Page 80 of A Heart That’s True
The Chocolate cake shot is slightly brown with a lemon covered in sugar. I down the drink with a long swig, then lick the sugar off the lemon. “That tastes just like chocolate cake only in liquid form, I need another.”
“Coulter,” Alan bangs his cane in front of us and I jump. “Sorry Kate, why don’t you and Cooper show me around this joint. And tell me why I shouldn’t kick Cooper’s ass back to grad school.”
“Come on.” Cole takes my hand, and we follow Cooper and Alan over to office.
I sit on the arm of the sofa and Cole sits next to me.
“What are you doing here, gramps?” Cooper sits on top of the desk.
“The better question is, what are you doing here?”
“I’m working.”
Alan bangs his cane on the desk next to Cooper. I’m the only one who flinches. Cole puts a hand on my back to steady me.
“Relax old man, I’ll finish school…someday.”
“No, I’m tired of this crap. You’re on the first flight back to Harvard.”
“Wait, Grandpa.” Cole stands up. “I need Cooper. I need someone I can trust to run my businesses here in Vegas.”
“No. I’ll not have a grandson who does not have a graduate degree.” Alan turns, pointing his cane at me. “Kate…”
I stand up. I want nothing to do with that cane. I glance at Cole, who smiles and mouths, ‘it’s okay.’
“Yes.” I’m not sure where he’s going with this.
“Do you have a masters?” Alan shakes his cane at me. I’m almost surprised it doesn’t go off.
I back towards the door. “Yes, actually I do.”
“What’s it in?” Alan leaves his cane pointed at me but looks back to Cooper.
“Um—it’s in Fine Arts with an emphasis in antiquities.” He’s still pointing that cane at me. “Alan, would you mind not pointing that at me? It’s making me uneasy. In fact, if you boys don’t mind, I’m going to bow out of this Prescott family fight and get me another drink.” Cole opens the door for me and Luke follows me over to the bar.
I sit down, glancing back at the closed door. Better to be on this side of the door. Derek nods at me and then sits another chocolate cake shot in front of me. I drink it, then pull out my phone. I text Laura, telling her I found my drink and I wish she was here to dance and be my drinking buddy.
“Kate.”
I look over to Preston. “Oh hey, Preston.”
“Where is everyone?”
“Talking shop in the office.”
“Great thank you.” I watch him nod to someone and then walk off. I turn to see Olivia sit down a seat away from me. Her own security man in tow. Luke leaves the wall, coming over and sitting on the other side of me. I look Olivia over. She looks beaten down and tired, but flawlessly dressed as always. Tonight, she’s wearing a tight red dress that flares slightly at the bottom.
“Nice dress,” I say. Holy crap, I can’t believe that came out of my mouth, and the worst part is I meant it. Shoot!
“Thanks,” Olivia says, not looking at me.
I motion for Derek. “Can I get two more chocolate cake shots, one for me and one for my fr—”
I choke on the word friend. “One for Olivia. Cake always makes me feel better, and this is cake at its finest, only in liquid form, and even better, it gives you a nice buzz.” Olivia doesn’t say anything, but we drink the shots together, both of us licking the sugar off.
“Not bad,” she shrugs, “but I like to drown my sorrows with anything that has whipped cream.”
My lips form an O and I motion for Derek again.