The Missing Heir(111)

                Cole set the champagne bottle on the                     fireplace hearth, handing one flute of champagne to Amber and taking the other                     for himself. “It’s very convenient to have a well-stocked wine cellar.”

                “It is. And I finally managed to figure out the code,” said                     Amber.

                She was sitting beside him on the thick carpet, leaning back                     against the sofa. Zachary was fast asleep in bed, Otis on guard in the hallway                     outside his door, and the lights were dimmed throughout the penthouse. The                     flickering gas fire blended with the tiny white lights of the Christmas                     tree.

                “Some of the wine is locked up?” Cole asked.

                “I mean the color code to the price and vintage.”

                “Yeah?”

                She raised her glass. “Oh, yes. We are enjoying a very fine                     vintage.”

                He didn’t have the heart to tell her that champagne all tasted                     the same to him. “We have a lot to celebrate.”

                “You were brilliant.”

                “No, you were brilliant. I just picked up the ball.”

                “And carried it across the goal line.”

                “You threw the hail Mary pass.”

                She grinned. “I did, didn’t I? To us, then, and our mutual                     brilliance.”

                “Don’t forget about Zachary.” If they’d scripted the event, the                     kid couldn’t have pulled it off any better.

                “He was perfect.” She took a sip. “Oh, this is a good one.”

                Cole followed suit. It tasted like sweet, bubbly wine to him.                     “It is.”

                “I guess you’re the chair of the board now,” she said,                     stretching her arms out as she leaned back.

                Cole felt an uncomfortable pull in his gut. “We should talk                     about something else.”

                “Did you see the look on Roth’s face? He is both furious and                     terrified.”

                “I don’t see him at Coast Eagle for the long term.”

                “Are you going to fire him right away?”