Read Online Peril in Paperback by Kate Carlisle - Free Book Online

topped with ricotta cheese and drenched in a luscious, light, broth-based chunky tomato sauce with plump sausagesand chicken that were both so moist and light they almost melted in my mouth.
    The meal was essentially peasant fare, but in the hands of a talented chef, it had become haute cuisine. I wanted to lick my plate but figured that would be tacky.
    “Was I right?” Nathan asked as he polished off his own meal.
    “Incredible,” I mumbled as I gulped down another bite of tender, fennel-infused sausage with a dollop of polenta smothered in red sauce. “I need this recipe.” Tomorrow I would talk to Chef Tang and beg if I had to. This dish would be a perfect addition to my fledgling repertoire of things I could cook.
    Dessert was a deep, rich chocolate soufflé with a generous side of whipped cream. There were no words to describe it, except
Oh, mercy
.
    “Attention! Attention!” Grace cried gaily as she tapped her fork against her crystal wineglass.
    I caught Suzie’s eye and she winked at me. I’d had enough wine that I winked back, and that’s when I noticed that Stephen Fowler was glaring in my direction. I shivered as I looked away, then wondered if perhaps his eyes had been shooting daggers beyond me, toward Grace instead.
    We all looked at her attentively. She appeared flushed and happy, no doubt from all the great food and wine, but also because she was surrounded by the people she loved. Well, except for Stephen Fowler and Madge. And Sybil, too, I supposed. I couldn’t imagine Grace loving any one of those three.
    I mentally smacked myself.
Be nice!
    “I’m so pleased to have you all here to celebrate my birthday. The Big Five-Oh! Heavens! I never thought I’d live this long.”
    I almost laughed. Grace was close to my mother’s age but looked even younger, with her diminutive figure and cute hair, not to mention her youthful attitude. She waved her hands in the air theatrically. “Never mind. Irefuse to get maudlin about my age, because I’ve never felt better.”
    We all hooted and applauded and Grace laughed. “All right, enough about old age. Let’s talk about some rumors that have been flying around. I’m about to quash one of them right now.”
    I turned in time to catch Sybil giving Peter a sharp look. Merrilee’s face was serene, but Marko’s frown lines practically obliterated his forehead. Stephen Fowler’s face became even more pinched than usual. Bella slurped her wine, blissfully ignorant of the tension growing around the table. Suzie and Vinnie exchanged anxious but knowing glances, certain that Grace was about to announce that she was making changes to her will.
    Instead Grace jumped up and grabbed what looked like a full ream of paper bound together by some sort of wide tape binding. “It’s done!” she cried, waving the heavy document in the air. “Finished! My first novel! And you’re all in it!”

Chapter 4
    There was a moment of silence; then the entire group burst into noisy applause again.
    “Congratulations!” Nathan said.
    “Mazel tov!” Bella cried, and slugged down the rest of her wine.
    “Wonderful, Auntie!” Kiki shouted.
    Almost everyone at the table added their good wishes and cheery congratulations. I was glad the mood had lifted, because up until a few seconds ago I was afraid I would be dodging a number of steak knives aimed at Grace.
    As the cheering died down, Grace placed the heavy manuscript on the table. She had tears in her eyes. “Thank you all so much. You make me feel like a superstar.”
    “That’s exactly what you are,” Ruth said, loyal as ever.
    “Oh, Ruth. You’re prejudiced,” Grace said, patting her friend’s hand. “But thank you. Now let me tell you all about this book. As you might imagine, the story is very near and dear to my heart. It’s a roman à clef of sorts, about a smart, spunky woman who starts out with nothing and ends up creating a multimillion-dollar corporation that makes all kinds of