Their eyes had met for a second as Jasmine stared down at him, almost in horror, as he looked up and found her at the window. He threw her a smile and crossed his arms across his chest, an open invitation for her to join him downstairs. She went against all her intuition, against all her gut feelings, as she climbed down the stairs and made her way to the back of the house.
Jasmine threw open the door and stood on the small patio, which was less than half the size of the one in Marvin’s house, but she stood there proudly.
“What are you doing here?” she asked him, trying to maintain a straight face and holding her head high.
“Just looking,” he said with a smile. She refused to meet his eye.
“We’re leaving now, Marvin,” she said and watched as the smile on his face disappeared.
“I was under the impression that you’re staying for some time,” he said and took a few steps towards her.
“We have no reason to.”
“We haven’t even finalized the details yet. No papers have been signed.”
“Who are you kidding Marvin? We all know that you’re not buying the house.” Jasmine looked away from him, crossing her own arms across her chest.
“Why then did I write to your mother asking her about the house?”
“I don’t know. As some kind of sadistic vengeful joke?” Jasmine was trying hard not to burst into tears. She didn’t remember the last time she felt so used, this embarrassed, and so enamored by a man - all at the same time.
Marvin’s laugh surprised her. He was shaking his head and his shoulders shook as he laughed, almost uncontrollably.
“You can stop laughing. I know the truth now. I found out about your mother this morning. I know you have your reasons.” Jasmine rolled her eyes. She could feel her cheeks burning up, and the warm sun beating down on them wasn’t helping the whole uncomfortable situation. Marvin stopped, either out of politeness or upon hearing her words.
“You’re telling me you didn’t know?” He took a few more steps towards Jasmine and she moved back.
“Not the details. I didn’t know she was your mother.”
“Who did you think I was?”
“An interested buyer.”
Marvin had climbed up the few steps of the patio and was now standing only a few feet away from Jasmine.
“You thought I knew?” Jasmine asked him, her back was now against the door and she tried meeting his gaze, as his blue eyes bore into her. Like they were boring into her soul.
He nodded in response. “So you think now that last night was some kind of revenge?” He gave a small laugh and took a few steps towards her.
“Your behavior certainly didn’t help.”
“I admit, I was preoccupied. Being inside this house was enough to get my blood boiling.” He placed his hand on the door, next to her face.
“You thought I knew when I had sex with you?” Jasmine asked; she couldn’t keep the sound of relief from her voice.
“Undeniable attraction,” he said gruffly and brought his face even closer to hers. She could feel his breath falling on her cheeks, and it sent goosebumps down her spine. She turned her head to look at him, and their eyes met. She bit down on her lip just as he bent his head to kiss her, this time affectionately, like she had kissed him the previous night just before she left. He drew away from her and looked into her eyes again, placing his big hands on her slight shoulders.
“Tell me you’ll stay, Jasmine,” his voice was gentle, and he was stroking the skin between her neck and her shoulders.
***
Jasmine’s mother sat at the head of the table. She had showered, changed into a different suit and combed her neat bob back, as usual. Despite her manners, she couldn’t keep the look of shock and confusion from her face as she watched in silence as Jasmine and Marvin sat beside each other on one side of the table.
“So you’re telling me that you both had a meeting last evening after I went to sleep?” she finally spoke and consciously cleared her throat. She was in complete denial of her own drunken state and Jasmine couldn’t help but smirk.
“Yes, Mom, and we realized that there has been a huge misunderstanding,” Jasmine replied, looking over to Marvin for support.
“Mrs. Kiberd, I want to assure you that the fault was entirely mine. I’m afraid I wasn’t on my best behavior last evening and it might have come across as disinterest in your property,” Marvin said, his voice smooth and reassuring as he spoke to her mother, looking her directly in the eye.
“Please don’t apologize, Mr. Byrne. If there is anybody who understands, it is me. This house has that effect on us does it not?” Camilla said and looked around the dining room, as if anticipating her father’s ghost to appear out of the dusty corners.
“It does indeed,” Marvin said and looked over to Jasmine and they exchanged smiles while her mother wasn’t looking.
“The fact is, Mrs. Kiberd, that I am interested in this house if you are interested in selling it to me,” Marvin said, and her mother gave a short sarcastic laugh.
“I’d do anything to be rid of it. What I don’t understand is why you would want to own it, Mr. Byrne. I cannot imagine that you feel sentimental towards it.”
Marvin cleared his throat and glanced at Jasmine again before looking back at her mother. He took in a deep breath.
“I want to destroy it. Burn it to the ground,” he said slowly and watched as Jasmine’s mother’s expression went from shock to satisfaction. She was smiling at him.
“I don’t know why I didn’t think of it,” she said, after a minute of silence.
“He wants to use this land to build a school here,” Jasmine spoke up and looked proudly over at him.
“That is brilliant news! This place will finally come to good use, and you, of course, have experience in it,” her mother said and a wave of relief visibly flooded her body.
“And I want your daughter to help me with it,” Marvin said and Camilla’s face betrayed renewed shock.
“I accepted the offer, Mom. What can be better than running my own school in an idyllic seaside location?” Jasmine giggled, and she felt Marvin reach over and squeeze her hand under the table.
“That’s rather surprising, you’re only a kindergarten teacher, Jasmine,” Camilla said and looked from Jasmine to Marvin.
“Yes, Marvin is aware of that, but he believes I might have insight he can use,” Jasmine’s voice had changed to desperation, she didn’t want to argue with her mother in front of Marvin; God knows he didn’t need more reminders of the gap in age between them.
“Now, Mrs. Kiberd, I’ll have my lawyer send over the paperwork to you in a few days if you don’t mind, and then we can get this over and done with,” Marvin said, changing the subject. He got up from his chair and so did the others. He stretched out his arm towards Jasmine’s mother and they shook hands. She couldn’t help but notice the broad smile on her mother’s face.
“Now, how about some of that promised whiskey?” Marvin asked and Jasmine looked at her wristwatch.
“It’s only five Marvin. Too early for whiskey is it not?” she asked him while her mother happily walked out of the room and towards the drawing room.
“I thought you were on a holiday?” Marvin teased her and raised an eyebrow. Jasmine shook her head and giggled just as he reached and grabbed her by the waist and pulled her towards him. She placed her hands on his shoulders and they rested their foreheads against each other’s.
“Your mother didn’t sound too pleased by the idea of your moving here,” Marvin said softly while they smiled at each other.
“She’s just taken aback by it, but we can’t help it can we? Undeniable attraction,” Jasmine said and closed her eyes for a kiss.