Page 58 of The Making of Marnie Jones

Olivia’s gaze raked her. “So do you, although I wish you had a pair of silver sandals to go with the outfit.”

“Enough, Olivia.” Marnie laughed. “I bought more than enough items for myself.”

“Well, at least we need to take down your hair.”

Oh crap.

She never wore her hair down. Either a bun or a ponytail was her modus operandi. Now Olivia was asking her to take another step forward.

Go for it.

Taking a moment to collect herself, Marnie pulled her hair from its restraints. The ends touched the exposed bare skin on her back and she felt…very feminine. An odd, yet not unpleasant experience.

“Ready?”

Deep breath. She was ready to face Jake. She was ready for whatever his reaction might be.

Chapter twenty-one

Jakepacedbackandforth in the living room. From experience, he was aware women took their time getting ready.Relax.About fifteen minutes had passed, and it worried him. Actually, worry had been his perpetual state since he'd received the call notifying him of Lydia’s arrest. It tied his stomach in knots, and an ulcer seemed a distinct possibility.

The entire day at work, he’d fretted over the women. Marnie continually asked him to trust her and he did…to a point. While she was more stable than before, she still had an air of fragility about her. Olivia was the wild card. She'd been so subdued yesterday, he was especially worried about her mental health. Today, however, she was in much better spirits. Her hair had been a shock. That short brown bob with layered light-brown highlights helped transform her from a little girl lost to more of the happy young woman she deserved to be.

Her apparent happiness did not, however, lessen his anxiety. He was responsible for both women, and he worried that by asking Marnie to help Olivia, he might be asking both women to go somewhere they weren’t ready to go.

About to make his fifteenth turn, he pivoted when the bedroom door opened.

Olivia emerged first, pulling a reluctant Marnie by the hand.

His breath caught at the physical closeness of the women. His niece was more sophisticated, and his protective instincts kicked in. She looked ready for a date. Was this how fathers felt when their daughters were ready to spend time alone with boys?

Talk about getting an ulcer.

Marnie, however, caused his heart to skip a beat. Olivia in heels positively towered over her, yet the shorter woman held her own. Although she tried to hide behind Olivia, his niece was having none of that.

She tugged on Marnie's hand, and pushed the older woman out in front of her.

He struggled to come up with words to describe the vision of loveliness in front of him.

Her shoulder-length dark hair highlighted the translucent, white skin, and the pale-blue dress hugged her curves in all the right places. She was demure, but her eyes held uncertainty.

Still haunted.

“You ladies look beautiful.” He grinned. “Good enough to take out on the town.”

The horror on Marnie's face had him quickly retracting his joking words. “But we agreed on leftover pizza, and maybe a movie?”

Her relief was palpable, and she abruptly retreated to the bedroom.

He watched her leave, kicking himself for his misstep. Such a simple suggestion, such an extreme reaction. Every time he had a handle on the situation, he was proven wrong.

“Uncle Jake?”

“Yes, Olivia.”

“What’s up between you and Marnie?” At his confused look, she clarified. “Although you said you brought her here to help me, there seems to be something between you two.”

He relaxed a fraction. “I’m responsible for her like I’m responsible for you. That's all there is between us.”

---