Page 26 of Stuart Woods' Smolder

“Don’t try to sweet-talk me,” she said, blushing.

“Martha, what happened to the margaritas?” Will asked.

Pointing with her knife, she said, “I put them in the refrigerator so the ice would not melt.” Then she started chopping again.

Will retrieved the pitcher and pulled three margarita glasses from a cupboard.

“You carry these,” he said, handing the glasses to Stone. “Kate’s at the pool, and Billy is down for a nap.” Billy was their son.

They headed outside and joined Kate at the poolside patio table.

Once the margaritas had been handed out and tasted, Kate asked how the flight was.

“You’d have to ask Faith,” Stone said. “I slept the whole way.”

They caught each other up with their lives while enjoying a platter of fresh fruit, delivered by Martha. After they’d been talking for twenty minutes, one of the Secret Service agents approached Kate quietly, whispering something in her ear.

“Holly should be here by five,” Kate said, after he left. “How does dinner at seven sound?”

“Okay by me,” Stone said.

“Me, too,” Will said.

Kate smiled. “Stone, don’t get me wrong, while we’re always happy to see you, we were especially pleased when Holly told us you were coming today. There’s something Will and I would like to discuss with you before she arrives.”

“You can’t breathe a word of this to anyone,” Will said, “but Sam Meriwether is going to resign next week.” Sam was Holly’s vice president.

Before Stone could ask why, Kate said, “He has a heart condition and will be undergoing surgery in a few weeks.”

“I had no idea.”

“Only a handful do.”

“The problem is the election,” Will said.

Stone’s brow furrowed. “What about it?”

“Holly’s told us that she’s unsure if she wants to run again,” Kate said. “She said she’s mentioned as much to you, too.”

“She has.” That had been some time ago, and neither had brought it up since.

The primaries wouldn’t start until early next year. While a half dozen politicians had announced their intentions to run for the nomination of the opposing party, no one had yet done so in Holly’s. Everyone was assuming she was going to run again.

Will picked up the pitcher and began refilling glasses. “If she decides not to run, Sam would be our next best candidate, but he won’t be in any shape to do so now.”

“Does Holly know about his condition?”

“He told her this morning before she left.”

“You both knew before she did?”

“Only because he wanted our advice.”

“So, you’re going to ambush Holly, and you want me to be a part of it?”

“We would never do that to you,” Will says.

“After we make our pitch, she’ll need someone she trusts to talk to,” Kate said. “And she trustsyoumore than anyone.”

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