I glance at Cooper and shrug. “How aboutyou suggest something that’sappropriate?”
“What kinds of white wine do you have?”
“We have a dry Santa Rita.” Cooper nodshis approval.
Race and Kit saunter up to us.
“Kate, would you like to dance?” Race asks.
“I thought you’d never ask.” To make sureCooper doesn’t mind, I glance back at him.
Cooper holds up my wine glass. “I willbring in your drink.”
“Thanks Cooper.” I smile.
“Don’t forget you promised me a dance.”Kit winks.
“I won’t.” I wink back. I peer past themen looking for Cole. He’s talking to a tall, well-built blonde man.
“Cole won’t be much longer,” Race assuresme.
I take his arm. “I’m not worried. We willbe dancing.” We walk through the large doors into the tent. “Holy Elvisheaven,” The tent is filled with Elvis’ of all kinds, there are even womendressed up as Elvis. “Why didn’t I get this memo? Everyone’s dressed up likeElvis.”
Race laughs. “The wait staff, look.” Hepoints to a woman wearing a short white dress with a large collar covered insequins and white go-go boots. She’s carrying a tray of drinks over to a table.“Bet you wish you had an outfit like that.”
I don’t say anything, I just cock aneyebrow.
“Oh man, Cole is a lucky bastard.” Hewalks us onto the dance floor.
“Race, who was that man Cole was talkingto?”
I feel him tense as we dance around thefloor. “Why do you ask?”
I shrug.“He looks familiar. Washe at the reception Cole and Preston held at the Empress?”
Race nods, realizing he’s going to haveto tell me. “You have a good memory. He’s an investor with Prescott-Holt; hisname is Palo Riviera.”
“Don’t you mean Prescott- Holt andEverett?”
Race smiles. “Well yes, but if we aregoing to get technical, we would need to use all the shareholders, so it wouldbe called Prescott, Holt, Cook-Holt, Hayes, and Everett.”
“Oh sheesh, way to make a girl blush. Butfrom what I understand, Cole technically has control of my shares.”
“That’s true, but only as long as you lethim.”
“You already have long meetings. Can youimagine all the suffering I would inflict on everyone because you’d have toexplain everything ten times before I understood what was going on?”
“Oh, I don’t know, life is never dullwith you around.”
I shake my head. Good grief. I don’t knowif I should take all these comments as compliments or insults. “Okay Race,exactly what does that mean?”
“It means that no matter what life throwsat you, you make the best of it, and that filters to everyone around you, meincluded.”
“Thank you.”
We drift along the dance floor incompanionable silence. Race peers past me, smiling. I turn and see Colestriding towards us. “May I cut in?” he asks.
“Of course. Thank you for the dance,Kate.”
