was true.
“Did you have a question, Mr. Manning?”
I blinked and looked up at the freckle-faced chef with the earnest smile. “Sorry, no. That was a rhetorical question.”
“Okay, then. The wine has sufficiently breathed. I can pour you a glass if you’d like.”
“Sure.” I wasn’t much of a wine drinker, but this was the meal that Kat had picked out for me, to say thanks for saving her sweet little ass, so I would indulge. Completely. “Thank you.”
I took a sip and listened as she prattled on and on about the flavor and undertones of the wine, the full bodied-ness of it. I didn’t know what any of that meant and I didn’t care.
“Damn good wine, thanks.”
Five minutes later, Jack and his freckle-faced sidekick had a four-course gourmet Italian meal laid out before me. I enjoyed every single bite, savored the flavors and the meal.
All courtesy of one sexy as fuck Kat Ashby.
Chapter Five
Kat
One of the things I loved about spending days at the Emerald Isle casino compared to Black Stallion was The Cute Parisian Bistro. As the name indicated, it was a cute little Parisian style bistro complete with wrought iron tables and chairs, a chalkboard menu, and softly playing French pop music playing through strategically placed speakers.
It was my favorite place to have lunch, especially when I was feeling particularly ravenous, like today. They had the best steak sandwiches in the world, perfectly seasoned with a bit of au jus on the side, and thick steak fries that would force me to earn my work out later today. Normally, I’d eat at my desk, and my assistant would deliver this masterpiece to my office. Today, I was exhausted, and it wasn’t even one o’clock yet. I needed a break and people watching for forty-five minutes in the heart of the Emerald Isle, would do the job beautifully.
I loved to people watch, to figure out the intimate details of people’s lives just by observing them without their knowing it. Was that couple in the corner enjoying a secret rendezvous or was it as innocent as it appeared on the surface? Were those retirees undercover officers or worse, were they like the couple staying in one of the Mueller Suites?
“Hey, you’re Katherine Ashby, right?”
The sound of my name took my gaze from the teenagers who’d just bounced in looking way too fashionable for the middle of a school day. They were either older than they looked or playing hooky to meet up with some older guys, the same way I had when I was their age. Except I had enough sense to get lost in the bigger casinos that Vegas had to offer. The question came from a young girl who looked to be no more than sixteen or seventeen. The thin layer of dirt on her skin and the ill-fitting clothes pegged her as a runaway.
“Who’s asking?”
She snorted and rolled her eyes, a move that added about two extra years of attitude. “Cute. Look, I know you’re her because I looked you up online and there are a lot of photos of you. A lot. You run this place, is that true?”
The next shakedown is always around the corner, another of those life lessons from dear old Dad. Another tip that had turned out to be more useful than not over the years. I didn’t get the scam artist vibe from this girl, not yet anyway, so I proceeded with caution.
“What can I help you with…?”
“Madison,” she filled in with a sigh. “My name is Madison.”
I nodded and motioned for her to sit in the unoccupied chair. “Okay, Madison with no last name, what can I do for you?”
She dropped down in the chair with a reluctant huff and leaned on her elbows with a frown on her face.
“You can tell me why you’re offering safe harbor to freaks and pervs and murderers.” Her voice got louder as she went on and then it lowered as she looked around, noticing her volume had drawn stares.
“Those are some pretty serious accusations, Madison. Care to elaborate on that? Over a meal, maybe?” Her gaze narrowed to suspicion, and I couldn’t say I blamed her. Based on her allegations, she either had a hard life or a very active imagination.
“Just use your inside voice, and I’ll keep an open mind. I promise.”
If nothing else, she was a kid in trouble, and I knew something about that. If I could help her, I would.
“For real?” I nodded and she sat back, folding her arms