Fatal Trust Read Online Free PDF

book.
Actually, maybe I’ll make you the heroine, the woman the hero teaches to loosen
up. Once she does, she ends up helping him save the town.”
    Catherine rolled her eyes. “Too bad for you that you can’t
manipulate real life like you do the characters in
your books.”
    Max grinned. “So you think.”
    Lexie ran a brush through her loose hair, frowning at her
reflection in the bathroom mirror. That conversation had occurred years ago,
but she could still remember it perfectly. And Max had been right about his
ability to manipulate real life. Thanks to his manipulation from the grave, she
was now pretending to be Ben’s girlfriend while spying on his relatives,
something she was not looking forward to. She’d even called First Trust, hoping
that after hearing the plan’s specifics, the trustee would find some reason to
object to it. No such luck.
    She surveyed herself in the bathroom mirror. She’d selected
tonight’s dress because although it was navy silk, the V-neckline in both front
and back made it the least conservative of the three dresses she’d brought
along. For her investigation to succeed, she had to convince Ben’s family
members she was his cocktail waitress girlfriend, and you only got one chance
to make a first impression. Rule Number 9.
    She was applying her lipstick when Ben knocked on her door.
She checked her watch. Seven minutes after six.
    She replaced the silver cover and set the lipstick tube on
the bathroom vanity, then went to open her bedroom door.
    Her breath caught in her throat. Talk about cleaning up
well. The man standing outside was Ben, but not the auto mechanic/NASCAR driver
Ben she’d been with less than an hour ago. She’d never expected he’d own a
suit, let alone a perfectly tailored charcoal one, which he wore with a white
shirt and a silk tie that matched his eyes. With his hair damp and every trace
of stubble and oil gone, this Ben had her stomach fluttering.
    Which annoyed her. “You’re late,” she said, even though she
hadn’t been ready on time either.
    “Sorry.” He offered her his arm. “Let’s go, babe.”
    The fluttering stopped. She really wasn’t looking forward to tonight.
###
    Sherry hour was held in the parlor, a room furnished with
the kind of elegantly uncomfortable Victorian-era furniture Lexie’s mother
favored. Aunt Muriel was already there, still wearing her habit and bright
lipstick as she drank what appeared to be whiskey on the rocks.
    “I’ll introduce you to Trey,” Ben said, leading Lexie to the
stately silver-haired man standing next to the fireplace.
    “Trey, I’d like you to meet my girlfriend, Lexie. Lexie,
this is Grandfather’s best friend, Trey.”
    Lexie held her breath, ready for Trey to recognize her and
tell everyone her true identity. But he simply extended his hand, not
exhibiting a hint of suspicion. “Delighted to meet you, Lexie,” he said. “Where
are you from?”
    “Lexington, Kentucky, believe it or not,” she said,
relaxing. “Although I wasn’t born there, so I can’t blame my parents for the
‘Lexie from Lexington’ idiocy.”
    Trey smiled. “I can blame my parents for my nickname Trey.
My name is actually Thomas J. Donaldson III. My grandfather was Tom and my
father was Tommie, so my parents decided I needed something completely
different. They came up with Trey, which is based on the Italian word for
‘three.’ They claimed it was because I was conceived in Rome, although I have
no idea if that was true.”
    “It makes a good story,” Lexie said.
    Trey nodded. “And after spending so many years with Max, I
know the story is the most important thing.”
    “Let’s go get something to drink, Lexie,” Ben said.
    “It’s been very nice meeting you, Trey,” Lexie said.
    “I told you he wouldn’t suspect,” Ben murmured as they
walked over to the drink table.
    A few minutes later Cecilia came in, wearing an elegant
black sheath and accompanied by a man who resembled her so closely he