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“Olivia, you need to take a serious chill pill. I’m not the one blackmailing you.”
“You’ll regret it, all of it.” She grabs onto my hair again, yanking my head back.
That’s it! I scream like it’s my last dying breath and the way Olivia’s holding those scissors. It just might be. She twirls my hair in her hand, then opens the scissors up. Arms wrap around me, yanking me forward, but not before Olivia cuts a chunk out of my hair and I scream again.
Luke appears out of nowhere, picking me up and shoving me back into Cole’s arms.
Olivia drops the scissors and starts to sob. Luke helps her stand up and Preston comes over, taking her from Luke.
I move my head and watch as fine silken chestnut hairs fall down the front of me. I run my fingers through my hair and watch more hairs lithely fall to the ground. It’s too much, it’s just too much. Just when I think I have a handle on things, something explodes in my face. I can’t cope with this anymore. I try to break free of Cole, but he holds me tight, encasing me against his chest like a loving tomb. Hot elephant tears cascade down my cheeks.
Get a grip, Kate, you need to learn how to cope if this is how life is going to be from now on. You’ve got to form a thick skin. You’ve got to take charge and not let life run you over. What’s the saying they use? Grab the bull by the balls, oh good grief, that’s not it, grab the bull by the horns.
I relax into Cole, and he loosens his grip. I look up at him. His face is stoic. I don’t know what he’s feeling or thinking, and he hasn’t said anything. Great, just great.
I take a breath. If I don’t find a way to fix Olivia and make her owe me one, she may be the death of me, literally. I turn and look at her. She’s a bigger sobbing mess than me. That’s a first. I know how she feels. I should be glad the tables have turned, and she’s getting her just desserts, but as I watch her cry, all I feel is empathy. I watch Preston as he strokes her hair and whispers to her. He really loves her. I feel sorry for both of them.
I glance at Luke, who seems to still be processing the situation. He looks a bit in shock.
Nobody seems to want to be the first to speak, but finally, Luke looks at me. “Kate, I think you need to tell us what happened. We need to assess whether Olivia had intentions of hurting you.”
Are you kidding? She has always had it out for me, not the other way around. That has been her intentions since she laid eyes on me. Just her poisonous words made me question Cole’s love for me. She made me a complete and utter mess. Any idiot can see she wants to do me harm.
Luke clears his throat. “Let me rephrase, if she wanted to do you bodily harm.” I look at my cut hair that’s strewn over my shoulders, down the front of me and on the floor. Pretty sure she did me bodily harm when she hacked off my hair.
“She was just upset.” My voice is raw and raspy from screaming. “She got some disturbing news. The cup tipped over, and she picked up the sc—scissors.” My voice cracks, and tears stream down my face. “She didn’t mean it.” Except she did mean it, and now there’s no taking it back.
Cole cups my face between his thumb and forefinger. He looks me over. I know he doesn’t believe me. I’m not a very good liar.
“I’m sorry Kate.”
I whip my head around to Olivia, then back at Cole and then back to Olivia. I can’t believe what I just heard. I know she’s not apologizing about everything she’s put me through. I’m sure it’s just about my hair, because unlike the weave I pulled out of hers, mine is real.
“It’s hair, it grows.” I lay my head on Cole’s chest, officially done in by today’s events.
Alan comes up, standing in the middle of the situation. “Well, it’s unfortunate that you two had a bit of a cat fight. But every woman should experience one in her lifetime.”
This gets Olivia and she sobs harder.
Alan shrugs. “What’d I say?”
I sigh, “It’s our second one this week.”
“And last,” Preston and Cole say at the same time.
“Well, I would like to celebrate. I haven’t been to Las Vegas in almost ten years. I’d like to go to one of those fancy nightclubs.” Uh—oh, I might as well bend over now and let Cole spank me. I know exactly where Alan’s going with this. “Coulter, don’t you own a nightclub?”
I sense Cole’s eyes on me, but I try my best to be oblivious. “Yes, I do.”
“Perfect, let’s go. Perhaps the ladies would like to clean up and change first.”
“Grandpa, maybe—,”
“No, I came to help you out, Coulter. The least you can do is show your old grandfather a decent time. Race, Kit I hope you’ll join us. In fact, I insist. I’d like to get to know the men who are going to help my grandson run my legacy. Make sure you’re up to the task.”
“I’m game,” Race says.
“Me too. There’s never a dull moment with the Holt’s.” I glance at Kit, narrowing my eyes. But I have to admit he’s right.
