An Indecent Marriage by Doreen Owens Malek Read Free Book Online Page B

yet?” Jean asked.
    Jessica shook her head. “He’s still in intensive care.”
    “How much damage did the heart attack do?” Jean probed, blinking rapidly.
    Jessica put an arm around her sister’s shoulders. “Try not to worry too much. Everything possible is being done for him. We just have to wait.” Deliberately changing the subject, Jessica inquired, “How is school?”
    Jean shrugged. “School is school. Art class is the only thing that makes it bearable.” She tossed her blonde hair, several shades darker than Jessica’s, over her shoulder. “Mr. Danforth says that if I want to be a painter or a sculptor I have to do well in all my academic subjects too. Don’t you think that’s silly? I mean, what does the history of the French Revolution have to do with creating a work of art?”
    “Mr. Danforth sounds very wise. Isn’t he the counselor you wrote me about, the one who’s arranging those New York interviews for you?”
    Jean nodded eagerly, her disillusionment with social studies forgotten. “He thinks I have a good chance of getting into one of the schools, too.” Then her face darkened. “Of course I won’t be going anywhere if we don’t have the money to pay the tuition.” She turned her head to examine Jessica closely. “What happened with the mill, Jessica? Why are we in such trouble?”
    Jessica sighed, defeated by the prospect of trying to explain something she barely understood herself. “Competition ruined the business during the past several years. Dad was just squeezed out as a result. That’s about all I can make of it. I know it wasn’t mismanagement. Dad was always a fanatic for keeping on top of things.” She deliberately left Jack out of the picture; Jean didn’t have to know those details.
    Jean put her hands on her hips and surveyed Jessica critically. “But if what you’re saying is true, why is someone trying to take over the mill? Why would anyone want to take on the same kind of problems Dad’s been having?”
    Why indeed? Jessica thought to herself. Unless that person had a particular score to settle.
    “A competing company is looking to expand,” Jessica said as casually as possible, pushing open the swinging doors to the kitchen to allow Jean to follow her through them. “The owner is Jack Chabrol. He has a local trucking business.”
    Jean halted and stared at her. “You mean that ex-football player?”
    “Yes.”
    Jean shook her head. “That’s weird. Does he want it for a tax write-off or something?”
    No, he wants it to torment me, Jessica mused inwardly. “What do you know about tax write-offs?” she asked Jean teasingly as her sister went to the refrigerator and removed a bottle of milk.
    “I took an accounting course last semester,” Jean announced importantly, looking around for a glass. “Do you think we’ll get to meet him?” she went on, pouring herself a drink. “Chabrol, I mean. Have you ever seen him? He’s a doll. Real tall, with great big shoulders and a killer smile. He gave a talk at the school last year. All the girls fell in love with him.”
    “I saw him this morning,” Jessica answered, glad that Jean didn’t know anything about her previous involvement with Jack. “I knew him years ago when we were at school together,” she added, telling the bare truth without elaborating on it.
    “Don’t you think he’s cute?” Jean asked ingenuously.
    “He’s very attractive,” Jessica replied carefully. “He always was.”
    “I don’t believe he isn’t married. You would have thought someone would snag him along the way. After all, he’s pretty old, almost thirty I think, and as rich as Midas. I heard he was engaged once, but broke it off. I can’t imagine why he came back here with all his money. I’d go to Malibu and buy a beach house.”
    Jessica smiled at Jean’s teenaged fantasies. “Is that all you’re having for lunch? How about a sandwich?”
    Jean shook her head. “I’m on a diet. So what do you think