Page 75 of Forever Endeavor

He squeezed her hand. “Same here.”

She brought his hand to her lips, kissed it tenderly and pressed his palm against the curve of her cheek. “Have I ever told you how much I love your hands? They were one of the first things I noticed about you. These big palms and long, perfectly proportioned fingers. Manly and strong, rough and tough, and yet smooth and gentle. Very sexy. Just thinking about all the things you do with them makes me sweat.”

He smiled wide, thinking back to when they first shook hands. She seemed anything but turned on by his appearance. Oh, how he’d misjudged her. “Really?”

The startling sound of a car horn pierced the moment and jolted their attention. A black Lincoln limousine? Now there was something you didn’t see every day. Toward the sleek back end of the car, a dark-tinted window lowered, keeping the passenger inside obscured from view. “Pardon the interruption, but do you know how I might find a gentleman by the name of Calvin Hayes?”

Wide eyed, Sonny and Billie gaped at one another.No.Could it really be?In shock, they got up from the bench and cautiously approached the limo.

The window dropped further, revealing a tiny, stylishly coiffed lady behind enormous jewel-encrusted sunglasses, tiny sparkles dangling from her earlobes. “Unfortunately, I don’t have Mr. Hayes’ address, but I do know he’s a fisherman so I thought someone around this pier might know him.”

Sonny swallowed his disbelief to speak. “Uh, yeah…we know him.”

“Wonderful!” she replied. “I was hoping for a bit of good luck.”

“Forgive me, but by any chance, are you…Liona Li?” Billie asked.

She removed her dark glasses, revealing deep-set eyes and a sophisticated smile. “Why yes, I am.”

Billie sucked in a breath. “It’s an honor to meet you, Mrs. Li. This is Calvin Hayes’ nephew, Sonny, and my name is Billie. I was with Cal at the Madison Pearl earlier today. We were scheduled to meet with you, but then Roydon—”

She lowered her eyes. “Yes, I heard what happened. I cannot excuse my son’s unforgivably rude behavior, but I am sincerely hoping that I can apologize to Calvin. Would you be able to give my driver directions on where we might find him?”

“We can do you one better,” Sonny said. “We’ll take you to him right now.”

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