Zane sat on the other side of restaurant in jeans, a ball cap, and sunglasses. He was tucked into a corner booth and trying to look chill. He’d told the waiter he wanted soup, a sandwich, water, and to be left alone. He looked out over the ocean, mesmerized by the way the sun danced on the water. It was the perfect spot, and he was in the perfect position so he could be close, but go unnoticed. They’d picked this place on purpose, so they could be chill about it. River was across the table for backup.

Zane had put a wire in Sarah’s ear, almost untraceable. He heard her and Harris entering the restaurant. She needed to get his phone. Somehow. Get his phone and hand it off to River or just get it and hold on to it.

Cheryse would be the waitress tonight. He didn’t know how she’d managed that, but he was grateful. He liked having more people around in case things went badly.

Zane watched them sit out of his peripheral vision. They were on the other side of the restaurant, where it was fancier, less of a lunch place, more ritzy. Sarah, that brilliant woman, had taken the seat facing Zane, so Harris had his back to Zane’s booth.

Harris said, “Oh, I love the ocean view. Nice choice, princess.”

She smiled at him. “Let’s not do pet names.”

A light chuckle from Harris. “Okay, but I would treat you so well, just like a princess if you let me. And Tyler, I would raise him to be the man he needs to be.”

All the hackles on the back of Zane’s neck bristled, and he wanted to get up, march over there, and punch the guy in the face.

“This is really sweet of you,” Sarah said. “But honestly, I don’t know if I’m ready to talk about long-term commitments yet.”

“Ah, the matchmaker doesn’t want a match,” Harris said softly. “That’s okay. I’ll just have to court you more. I have to admit, I was surprised when things took this kind of turn yesterday.” He sighed, and Zane could imagine him putting his hand over hers. “I won’t lie. It was a good surprise.”

Sarah let out an uncomfortable laugh. “What can I say? You make convincing arguments.” Her voice sounded a bit seductive, and Zane didn’t like it.

“Chill out, Tiger,” River said.

Jerking his head, Zane looked over at River, who was cocking an eyebrow at him.

Zane sucked in a breath. They needed information. They needed details. They needed that phone for just a few minutes.

Cheryse came out, looking very professional. Zane had to admit he was impressed by the woman. She knew her stuff, and she was willing to put herself on the line to get things done. She got them drinks and came back quickly to take their orders.

“What would you like tonight?” Cheryse asked Sarah first.

“Oh, the salmon and steamed veggies with a potato, please.”

Cheryse smiled at her. “Sounds good.” She turned to Harris. “For you, sir?”

Harris let out a long sigh. “Could you tell me what kind of spices are on the filet mignon?”

Zane rolled his eyes.

“Ah,” Cheryse said. “Let me think. Basil, risotto …” She sounded unconvinced.

Harris pulled his menu down. “You don’t know, do you?”

Cheryse looked uncertain. “I’m sorry, sir, I just started a couple of days ago.” She cowered to him.

“Hmph.” He shook his head. “I don’t think that’s a reason you shouldn’t know your job, do you?”

Cheryse actually blushed. “I’m sorry, sir.”

Harris sighed and mumbled something about poor service he couldn’t tolerate.

“Harris,” Sarah said, her voice soft. “I’m sure you can find something you like.”

“Fine.” He sounded annoyed. “I’ll have the salmon as well, but make sure they don’t bake it in butter. I don’t like it soaked in butter. It’s so bad for you. And, oh.” He snapped his fingers. “I need to have plain vegetables, no spices, and the same with the potato.”

“Diva.” River rolled his eyes.

Zane nodded, hating this guy more and more for abusing waitresses.

Sarah and Harris made small talk, and Sarah asked a couple of questions about the dealerships. This guy was boring, Zane thought sourly. He felt bad for any woman who had to endure the conversations with the pretentious jerk.

Harris took Sarah’s hand. “I did have something I needed to ask you.”

She frowned. “Oh?”

“I’m going to be leaving for a couple of days to the Caribbean, and I wondered if you and Tyler would like to come.”

