Page 46 of The Making of Marnie Jones

Olivia tucked the card into a pocket and remained mute.

“Ready to go?” He tried to sound like he wasn’t jumping into a bottomless pool.

“What do you think?”

Forty-five minutes later, Jake opened the door, and Olivia sailed right into the condo. She waltzed past the kitchen and living room, then headed straight to the master bathroom. She slammed the door.

He winced.

Marnie advanced farther into the room. Sunlight flooded through the floor-to-ceiling windows, almost painfully bright. The closer she edged to the windows, the more her eyes sparkled with excitement. She glanced back at Jake.

He nodded at the windows. “I felt the same way when I first saw the place.”

They were on the twenty-fourth floor with a breathtaking and unfettered view of Lake Ontario.

Despite her open expression, he was uneasy. At sea. “I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do now.”

“Well, I’m hungry.” Her green eyes lit. “Why don’t I see what I can scrounge up?” She snapped her fingers. “I forgot my overnight bag in the SUV.”

He tried to hide his surprise. Her overnight bag? She planned to stay here?

“I stopped by my room at the hotel to get my pajamas and a change of clothes, in case you need me to stay tonight. If you don't, I'll head back.”

Given the slammed door, he was unequivocal in his “please stay”. He was going to say more, but his chest was tight. He snagged his keys and headed back to the garage.

She caught him off guard, that was for sure. The condo was a two-bedroom, and now three of them were encamped, but her presence was a necessity. He couldn’t stay there alone with Olivia, and Marnie, perceptive as ever, realized his predicament.

He grabbed her overnight bag from his SUV and headed back upstairs, hoping Olivia’d be waiting along with Marnie.

No such luck.

Marnie moved around the kitchen.

While his niece’s behavior galled him, his guest seemed completely unperturbed.

“I’ve made peanut butter sandwiches, and I found some milk which hasn’t expired.” She grabbed something on the counter and handed it to him. “Grocery list. Unless we do takeout every meal, we need more supplies.”

“I can't ask you to cook.”

Her brow furrowed. “You didn't ask—I offered.”

His stomach rumbled. Mid-afternoon was quickly slipping into early evening, and the shared eggs and toast from that morning were long forgotten. He gazed longingly at the sandwich she placed in front of him, then he glanced over in the direction of the master bedroom.

“She just got out of the hospital. I doubt she showered this morning.” Marnie pushed the plate toward him. “She’ll come out when she's ready.”

“I wish I had your confidence.”

“She's a reasonable young woman. Besides, eventually she’ll get hungry.” Suddenly her head popped up. “There aren't any drugs in the medicine cabinet, are there?”

Jake endured a moment of sheer panic, then took a relieved breath. “There's a bottle of ibuprofen, but it's almost empty. There might also be a few antacids, but that’s about it. I'm pretty healthy.” He paused at the breakfast bar, plate in hand. “Will you join me?”

When she gave her assent and brought her plate around to join him, the vise around his sternum loosened.

She poured two glasses of milk and put them on the bar.

He tried hard not to watch her as she struggled but finally got up on the stool. If he knew her better, he might offer to help her. On the one hand, he didn't want to offend her, but on the other hand, she’d made it clear she didn't need him walking on eggshells around her. She was tougher than she first appeared.

“Would a phone book help?”

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