“You didn’t need to think that one over.” A frown turned her lips downward.
He preferred her smiling. “Never discount any angle.”
She tipped her head to the side and he imagined her black hair falling over her shoulders in disarray. After last night’s revelation, not even the severe bun was a distraction to his hormones.
“After you mentioned his disappearing act in the sauna yesterday, I tried to come up with the one thing he’d hide from his potential attorney. An affair was it. I mean anything else and he’d come clean.”
“Possibly. I’ll talk to him as soon as he gets back. If we’re going to represent him I don’t want any surprises. The more we know the more we can prepare for ahead of time.”
“Sounds like a good plan. I’ll work on getting information on Mrs. Lederman in the meantime. Maybe you could scour the premises or something. There’s got to be information waiting to be dug up by an intrepid guy like yourself.”
Jack muttered about crazy women, grabbed for the menu and flipped it to the breakfast offerings on the back.
Mallory did the same. As she sat perusing the choices, Jack wondered if she was as calm inside as she appeared. His ego needed to believe she wasn’t finding the cover as easy this morning as it had been in the past.
Last night had convinced him this Mallory was the façade, a veneer to cover the real Mallory, the passionate woman beneath the disguise.
“Have you decided?” The waitress returned, interrupting his train of thought.
“Mallory?”
“You go first. I’m not sure yet.”
“I’ll have the Hungry Person Breakfast.” Jack handed the other woman the menu. “I missed dinner last night and I’m starving.”
Jack spoke to the waitress, but his gaze never left Mallory and he was rewarded. With his mention of last night, a flush crept up her cheeks, betraying her outward calm.
“Whatever happened to Hungry Man or Hungry Woman?” Mallory asked, an obvious attempt to distract herself and him.
The waitress laughed. “That’s Mrs. Lederman’s contribution to the menu. She says since women can get as hungry as men there’s no reason to offer two choices for the sake of using gender distinction.”
Mallory smiled and even behind the thick lenses, her blue eyes sparkled with laughter. “Now there’s a woman after my own heart.” She handed the waitress her menu. “I’ll have the same.”
“You got it.”
As soon as the other woman disappeared out of view, Mallory leaned forward, arms braced on the table. “Do you realize what that means?” she asked.
“Mrs. Lederman hides a feminist side?”
“Mrs. Lederman’s had some say in hotel business. Granted it’s just a breakfast selection, but my gut tells me there’s more. Maybe she’s so calm about this divorce because not only does she not want it, but because if she’s forced into it she knows she’s got strong legs to stand on when dividing assets.” Mallory leaned back in her seat, folding her arms across her chest. “Maybe Mrs. Lederm
an’s smarter and more on top of things than she’s letting on.”
Her perception impressed him and he admired her sharp mind at work. “Definitely something worth exploring.” He took a sip of his black coffee, needing the rush of caffeine to clear his head and get through this meal with his colleague who’d become much more to him in a very short time.
Last night she’d set out to teach him a lesson and she had. Tonight, he decided, would be his turn. He was a man who worked best on challenge and spur of the moment inspiration. Mallory provided both.
He wasn’t through exploring her hidden depths. Not by any stretch of the imagination. “So after breakfast are you interested in joining me for a walk on the beach?”
She glanced down. “I’m hardly dressed for the outdoors.”
He recognized the excuse. “But your room’s right upstairs.”
“I didn’t bring any kind of beach clothes.” She averted her gaze and he knew she was attempting to avoid him.
He wanted to smile but held back. Apparently she liked being in control and ran when she wasn’t. “There’s a shop in the lobby.” He pressed his advantage.
“They may not have my size.”