“Do you?”
“Yes!” we both say at the same time.
“You bitch. You pushed me.” Shane steams.
“What me?” Olivia feigns innocence. “Idid no such thing.”
Shane tries to advance on Olivia, but theman she’s with holds her back. “Here, I think I know the problem.” I stepforward. Cole still has my hand, but Olivia has my back and steps up with me.“If you don’t want to trip and fall, you might want to invest in a better pairof heels. Like these.” I lift my dress, exposing my nude Jimmy Choo’s “Insteadof these knock offs. What do they say? Kimmy Choes? Not the same thing. Maybeyou should ask your boss for a raise.” She grabs the broken heel out of myhand. “Careful, Olivia and I are cat fighting experts.”
Cole pulls me back to him and Prestonwraps an arm around Olivia. I dare a look at Cole, who smiles and shakes hishead. “Come on baby, let’s get you home.”
He pulls me close and we meander out ofthe tent into the foyer of the house where Kit, Race and Cooper are waiting.“Hey cuz, someone wants a word with you?” Cooper nods to his right, where PaloRiviera is standing.
I smile. “I can wait here.”
Cole’s jaw pulses, and then he nods.“Coop, will you wait here with Kate?”
“Um—okay.” Cooper gives Cole a tight nod.I don’t think that’s what Cooper wants. I’m sure he’d like to be a part ofwhatever Palo Riviera has to say. We watch Cole walk over to Palo with Kit andRace and then walk outside.
“Sorry, Coop.”
He gives me a questioning look. “Why,love?”
“You’re stuck on Kate duty.” I roll myeyes at the very idea.
“Isn’t that the best kind of duty thereis?” He bumps my shoulder.
“Buy a girl a drink?” I give him my bestpleading look, batting my eyelashes.
“Cole never had a chance, did he? I’d behappy to get you a drink.” We walk up to the bar. “What would you like?”
“Do a shot with me.”
“Can I get two buttery nipples?” Coop holdsa hand up to the bartender.
“Ugh.” I grab his arm. “Nothing girly.”
“Okay, okay, whatever the lady wants.” Heturns back to the bartender. “Two four horsemen.”
“Now that sounds like a shot.”
Cooper laughs, “wait until you drink it.”The bartender hands us our drinks.
I gingerly pick mine up, smelling it. Ithas a strong spicy smell. “Does it have whiskey in it?”
“It’s got a little bit of Jim, Jack,Johnnie and Jameson.” Cooper laughs giving me a crooked smile.
“Huh?”
“It’s got bourbon, whiskey, Irish whiskey,and scotch.”
“Oh, the four horsemen. I get it. Youfirst.” I tip my head at Coop, he nods and downs his drink with no visibleeffect. Huh, it can’t be too bad then, and I tip my head back, swallowing myshot in one gulp. It burns all the way down; I want to cough but I can’t seemto. “Holy shit.” I manage to say, my voice wispy and raw.
Coop pats me on the back. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, that was great.” I beam, standingup straight, my body feeling all warm and fuzzy. “I want another.”
“No way. If you have another one ofthose, you won’t be able to walk straight. Cole will kill me if I let you getdrunk.” Funny, he’s not the first guy to tell me that tonight. Oh well, whatthey don’t know won’t hurt them, or me.
