Derek comes up to me. “Kate, can I getyou something?”
“Yeah, do you have something sweet, maybein a shot?”
“Yeah, I have one called a naked yellowbird.”
“Sounds perfect. I’ll try that.”
I turn to Alan. “What’s going on,Grandpa?”
Derek puts my shot and another one forAlan in front of us. Alan drinks his. “Drowning my problems.”
“Problems?” I pick up my shot and tilt myhead back, letting the sweet berry drink drain down my throat.
“Yeah, big ole pain in the ass problems.”
“Oh, like actual pains in your ass, or isthat a metaphor?”
Alan laughs, pounding a fist on thetable. “Oh Kate, only you would ask that. I love you girl. It’s a metaphor…” Hetrails off, looking past me. I follow his eye line to Luke and Keaton walkingtowards our table.
“Alan, what’s wrong?” We watch Luke saysomething to the table and the two women are dismissed.
“Kate, I did something bad.” All the menget up and walk past us towards the manager’s office. Cole locks eyes with me,he tries to smile but it doesn’t reach his eyes. They all disappear into theoffice.
“Derek, I need another one of thoseshots.” After another round, I turn to Alan. “Okay Gramps, spill your guts.”
“The sale of Lawton today…” He stops,raking a hand through his hair.
“Alan,” I urge him on.
“I bought Lawton shipping today.”
Ifeel my eyes widen and my mouth drops open. “Uh—how?”
“I have a company out of New York. I transferred twenty million into it andtold my guy in charge to make the offer. I wasn’t sure it would work. They,Mezzo, or whoever’s behind this bunch of hoopla, told Coulter to sell to thehighest bidder, and well, I was the highest by fifteen million.”
“Shit, damn, hell.”
“And a few others. I’m sure that’s whatLuke’s doing here. Mezzo is realizing someone out bid him on the company andthings are about to get ugly.”
“What’s going to happen now?”
Alan shrugs. Derek has put another shotin front of him and he drinks it. “No idea.”
I turn around, leaning against the bar. Ishould be mad, but I’m not. I didn’t think the men should’ve sold the companyto begin with. But they all looked like a weight had been lifted off themtonight. Smiles on all their faces. Things were looking up. They had beautifulwomen on their laps. Dammit, I don’t know what to think. I feel a tap on myshoulder and a bartender I don’t know sits a champagne glass in front of me.“It’s from the gentleman over there.” I follow the guy’s eye line right to Mr.Not Important.
“Thanks,” I tell the bartender. I pickthe glass up. Melvin Martins and I stare at each other. I salute him and he hasthe nerve to laugh, his big ugly frame shaking. He salutes me back.
I put the glass to my lips, but Alanwraps his hand around my wrist. “Kate don’t.”
“I’m done being the frightened, helplessgirl, Alan.” He releases my hand and I down the champagne in one gulp. “Infact.” I push off the bar and walk over to his table. My heart’s pounding sohard I can feel it in my ears, but I’ve had enough liquid courage tonight thatmy inhibitions are gone, and I’m ready to tell Melvin Martins what I think ofhim.
“Good evening, Mrs. Holt,” Mr. NotImportant grins.
“You’ve got a lot of nerve showing uphere, Mr. Not Important.” The smug look on his face disappears.
“I’d be careful if I were you.”
“Careful? Oh why Mr. Martins, are youthreatening me?”
