Lance shot Shirley a message: "Shirley, did Claire really go to gamble on rough stones and actually make money?"
Shirley made a face. "She did. Quite a bit, in fact."
"How much is she talking?"
Lance wasn't after Claire's money; he was just curious—he wanted to know everything about her.
Shirley replied, "All I know is, she made a lot. Claire's got unreal luck. Too bad I couldn't even find a good piece of jadeite."
When it was clear Shirley wouldn't elaborate, Lance let it drop. "That's just luck. I guess your gambling streak's not as hot as hers."
"Guess so. Anyway, gotta go-busy right now."
They were at the nail-biting climax of the movie, tension in the room running high. Claire nudged Shirley and whispered for her to put her phone away.
The four girls were glued to a horror film; a nightmare demon was seconds from leaping onto the screen.
By the time the credits rolled, it was nearly dinnertime.
Dane called Claire and told her he'd just wrapped up his work.
"Where would you like to have dinner-or should I pick a place?" he asked.
Dane wasn't the type to decide things unilaterally; he preferred to ask for Claire's opinion first.
Dewitt had handled lunch, but Claire hadn't given much thought to dinner. The travel guides she'd browsed hadn't recommended anywhere that sounded like a must-try.
Claire didn't feel like making decisions. "Up to you. It's our first time here and we don't know the area at all."
"Got it," Dane said.
He chose a place that looked straight out of a storybook-a cozy country cottage. The atmosphere was undeniably warm, with three kittens and two dogs wandering the garden outside.
Dane had checked with the group ahead of time and made sure no one was afraid of animals before bringing them here.
"They serve authentic local food here-made the way it's supposed to be," he explained.
Dane had eaten there more than once himself.
He'd brought Claire and her friends because he wanted them to experience something special a taste of the region's real focal fare He figured it'd make their travels more meaningful. FindNovel.net
tos
"The place is so peaceful and charming," Claire observed, sweeping her gaze across the garden Her eyes landed on a
wicker
swing chair. She immediate met
claimed it and announced she wasn't budging.
A fluffy white Samoyed ambled over and settled at Claire's feet, curling up for a nap.
Claire swung her legs, giving the dog the occasional gentle nudge with her foot. The dog would look back up at her, and soon the two were caught up in their own playful exchange.
Shirley and Sophia were busy making friends with the other dog and a couple of the cats.
Len roamed about with her camera, snapping photos at every turn.
Meanwhile, Dewitt and Dane stood off to the side, deep in conversation.
They didn't have business dealings together, but each had heard of the other; Dewitt was a big name in Kaston, while Dane was the head of the Green family's operations in Cabinda.
Claire and her friends didn't pay any mind to what the men were discussing. The instant the food arrived, their attention switched to eating.
The local dishes exceeded expectations. Even though they'd had a hearty lunch,
after many hours of walking around, everyone was once again ravenous.
As soon as the plates hit the table, everyone dug in with enthusiasm.
By the end of the meal, everyone was satisfied.
Even Dewitt, usually picky about food, had to admit the place was a great find.
He hadn't visited this area often and had never tried a small, off-the-radar restaurant like this before.
The prices were reasonable, too-nowhere near extravagant for the quality.
After dinner, they all returned to the hotel-coincidentally, Dane had booked into the same one as the rest of them.
"I'll come with you to take a look at those jadeite stones,” Dane suggested. Claire didn't mind. She brought him upstairs and showed him the two raw stones. Dewitt had been holding onto them for safekeeping. Whenever they went out, his bodyguards carried the stones with them, making sure no one came anywhere near. Not that people hadn't tried; a few had set their sights on the gems, but after Dewitt's men immediately dealt with their schemes, no one else dared make a
move.