"But of course, we just couldn't leave it at that. Jess and I decided we needed to find out how you really felt. If you didn't love Jaz anymore, then we had to drop the subject. And last week you told us you'd moved on."
"I said that because I thought you guys were worried about me. I just wanted to be left alone so I could heal in my own time," Kane croaked, his throat tight from unshed tears.
"Oh Kane," Faye cried, reaching over and placing a comforting hand on his arm.
"So we're going ahead with the article," Ray interjected.
"Yes, please," Kane responded humbly.
"It would be much more effective if Hannah cooperated. Is there a way we could swing her over to our side?"
"I'll talk to her," Kane answered. "I'll bribe her with anything she wants, as long as she doesn't ask for me."
Everyone chuckled.
He looked at Dylan. "Dyl, you won't mind if I leave now, will you? I might still be able to catch the last flight to Melbourne."
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Jasmine tried her best to appear carefree as she set down a pot of tea in front of her parents. It wasn't very often that her mum and dad turned up at her doorstep unexpectedly, so she suspected they were there to probe into why she had been lacklustre and way too quiet for the last two and a bit weeks.
She thought she got away with not seeing her parents this weekend, not that she didn't want to spend time with them, but the effort to look happy for their benefit was such a strain that she took the easy way out. She told them she couldn't go to dinner with them because she had work she needed to do that night. Well, now Alice and Joe were sitting in her living room for a quick cup of tea.
"So what did you buy, Mum?" she asked, eyeing the shopping bag sitting next to her mother's purse.
Her mother blushed while her father let out a nervous chuckle. What?
"It's just some new nightwear," Alice replied.
"Oh, I see," she said with a big grin. It must be the romantic in her that didn't get uncomfortable with the thought of her parents spicing up their sex life. It actually made her feel good knowing that true love was real, and more importantly, enduring.
"How come you're working on the weekend, Jazzie? Especially on a Saturday night," her dad asked.
"I'm putting together a new training manual and we need to send it to the printers on Monday. It's taking me longer than expected to finish it," she babbled and busied herself with pouring tea for all of them.
She felt her parents' eyes on her. They must know she was lying. Her face always gave her away. That was why she preferred lying over the phone. That was the only way she could be a convincing fibber.
"We're sorry to hear about you and Kane, Jaz," Joe said softly.
She gasped and stared at him in surprise.
"Jessa told us you two got together when you were in Sydney. We're sorry it didn't work out."
She inhaled deeply, begging her composure not to desert her. "Thanks, Dad."
"We thought he was a very nice man when we met him at your sister's wedding. Is there really no chance of you getting back together? We can tell this has been very hard on you," Alice said softly.
"I think he's moved on, Mum," she replied with a shrug.
Joe leaned forward. "Jasmine, Jessa said you broke up with him because you wanted to stay here. It's not because of us, is it?"
She smiled. "No, Dad. Jess and I suspect that you guys might consider moving to Sydney, too, if I decided to transfer."
"You're right. But not before your mother and I had gone to our second honeymoon, pretending we don't have any kids."
They laughed.
"So you really just prefer to stay? From how you look, you don't seem happy with your decision," Alice quizzed, looking confused.
"I believe it's for the best if Kane and I aren't together," she said carefully.
"He's not against you writing romance novels, is he?"
Her jaw dropped to the floor.
"Jessa told us about that, too," Alice said. "I just finished reading your first book and it was wonderful! I really loved the story. I was surprised about how detailed you were with the sex scenes—I must admit I blushed when I first read them—but they did enhance the story for me. You should be proud. We are."
Tears rolled down her face as she was rendered speechless by her mother's words. She had been so worried about what they might think.
"You're mother's right, Jazzie. I haven't read it but only because I'm not much of a fiction reader, but I don't see why you would want to hide the fact you wrote books that are selling very well."
"I don't mind if you never read my books, Dad," she said, only half-joking.
"You know, I've always wanted to write a book," Alice said dreamily.