jason reached for his phone charging on the nightstand. He kept it on silent, but the stack of notifications flashing on the screen told him something was up. The news stories.Please, don’t be about Marnie.He could take the humiliation. He’d laugh along, pretend it didn’t bother him. But Marnie seemed like a private person. How would she handle her face being blasted all over national media?
Jason looked at Marnie’s sleeping frame, his finger hovering on the phone. As soon as his thumb lowered on the fingerprint scanner, it would suck him in. He wanted one last moment of peace, to dwell on the miracle of finding her, the miracle of sleep. He wanted to postpone everything else – the job, the news. But it was 8:30 a.m. In two hours, he’d have to be at the development site. With force of will, he sat up, lowered his bare feet on the carpet and pressed his thumb on the sensor.
After ten minutes of scrolling and a quick phone call with his assistant, Jason sagged on the couch, his thoughts a verbal hurricane. It must have been a slow news day. They’d run with the story of him, complete with the shaky video the kid had filmed. The clickbait headlines feasted on his public humiliation.
‘Selfish lover Jason Hallett begs for 2ndchance’
‘Jason Hallett caught on camera with mystery woman’
‘Jason Hallett’s public late-night confession’
‘Jason Hallett in love – who’s the mystery woman?’
