6. Marlie
MARLIE
The next morning,I wake up to the coastal Texas sunrise filtering through the curtains. As I shake off the last remnants of sleep, a grin tugs at my lips.
Last night was unbelievable.
The way Jack touched me, moved with me... it was nothing short of incredible. I’ve lost count of the number of times he sent me soaring over the edge into orgasmic bliss.
Next to me, Jack stirs, his eyelids fluttering open as he gives me a sleepy smile. “Good morning, Mrs. Barton.”
His voice is still rough from sleep, and my heart does a little flip at the sound. I can’t help but smile back.“Good morning, Mr. Barton.”
Jack stretches, the movement causing the sheets to slip down and reveal the broad expanse of his chest. Then his arm wraps around me, pulling me closer.
“How are you feeling?” he asks.
“Good. A little sore though.”
His brow furrows in concern. “I knew I shouldn’t have been so rough with you your first time.”
I giggle at his remorseful expression and reassure him, “It’s a good kind of sore. Trust me.”
Jack growls low in his throat and leans down to bite my shoulder. “A good kind of sore, huh?”
“A really good kind,” I tease. I rub my ass against his rapidly stiffening cock and feel it jump against my skin.
Jack groans. “Behave, wife. We’ve got things to do today.”
I flutter my lashes at him innocently. “But what if I don’t want to behave?”
He grins. “Then your husband is going to show you what he likes to do with sassy little mouths like yours.”
Then he leaves the warmth of our sheets and heads towards the bathroom. A few heartbeats later, he emerges, his muscular chest and arms stealing my attention as he pulls on a pair of jeans.
“Do you want me to start a pot of coffee before you head to work?” I offer, padding up beside him in my bare feet.
“Actually,” Jack responds, his voice muffled as he pulls his shirt over his head. “I was thinking we could go out for breakfast instead.”
My eyebrows shoot up in surprise. “Really? On a weekday?”
“My sister-in-law’s best friend owns Sugar Breeze Bakery down the boardwalk,” he continues. “They have the best breakfast in town.”
“That sounds fun,” I reply instantly. “Just let me get changed.”
We leave the penthouse ten minutes later, stepping into the still-sleeping Barton Beach. The salty morning breeze teases loose strands of my hair as we begin our stroll down the boardwalk.
As we pass quaint bungalows and charming storefronts, I can’t help but drink in the charm of this place. It’s only been a few days since I arrived here, but Barton Beach is already starting to feel like home.
The thought makes me glance sideways at Jack, his profile softened by the early morning light. His grip on my hand tightens just a fraction, almost instinctively, as if he senses my gaze.
It’s crazy how protective Jack is of me, especially since we’ve only known each other a short time. The way he tucks me into his side, the way he buries his nose in my hair—all of it makes me feel like I’m the most precious thing in his world. It’s like everything he does sends a jolt straight to my heart, reminding me of how hard I’m starting to fall for him.
As we round a corner, my eyes land on a small retail shop tucked away from the hustle and bustle. Its window is empty and a ‘vacancy’ sign hangs forlornly in its display. I can’t help myself; I point it out to Jack.
“Wouldn’t that be a perfect spot for Macaroons by Marlie?” I ask, excitement bubbling up within me at the thought.
Jack’s eyes light up instantly at my words. “Of course, it would, baby,” he replies. Then he hesitates, his expression suddenly serious. “Are you thinking about living here permanently?”
I tuck a loose strand of hair behind my ear as an excuse to avoid his eyes. “It’s crossed my mind...a few times lately.”
Jack pulls me closer then, wrapping an arm around me. “Well keep thinking about it. We can talk about it more later.”
The subject of us as a “couple” hasn’t come up since our initial conversation on the plane. It’s an elephant in the room, one that we’ve both been dancing around. I know we agreed that this would be over in a few months.
But to be honest, I kind of like being Jack’s wife. And the idea of this whole thing coming to an end is something I’m not ready to think about yet. So for now, I decide, it’s best to push those thoughts aside and simply live in the moment with him.
“We’re here,” Jack announces, holding the door open for me as we step into Sugar Breeze Bakery. “You’re gonna love this place.”
And as soon as we step inside, I can see why he thinks so.
The walls are painted in soft pastel hues that remind me of my macaroon palette back home. The vintage touches scattered throughout - an antique clock here, a retro cake stand there - give the place an endearing charm that tugs at my heartstrings.
Just as Jack starts to speak again, an older woman’s high-pitched voice slices through our conversation.
“Jack Henry Barton! Did you really get married without telling your own mother?”
Jack tenses beside me, and I turn my head to follow his gaze.
A short, white-haired woman wearing a hot pink blouse, is making her way towards us.
