Free Legal Ease (Sutton Capital Series) by Lori Ryan Page B

and shrugged. “Just didn’t. She’s pretty vacant. Just a big old empty package with a huge bow but not a damn thing inside the box.”

Chapter Sixteen
    The following Monday, Kelly went shopping at the mall and then drove to New Haven to meet Jennie for lunch. Kelly pulled her car into a space in the parking garage and glanced in the rear view mirror before opening her car door to get out. Kelly had a strange feeling that the car pulling past as she got out of her car was the same one behind her earlier that day at the mall. She watched nervously as the car continued by and figured that she must be imagining things.
    Kelly walked through the parking garage and took the elevator down to the street level . She stepped out onto the street and went two doors down to the café where Jennie was waiting. It had been a couple of weeks since she’d seen her friend and they definitely needed to make up for lost time. She needed to fill in Jennie on her ‘married’ life with Jack and she wanted to know how Jennie’s new job was going.
    Kelly spotted Jennie at a table and then pointed to the counter to signal that she’d grab a coffee and order lunch then join her. Kelly ordered a turkey and avocado sandwich, picked up her iced coffee, and made her way over to Jennie.
    Jennie’s eyes immediately went to Kelly’s left hand and the rather large diamond that sat alongside her wedding band. “He bought you an engagement ring?” she whispered in surprise as Kelly sat down.
    “I know,” said Kelly as she squirmed under Jennie’s scrutiny. “I felt a little weird about it but it was sweet, don’t you think?”
    “Very,” said Jennie and she took Kelly’s hand and examined the setting. “Tell me all about married life.” She giggled.
    Kelly lowered her voice, not wanting anyone to hear the strange conversation they were about to have, given the state of her rather unconventional marriage. “He’s actually really sweet. I mean, who would think that Jack Sutton would be so sweet, right? We have dinner together almost every night. He asks about my day…. We watch movies or T.V. after dinner. It’s really nice, right?”
    They paused while their sandwiches were delivered to the table.
    Jennie watched Kelly for a minute as if reading the emotions on her friend’s face. Her eyes were big and round and she leaned in to whisper at Kelly. “Uh oh. You’re falling for him a little aren’t you? You have a crush on your husband!”
    “ Ugh ,” Kelly said and rolled her eyes. “Yes, I am most definitely falling for him. His aunt moved into the house with us yesterday. She pretended it’s because she’s having work done on her townhouse but we’re pretty sure she’s trying to prove the marriage is fake. That, of course, means that last night we needed to start sharing a room…and a bed.”
    “Oh boy, have you…?” asked Jennie as her eyes went even wider.
    “No!” Kelly shushed Jennie and looked around to be sure no one was listening. “No, I went to bed ridiculously early and pretended to be asleep when Jack came in,” she confessed with a grimace.
    “Oh, God, you did not!” Jennie covered her mouth with her hand but couldn’t cover the laughter. Kelly nodded and she felt the now-familiar red heat creep into her cheeks.
    When she recovered, Jennie pursed her lips and thought for a moment. “Well, you could just go with it and have hot, wild monkey sex for a year with one of the hottest men on the continent.”
    Kelly laughed at Jennie’s characterization of the situation but then dropped her smile. “ No way. I couldn’t do that. The guy dates supermodels and actresses with gorgeous, stick-thin bodies. I’d feel so stupid.”
    Jennie’s normally fun demeanor was gone and she put her coffee back down on the table and then leaned toward Kelly. “Kelly, you’re gorgeous and you know it. He probably wants you already.” 
    Kelly gave a little shake of her head and smiled at her friend. “ Uh uh. He just