“Then I have got you in the palm of my hand. How much money is it?”
“Too much to be thrown away by a girl’s whim. Ten thousand dollars to be exact. The buying price of approximately three thousand fifths of my favorite beverage.”
Phyllis clasped her hands, delighted. “Is that with-the two dollars deducted?”
Shayne stared at her in hurt surprise. “So, you’re going to be that way?”
“Emphatically.”
He pulled at the lobe of his left ear, gazing past Phyllis out to sea, where phosphorescence and moonlight mingled on the rippling surface.
“Don’t press me too hard, Angel.”
Phyllis pursed her lips into a disappointed circle. Shayne stood up. He went around to her and put his hand under her arm, lifted her from her chair.
“If I weren’t nuts about you, Angel, I’d defy you to hold out on me. As it is-” He bent over to kiss her.
She patted his cheek when he drew away at last. “Let’s go buy one of those fifths-on account.”
Shayne slid his arm around her and said, “Let’s.”