Something about her screams ‘family’ to me, and I find myself instantly assuming this must be Jack’s mother.
A slightly younger woman with short brown hair is walking beside her.
“Mom,” Jack says as he leans down to wrap the white-haired woman in a hug. “It’s good to see you.”
The older woman’s gaze flickers towards me with interest. “So, it’s true, then? Did you really elope without telling your own mother?”
Her tone is light, almost teasing, yet there’s a sharpness to her words that tells me her frustration is real.
She clucks her tongue. “I swear, Jack. You’ve always been the silent type, but this—” She waves a hand between him and me, “this is something else. Keeping your own mother in the dark about such a big step? Really?”
“It all happened so fast,” Jack says, his voice tinged with regret. “And with everything going on...”
She raises an eyebrow. “Too fast to pick up the phone?”
I can’t help but admire her. She’s got this way about her—a strength that’s both intimidating and comforting. Like she could take you down a peg and then knit you a cozy sweater right after.
“Sorry, Mom,” Jack concedes, and I sense the conversation shifting into safer waters. “Let me introduce you to my wife, Marlie.”
“Marlie,” she repeats, sweeping me into an unexpected hug. “Welcome to the family.”
“Uh, thank you, Mrs. Barton,” I stutter out nervously. “It’s nice to meet you too.”
She laughs heartily. “Nonsense, call me Nancy. We’re family now, dear.”
Suddenly, the woman standing next to Nancy clears her throat.
“Oh, and this is my friend, Patricia Shaw,” Nancy says with a warm smile. “Patricia is a real estate agent. She’s showing me a few properties around town that might be good for investment.”
Patricia smiles and extends her hand toward me. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Marlie.”
“You as well,” I reply with what I hope is a genuine smile plastered on my face as I shake the woman’s hand.
“So how did you two meet?” Patricia asks, tilting her head slightly as if trying to piece together some puzzle.
I hesitate before finally settling on, “We met through mutual friends.”
“Oh, I assumed you two met at work,” Patricia muses, her polite smile barely veiling her curiosity. “Jack has always been so secretive about his job.”
“We... uh, we didn’t exactly do the traditional dating thing,” I tell her.
“So straight to marriage then?”
A flicker of discomfort sparks within me. Patricia’s tone is light but there’s something sharp underneath it that puts me on edge. I try to shrug it off.
“Pretty much,” Jack cuts in as he snakes an arm protectively around my waist. “Sometimes you just know.”
Suddenly, Nancy claps her hands together. “I just had a thought. Jack, your father and I should throw you two lovebirds a wedding reception to celebrate!”
Patricia’s face lights up in agreement. “Oh, that’s a great idea!” Then her smile gets even bigger and she gets a dreamy look in her eyes. “You could even host it at the lighthouse. It would be so magical.”
“Patricia and her husband recently renovated a lighthouse down by the cove,” Nancy explains with glee. “Apparently, it’s become quite the hot spot for couples tying the knot. They’ve been booking it left and right for wedding receptions.”
A wedding reception?
The thought sends a wave of unease rippling through me. Jack and I have been playing the part of newlyweds well enough up to this point. But an entire celebration centered around our make-believe matrimony?
Jack’s mom seems so sweet. I can’t help but picture the look of disappointment that will inevitably cloud her eyes when he and I call it quits in a few months.
The guilt gnaws at me, making this whole thing feel even more complicated than it already is. And now here we are, on the brink of diving headfirst into an ocean of lies with an audience eagerly waiting to cheer us on.
“That’s really not necessary, Mom—“ Jack begins but Nancy cuts him off.
“Nonsense! It’s the least I can do! And Patricia has already been so generous by offering to serve as hostess.”
With all eyes on us and Nancy’s determined gaze, Jack and I find ourselves agreeing to a wedding reception.
As we leave the bakery with our coffees and breakfast, I can’t help but feel overwhelmed by everything happening so fast.
“Sorry about my mom,” Jack begins as we walk back towards the apartment. “I love her, but she can be a lot sometimes.”
I offer a small smile in return, “It’s okay. I can only imagine how my family will react when they find out I got married without telling them.”
I cringe at the thought of the inevitable fallout. This whole thing has been such a whirlwind that I still haven’t told anyone except for Melanie.
Jack gently squeezes my hand.
“We don’t have to worry about any of that right now.” For some reason, his reassurance anchors me back from the sea of anxiety threatening to drown me. “Let’s just focus on getting you settled first, alright? We’ll take everything else one step at a time.”
I nod in agreement, his words echoing in my ears - ‘one step at a time.’
Yet despite his reassurances, a sense of unease still lingers like an uninvited guest within me.