Page 45 of Hidden Gem
“Of course, more the merrier!” Sue announced.
“Wow. I didn’t realise you had so much going on.” Jason flashed her an apologetic smile.
Marnie shifted on her seat. “You should have gone with an actual kidnapping.” But she couldn’t help the warmth in her gut, deeply grateful that he hadn’t. She didn’t need another Steve in her life, a man who only considered himself. Back in the day, he might have done a similar thing, booking something without discussing it with her, but not out of the desperation she could feel driving Jason, rather to avoid Marnie’s opinions or preferences messing with the perfect holiday he had in mind.
“It’s okay,” Jason said, addressing the whole room, taking charge. “We’ll update Shasa and Mac and... who were the others?”
“Elsie and Earl,” Sue supplied.
“Thank you. And we’ll ask all of them to keep this a secret. I know it gets more complicated, but we’ll have to try.”
Marnie gave him a quick smile. “Don’t worry, they’re all very trustworthy. So, when are we leaving?”
Jason’s Adam’s apple travelled up and down as he gulped. “Now?”
Chapter 21
“Now it feels like areal kidnapping,” Marnie observed, lying flat on the backseat of Jason’s rental car, a silver Hyundai, hiding under a throw they’d grabbed off her couch on the way out.
Jason laughed, glancing at her in the rear-view mirror. “I’m so sorry. In ten minutes, we’ll be out on the motorway, and you can get up.”
“It’s okay. I quite like it in here.” She curled up sideways to make herself more comfortable. If anyone recognised Jason behind the wheel, at least they wouldn’t spot her on the passenger seat.
Marnie had packed in a hurry, and they’d hit the road in less than half an hour. This was one of the benefits of being low maintenance – she didn’t travel with a lot of stuff. As long as she had her phone, wallet and iPad, some fresh underwear and her medication, she was fine.
“Do you want a drink? Snacks? Anything else before we leave town?”
Marnie lifted her head to see his face in the mirror. “Coffee?”
“I’m too nervous about caffeine these days. But you can have one. Smelling it won’t mess me up.” His mouth curled up in the mirror.
“You slept last night, right?”
“I did! Thanks to you.”
Marnie winced. “You make sound like I have superpowers. I don’t walk around putting people to sleep with a wave of my hand. At least I hope not! Tanya says I’m the most boring person in the universe, so I don’t know.”
