Cole stood next to her fiddling with his gold cuff links while Brooke set out green seating cards beside the silver salt cellars.

“We’re putting the regional bank directors on Cole’s right,” Judith said without raising her eyes as I came in.

“Mara can sit at the far end by the kitchen doors.”

“I normally sit across from Cole at family dinners,” I said.

Cole didn’t look at me.

He adjusted his gold cuff links again and smoothed the lapel of his charcoal jacket.

“This is a business dinner, Mara,” Cole said.