The Temporary Wife - By Jeannie Moon Page 0,77
when he cupped her cheeks in his hands and planted a soft kiss on her lips. It wasn’t deep or lingering, but it held sweetness and affection and . . . possibilities.
“I’m going to make that list, and we’re going to do every sordid thing I can think of,” he said. “And I’m sorry again about last night.”
They’d had a fight the night before, over Harper and how there never seemed to be a minute without her. Even when Jason wasn’t working, she was there. She used his office and computers, and it drove Meg nuts. But Jason had apologized, said he was going to set boundaries, and they’d made love until he was sure she wasn’t mad anymore. But Harper’s visit today was legitimately important, and Meg wasn’t going to let her personal feelings interfere with his work.
Meg brushed his hair away from his face. “I can’t wait. I’m sure you’ll be very imaginative. Now, you go be your brilliant self and deal with the bank. We’ll talk later.”
He kissed her again, and she took a breath before following him out. But just as she started down the stairs, she saw Molly skipping toward her. Her dark hair had escaped its braid overnight, and she looked like a crazed fairy.
“Hey, cutie. I laid out your clothes. Go get dressed and meet me in the kitchen for breakfast.”
Molly nodded, but Meg wasn’t going to get off so easily. “Is everything okay? I heard you two fighting.”
Meg sat on the top step and patted the space beside her. How was she going to explain this to a five-year-old? Molly sat and looked up with worried blue eyes that deserved an honest answer.
“You know, Uncle Jason and I, we got married pretty quickly, and we’re trying to figure this whole thing out.”
“You got married for me?”
Shit, how did she know that? Meg was always surprised by the little girl’s perceptiveness.
“That’s part of it, yeah. But we do care about each other. Both of us were used to doing things on our own and now we have to get used to having another person in our lives. We’re going to make mistakes, but it will be okay.”
“You’re not mad anymore?”
Meg looped her arm around Molly’s shoulder. “Not at all. In fact, Uncle Jason and Harper are dealing with a problem, and I’m going to make them something to eat. Get dressed and come downstairs and I’ll get you something, too. Then I’ll take you to school.”
“Harper’s here? Why?”
“Because she’s helping Uncle Jason solve a problem. It’s okay.”
Molly got up and hugged Meg before wordlessly heading down the hall. The quiet acceptance spoke volumes. Molly trusted them to keep her safe and to make her feel loved. It was one of the most incredible and frightening things Meg had ever experienced.
This is what mattered in the end. If you could be there for a small child, make a difference, show them love and care, your life was complete.
That also went for adults. There was no room for her caution if she wanted to be happy; she had to be willing to risk everything, and that meant showing the man in her life what he meant to her. It meant accepting Jason’s faults and problems, his personality quirks and his crazy life. More than anything, it meant accepting the people close to him, including Harper. Meg knew Jason wasn’t perfect; God knew she wasn’t, either. But together things were pretty wonderful with them. Quirks and all.
***
“Conference call is waiting, and I pulled the syslog. It’s up on the big screen. Nothing unusual, but I don’t always spot what you do.” Harper was nothing if not efficient, and the two of them made a good team. As long as she learned her place with Meg, they’d continue to make a good team. Jason pulled on his headset, adjusted the mic, and pressed the flashing number on the multiline phone.
“Niko, talk to me.”
And that started Jason’s day.
***
Nine hours later, he looked at the numbers scrolling across the screen and he cringed. The problems were cascading, taking down parts of the system, locking him out of others, and wreaking havoc with all the information. He wanted to recommend a shutdown of the servers, but that would throw the bank’s customers into a frenzy.
He picked up one of the sandwiches Meg had left for him and Harper. He hadn’t thought about eating until his stomach made so much noise he couldn’t concentrate.
Settling in his big leather desk chair, he