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“Kate.” Cole gives me his ‘that’s enough look.’
You’ve got to be kidding me.
“Doesn’t your family miss you? Don’t you have a job you need to get back to?”
I turn my head out the window, ignoring her.
“Coulter, you really should think about Kate’s needs over your own for once.”
“I have been thinking about that, Cookie.” I whip my head around to stare at him. “Maybe it would be a good idea for you to go back to Crystal Falls. You can get the house ready to sell. Spend some time with your family.”
I open my mouth, but nothing comes out. My heart is pounding so hard in my chest, my breath comes out ragged. Cole’s eyes flit to me, but then he looks away.
Olivia puts her hand on Cole’s knee. “It’s for the best, darling. I told you. I know you.”
My eyes go wide. I wait for Cole to say something, but he doesn’t. He just looks out the window.
“Take your hand off my husb—Cole before I rip out the rest of your fake hair.”
Olivia glares at me, her hand staying where it is.
“Kate…” Cole’s frowning at me but flicks Olivia’s hand off his knee the way he would a bug.
“You know, Olivia, Cole and I really do owe you a gratitude of thanks. If it wasn’t for your devious, malicious ways, we wouldn’t have ended up together. You forced Cole’s hand. You say you know him. What is it you really want from him?”
“Kate, that’s enough.”
“NO! Cole. I want to know why she won’t leave you alone. What’s worth going to such extreme lengths for? I turn back to Olivia. “It’s not love, that’s for damn sure. So, what is it?”
“I love Coulter in a way you could never understand?”
I can’t help the disgusted noise that leaves my mouth. “This is what you call love. Trying to manipulate Cole into doing what you want. Wow, you’re right. That’s a kind of love I don’t get and want no part of. Loving someone is putting them before yourself. If you truly loved Cole, you would leave him alone. You would stop these awful games.”
“Kate Cook, you need to stop this right now!” Cole hisses, grabbing my arm and yanking me across the limo to his side. I stare at him with shock, he’s never been physical with me this way.
Olivia snorts, “still going to claim you’re married.”
I round on Olivia, all pretense of keeping my cool gone. “Still going to claim you didn’t sleep with Kit Everett?” It’s Olivia’s turn to go into shock. The color drains from her face, and her mouth drops open, but nothing comes out.
“Kate,” Cole’s voice is soft, but low and demanding. He tries to reach his hand out for me.
“Don’t touch me.” I push Cole and slide to the door. “I told my family we were married, even though I was sure they’d hate me. Olivia blatantly threatens me, and you still can’t look her in the face and say the words. You want me to go back home? Fine, I’ll go, but not until you say the words. Say it,” I scream. Cole just stares at me.
I can’t think. I can’t breathe. I feel betrayed. After everything I endured with my family for him, he can’t tell Olivia we are married. Maybe I’ve been wrong this whole time and there’s something more going on with Cole and Olivia. I grip the door to help keep myself grounded, my fingers wrapping around the door handle. The limo has stopped, and I watch the people cross the road under the canopy of Freemont Street. The limo feels like it’s closing in on me. I need air. I need out of here, away from Olivia, away from Cole. I push the door open, and jump out of the car and run. I’ve gotten fairly decent at running in heels thanks to Cole. I hear Cole call my name, but I don’t turn around. I’m engulfed in the sea of people walking along Freemont. I hear my name again. I glance behind me to see Luke trying to catch up with me. I dart around people.
“Sorry, excuse me, so sorry,” I huff as I push around and bump into them. I look behind me again. Luke’s only a couple of yards away. I turn around, hitting a solid mass of white polyester.
“Hey darling…” The tallest Elvis I’ve ever seen gives me a lopsided grin.
“Hey back, so sorry, um—that man back there is chasing me. Help a girl out, would you?”
The massive Elvis smiles and winks. “Sure thing.”
I dart around him, and I’m swarmed by a mass of white jump suited Elvis’. It’s an army of Elvis’. Thanks to my dark hair and white dress, I blend in well with the mass. I slow and walk with them. I peek around cautiously for Luke, but I don’t see him anywhere. I feel bad asking that big guy to stop him. I don’t even know what the hell I’m doing or where I’m going. When the Elvis Army files into some bar that touts the sign ‘girls, girls, girls,’ I pick up my pace again—not really in the mood for a burlesque show of any variety.
I keep looking around for Luke or Cole, so I’m not paying attention to where I’m going. I come around the corner and stumble into a guy, and his slushy, blue drink spills all down the front of me. It’s cold and sticky. “Yuck,” I say, trying to get the nasty blue alcohol off me.
“Hey, watch out,” the guy yells at me.
