poor person's home."
"So?" Kay shrugged. "Tell her it's someone else's place
and that they let you use it occasionally. I don't care how
you do it, but if she knows she's dating O.E. Orton, you lose
the bet. Stop talking about your Ferrari and your Mercedes
and your fancy jet. Be modest for a change, and leave the
bank book at home."
This is the sort of challenge I can really enjoy. "So all I
get to use is my charming personality and incredible good
looks?" He gave Kay a plastic smile. If this were a movie, a
gleam of light would have flashed from his teeth. "Easily
done. But what are your terms? What if I lose?"
"Well, I need to ask for something so valuable that
you'll be motivated to win the bet."
"You want me to win the bet?"
"Like I said, I think you might find someone good this
way. I'm not trying to punish you, I want to help."
"What then, a million dollars?"
Kay laughed. "You wouldn't even notice a million
dollars if it went missing, would you?"
Constance interceded. "He gives me a million dollars
every year for charity. And you're right-he doesn't even
notice it's gone."
"You give a million dollars to charity every year? Nice.
That should be your opening line when you pick up
women." Kay smiled, then raised a questioning eyebrow.
"Why do you give it to Constance?"
"I can't be bothered to decide what's the right thing to
do with that much money. But Constance is a pro. So I just
give it to her and let her deal with it. You happen to be
sitting next to the queen of charity."
Constance blushed.
Kay faced him with a crooked smile. "All right then. I'm
going to be wicked here and make you give even more
money to Constance if you lose. Let's make it something
you'll notice." She covered her mouth with her hand and
looked down for a second. "How about a hundred million
dollars-ten percent of your wealth?"
O.E. winced and Constance dropped her jaw. Dan had
to cover his mouth to keep the laughter in. Everyone stared
at Kay with disbelieving eyes. "That's an awful lot of money.
Why should I give away so much?"
Kay flipped her hand. "Like I said, it gives you a real
incentive to win the bet. I actually believe you could do
better without the attitude, and I figure that it takes a
serious amount of money to force you into this."
O.E. gaped at Kay, eyes wide. How could she so blithely