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He knew what was going through her head. How were they going to find their next target if they were stuck at this table? The captain would get suspicious if Zane and Cammie stuck to their original plan, which had consisted of eyeballing all the men in attendance until they found their target, then joining his table so they could confirm who he was. Maybe it wasn’t the most sophisticated plan, but it would have worked, while still giving them time to be together, which Zane was quickly coming to accept, was what he really wanted to be doing with Cammie. “I’ll figure it out.”
The wild look in Cammie’s eyes softened and she nodded.
“Hi, I’m Jasper Haversmith.” A younger guy who, if Zane were to guess, was in his early twenties, slid into the chair next to Zane then offered his hand.
“Zane and Cammie,” Zane said as he shook Jasper’s hand.
Cammie gave a little wave. “You’re Bill’s son?”
“That’s right.” He adjusted his chair. “I see you’ve gotten yourselves caught up in my father’s sticky web. Welcome to the party.” He said this with a wide smile and a wink, but Zane heard an edge to his words. Jasper definitely had a chip on his shoulder where his dad was concerned. Just how big of a chip, Zane was curious to find out.
“Do you and your dad often travel on kink cruises together?” Cammie went where Zane wasn’t prepared to go right away, but she did it with a wink of her own and a smile that showcased her dimples, a feature that would disarm any man.
“Hardly.” Jasper rolled his eyes. “Dad considers this trip his way of making a man out of me.” He air-quoted the last few words. “He says it’s important for networking, but I think he really means he wants me to—”
“Jasper, are you telling tales again?” Bill was all bluster and boom, his voice drowning out every other conversation happening as new guests arrived and took their seats. “That boy is full of stories. He wanted to be a journalist, if you can imagine.” Bill leaned close to Cammie like she was some kind of confidante. “But I straightened him out right quick. None of that liberal nonsense happening with the Haversmith name, I tell ya!”
Cammie shifted in her seat, moving as far away from Bill as she could get without ending up on Zane’s lap. “Oh? I don’t think journalism is that bad of a career choice.”
“Now, now, little lady, we both know that your boss takes issue with those rascals. Doesn’t she make a promise to all her clients that discretion is priority number one?” He tapped his head. “I’ve done my research since we last talked. Sabine Cowan is a ball breaker when it comes to the press.”
“Well, yes, Sabine does value her client’s privacy, and it is our number one priority.” Cammie shrugged. “We don’t allow reporters into our parties or anywhere else if we can help it. But that doesn’t mean I have anything against journalists.”
“I like you already, Cammie.” Jasper raised his glass of wine to her.
She raised her glass of water back.
“Psh.” Bill waved her off. “You’ve met my good friend, Elm?”
A tall, broad-chested man wearing a cowboy hat entered the private room just as Bill introduced him.
“Did someone say my name?” He was just as loud as Bill, bellowing so the entire room stopped talking to look up at him. “Captain Evans, good to see you again.” Elm shook hands with the captain before heading to his seat on the other side of the table. “Jasper,” he said with a slight nod.
“You remember this little beauty, don’t ya, Elm?” Bill said as he put a meaty hand on Cammie’s shoulder.
“Hands off, Mr. Haversmith.” Cammie was all sugar and spice. “My boyfriend, Zane, isn’t too keen on sharing.”
“Oh, ho! I do love a woman who speaks her mind.” Bill lifted his hand, making a big show of it to the table, who all laughed like he’d just told the joke of the year.
“Miss Sheppard,” Elm said with a tip of his hat. “Wonderful to see you again.” He leaned forward hand extended to Zane. “You must be the boyfriend.”
“I must be,” Zane said with a smile. Even pretending he was man enough to be Cammie’s boyfriend had him flying high. He shook Elm’s hand over the table. “Zane Roberts.”
“Good to meet you.” Elm slipped his hat off then hung it on the back of his chair before taking his seat. “Bill, you been imbibing all afternoon?”
“That I have, old friend.” Bill raised his glass of whiskey. “You better catch up quick.”
Elm barked a laugh but picked up his own whiskey and tapped his glass to Bill’s. “Bottom’s up!”
Conversations picked up again, a white noise that was hard to pull apart. Cammie was chit chatting with the woman to Elm’s left, across from her, while Bill, Elm and the captain were seemingly reminiscing about a past cruise.
“What do you do, Zane?” Jasper said as the first course arrived.
“Investment banker,” Zane lied.
“Ah, I see. That’s why Dad’s latched himself to you.” Jasper downed his wine then motioned for a refill.
“I think that has more to do with Cammie than me.” Zane laughed. “Not sure your father is too keen on investment bankers in general.”
