Mr. And Miss Anonymous by Fern Michaels Read Free Book Online Page B

pretty much the boss. Winston treats her like a lady because she hisses at him. I have two Golden Retrievers named Jam and Jelly. They’re sisters from the same litter. They’re only a year old and they’ve already chewed through a couch, a chair, an air conditioner vent, and two door frames. They were working on the floor when I left. My house is definitely lived in, and not very pretty. A month ago someone dumped a basket of newborn pups in my driveway. I have that sort of thing going on all the time. But I have a nine-to-five vet seven days a week who keeps it all under control. I’m just a sucker for animals. I could never turn one away.” He looked over at Lily, and said, “I guess they’re the kids I never had.”
    Lily’s eyes filled. She dabbed at them. “Understood. At least you had the good sense to go for it. I never even had goldfish.”
    “I have those, too. I’ve even got a koi pond. You name it, and I have it. You have to come see for yourself.” Pete’s eyes bored into hers as he waited for her response.
    “If that’s an invitation, I accept. South Carolina is right next to Georgia.”
    Pete felt like pounding his chest. “I’ll send my plane for you when you’re ready.”
    Lily adjusted her hat and smiled. “I have my own plane, thank you very much. But with the cost of fuel these days, I’ll be glad to fly in yours. Why aren’t we looking at the stuff in the envelope?”
    “Because I can’t read in a moving vehicle. I get sick to my stomach.”
    “How weird. Me, too.”
    Pete felt like beating at his chest again. Instead, he leaned back and closed his eyes. “I’m thinking,” he said.
    “And I need to know this…why?”
    “When I think I don’t talk. I don’t want you to think I’m being rude.”
    “Oh,” was all Lily could think of to say. She, too, leaned back and closed her eyes, but unlike Pete, Lily fell asleep.
     
    The caravan of Hummers came to a stop under the portico of a secluded hotel. A doorman in a top hat and tails sprang to attention as bellmen hustled when he snapped his fingers. The man had arrived. At the foot of the long circular driveway, reporters and photographers with their zoom lenses snapped pictures and shouted questions, all of which Pete ignored.
    Within minutes, the Hummers were driven off and the guests shepherded to private villas at the back of the hotel. Pete looked around at the lush landscaping as he tried to gauge the privacy he always demanded when traveling. He made a mental note to send Millie some flowers to show his appreciation.
    Pete looked over at Lily, his eyes apologizing for the clamor below the driveway. “I guess I should have warned you about this, but I didn’t think… I should have known that somehow those guys would get wind of my travels. Tonight, they’ll have me trying to buy Microsoft, or Microsoft trying to buy me, or else I’ll be here to fight off some nonexistent legal battle. We might have to start some rumors if we have any hope of going off on our own. I’m sorry to say I didn’t think this through. Like you, I didn’t expect to see you at the airport, and I sure didn’t expect to see what we saw on the airport television screen. That’s another way of saying I need to fall back and regroup.
    “I hope you don’t mind that I took the liberty of getting you a villa. Well, I didn’t really get you one, I always book the suites on either side of me for privacy. You might want to have your secretary cancel your other accommodations. You aren’t upset, are you?”
    “No, not at all. I think we need to be close together. What I mean is…”
    “I know what you mean.” Pete laughed. “Okay, let’s settle in and see what kind of information my people sent me. Then we’ll make a plan. Does that work for you?”
    Lily looked up at the tall man standing in front of her. She smiled. He smiled. I think I like this guy, Lily thought. A lot. “Definitely.”
    Pete smacked his hands together. He reached out