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Olivia gives me a funny look. “You drink it how?”
I smile. “Without hands, cover the shot glass with your mouth, then tip the shot back. I’ve only done it once.”
She nods. “You go first.”
“Um—okay.” I put my hands behind my back, so I’m not tempted to use them, and with a swift move, tip the glass with my mouth. I smear some of the whipped cream on my face, but get all the liquid in my mouth. “Your turn,” I say, wiping the excess whipped cream off with the back of my hand. Olivia has no problems downing the drink and orders us two more.
“Together this time.” Olivia almost smiles. Oh—boy, I am sufficiently buzzed, if not a bit drunk, but this is the first time we haven’t wanted to beat each other up figuratively or literally. So I agree. On the count of three, we cover our mouths over the shots and drink.
I move over next to her. “I want to help you.” My words are a bit slurred. She orders two more drinks.
“How?”
“Luke, come here.” I motion over my shoulder for him. I turn to see him, but he’s not there. When I turn back to Olivia, he’s standing between us. “Oh, there you are.” I pat his shoulder. “Tell Luke what you told me.”
“No,” she hisses through her teeth.
“Kate, let’s go sit at a booth.” Luke tries to get me to stand up.
“No, stop.” I bat him away. “There are only five people who know about that night. And none of them have said anything. Luke can help us, I mean you. Tell him. Tell him.” I bump Olivia’s shoulder and suddenly Luke is standing in the space between the bar stools. I sit up and look around at Olivia. “Tell him.”
“I’m being blackmailed with pictures of Kit and me in his hotel room.” Olivia recounts her story in a much nicer way than she did with me.
“Let me have access to your email and also your phone, and I’ll see what I can find,” Luke says to Olivia.
“See?” I lean back on the barstool. Luke backs off, but he doesn’t go far.
“Does this mean I owe you?” Olivia gives me a side glance.
“No. This means we are walking on neutral ground. But enough with the Coulter antics, I’m not going anywhere, so just stop.”
She purses her lips. “Fair enough. I can see how much he loves you.”
Yes, somehow, for a brief moment, the universe shined down on me and gave me Cole. I’m truly lucky. “If you haven’t noticed, you have a husband who loves you. I could tell tonight he loves you very much.”
Olivia sighs, “this whole Coulter thing has been stressful for him. I’ll admit it’s brought us closer together.”
“If you…” but I stop. I don’t want to cross the very fine line of neutrality that we have created. But if she worked as hard at her marriage as she has tried to get back at Cole, she might be happy. For a change.
Two fresh drinks with whipped cream are sitting on the bar. “Together,” I laugh.
“Together,” Olivia repeats.
As I bring my dead down, the empty shot glass is taken out of my mouth, and Cole is staring at me. “Cole!” I’m pretty sure I yell. I’m officially drunk. I wrap my hands flimsily around his neck. “There you are. I missed you.” And I smash my lips into his.
“How much have you had to drink?” I turn to the bar where the shots are still lined up. I try to count. “One, two, three…um a lot, I’ve had a lot to drink. In fact, Derek! Another round of um—those shots we’ve been drinking for me and my mother-in-law.” Derek starts to make our drinks but then stops. I glance back at Cole. “Hey, knock it off,” I pout. “I’m trying to have a good time. Don’t be a fuddy duddy.” I laugh at the words fuddy duddy, and say them again “fuddy duddy.”
“Cooper, will you get Kate a glass of water?”
“And some chocolate cake while you’re at it, Coop.” Cooper comes back with a glass of ice water, sitting it in front of me. “Hey Cooper,” I whisper.
He comes up and bends down so we’re at eye level. “Hey Kate,” he whispers back.
“Sorry, I spilled the beans to your grandpa about you being in Las Vegas. I hope you’ll forgive me.”
“No worries, love. I’m only marginally afraid of the old fart. Besides, we got it squared away.”
“I heard that,” Alan says, banging his cane on the counter.
