Read Online Legal Ease (Sutton Capital Series) by Lori Ryan - Free Book Online Page B

Mabry looked up and Kelly wished for a moment that the smile that came to Jack’s face as he looked at her was genuine and not just for Aunt Mabry’s sake.
    “Good morning, sweetheart,” Jack said as Kelly joined them at the breakfast nook with her coffee.
    “Morning,” Kelly smiled shyly at Jack across the table and smiled and nodded at Mrs. Poole as she put a plate of eggs and toast in front of Kelly.
    “I thought we might have lunch today,” Jack said to Kelly across the table. Kelly continued to eat her breakfast and didn’t look up from her plate.
    “Kelly?” Jack said, a laugh in his voice and a smile on his face.
    “Hmm? Oh, me?” Kelly said looking up from her plate.
    Jack laughed openly at that. Aunt Mabry listened to their exchange with a smug look on her face. “Yes, you, my beautiful wife. I thought we might go to Le Petite Morceau for lunch today. They have a new chef who’s supposed to be amazing. Unless you have plans?”
    “Uh, no. I mean, no plans. I’d love to go to lunch,” Kelly said as she eyed Aunt Mabry nervously, knowing that Mabry was tracking every word, every interaction.
    “Great,” Jack smiled. “I have a conference call this morning but I’ll do that from the home office and then we can go at around one o’clock?”
    “Perfect. I’ll see you then,” she said but she felt like an idiot. I’ll see you then? Who the hell says that when their husband asks them to lunch? I sound like an idiot.
    ***
    Mabry knew perfectly well as she watched Jack and Kelly that the two of them were no more married than she was and she certainly wasn’t married the last time she checked. As soon as they finished breakfast, Mabry began to hatch a plan. She didn’t know what Kelly was getting out of this marriage – she assumed it was money – but she believed she could drive a wedge between them.
    If she could put a big enough wedge there, maybe she could offer to pay Kelly enough money to admit that the marriage was fake. Once the marriage was exposed for what it was, Mabry would go to the board and show them their CEO was a fraud and a liar. And then, the company would be hers.
    Mabry went upstairs to get started splitting the happy couple up. It wouldn’t be hard with all of Jack’s exes out there. After all, the man was hardly the settling down type. Anyone who read the tabloids knew that he had a different woman on his arm every weekend.
    Mabry knew just the woman to help put her plan into action. She picked up the phone and dialed Caroline Harridan. Caroline had dated Jack for a month the previous year and Mabry knew that Caroline had done all she could to sink her claws into him. She wanted to marry Jack Sutton in the worst way and Mabry had witnessed Caroline throw herself at Jack repeatedly at public events since he had broken up with her.
    “Caroline? Hello, darling. It’s Mabry Thompson,” she said into the phone when Caroline answered.
    “Mabry? Hello! How are you? I haven’t heard from you in ages,” Caroline gushed on the other end of the phone. Mabry rolled her eyes. Caroline fell all over herself whenever she talked to Mabry but Mabry knew it was just an attempt to get information or back in Jack’s good graces.
    “Yes, dear. Well, you know. Been busy and all that,” Mabry said dismissively. “I can’t talk long because I have to meet Jack for lunch over at La Petite Morceau at one o’clock and I have a million things to do before then. I just thought I’d call and see how you are. It’s been so long.” Mabry knew if she just dropped the name of the restaurant and the time Jack would be there, she could count on Caroline to just ‘happen’ to be there as well. Then she could just sit back and let Caroline do the work for her.
    “I’m fine, thank you. Oh!” Caroline practically squealed into her ear. “La Petite Morceau? I’ve been dying to try that place. I hear the new menu is to die for.”
    Mabry couldn’t take Caroline’s inane chattering or the