She let out a light gasp. “Come with you?”

Zane didn’t like talk of this nature at all.

Harris chuckled. “I know it might seem extreme, but I have some business there. I’m going to take my yacht, and … I want to have company.”

Zane jerked his head to look at them only to see and hear Harris kissing her.

Sarah was a pro, not jerking back and slapping him as Zane almost wished she would. With a sigh, she pulled back. “You know with my business and with Tyler in school how hard that would be.” She let out a fake giggle. “Don’t push out your lip. I would go if I could.”

Again, Zane seriously wanted to punch the man.

Harris kept her hand. “I know it’s a lot. Think about it. I think we would have fun. Tyler would love it. The yacht actually has a slide on it. We can put down the anchor and swim.”

“I don’t know.” She sounded uncertain.

“Think about it.” Gently, he reached out and touched her cheek. “You know, you’re beautiful, Sarah, but that’s not the real reason I was so attracted to you. You have this goodness. When I met you, I really did think that I wanted a professional matchmaker, but the more we talked and the more I saw that you’d overcome so much pain, I realized I just wanted you.”

“I don’t think I’m as great as you say, but thank you,” Sarah said softly. Zane was almost convinced she meant it.

Harris gazed into her eyes. “I never thought I’d even get a chance to tell you this. And now, I’m afraid I can’t shut up.” He let out a light laugh.

Sarah said, “Thank you. That’s a huge compliment, but Harris, I don’t know much about you. You told me you moved here five years ago, that you had divorced and started your companies, but that’s it. Please, tell me more about you.”

The food came, and Harris driveled on and on and about living in Europe, about marrying a British woman who was everything you think of when you think British. Cold. Abrupt.

Sarah didn’t interject much, just ate her salad.

Harris told a sob story about how his wife was always ill and she was broken when she couldn’t have kids. His expression turned sad, and Zane could swear the man had tears on his face. “I was devastated when we divorced.”

A punch in the face wasn’t good enough for this guy.

Sarah played the part, reaching for his hand. “I’m sorry.” She scooted her chair closer to him, and Zane knew she was using this as a positioning technique.

Zane cursed softly; the tracker still was not activating.

“I’m so sorry.” Sarah leaned in to hug him, and Zane saw her push her soup to fall on his lap. “Oh!” Sarah stood quickly.

“Ah.” Harris jumped to his feet. “Oh no.”

“I’m so sorry,” Sarah said, grabbing for a napkin and brushing at his jacket.

He slipped his phone out of his pocket and put it on the table. “What a mess.” His face was sour and Zane could tell he was trying to keep it civil, but the man looked ticked.

Cheryse appeared and Sarah continued to try to clean up his jacket. Harris went to grab more napkins off a side table. That’s when Zane saw it. Cheryse took the phone and slipped it into her waitress apron.

Obviously, Sarah saw it too.

Harris was out of sorts as he slipped off his jacket and went to put it down. “Where’s my phone?” He started searching for his phone.

Sarah suddenly closed the gap between them. “I am so sorry for all you’ve been through.” She grabbed Harris and shoved herself into him, pressing her lips to his.

For a moment, Harris didn’t move. Zane wondered what he would do. It was very in the open, a major public display of affection.

To Zane’s chagrin, Harris put his arms around her waist and pulled her closer, deepening the kiss and holding her like she was a lifeboat.

“Crap,” Zane muttered

“Cool the jets, man,” River muttered.

Turning, Zane let out a low, guttural growl.

“It’s an act, zen master. Calm down.”

For a few moments longer than Zane would have liked, Harris and Sarah made out. When Harris pulled back, he and Sarah both fell into laughter.

“Well,” Harris said, still keeping her close. “Does that mean you’ll come to the Caribbean with me?”

She smiled and looked flushed. Zane was definitely buying the act. “It means maybe. I just saw you looking so flustered, and I felt bad, and then I wanted to make it better.”

Harris placed one more kiss on her lips before pulling back. “You did.”

They both sat, and other servers milled around them. Three were working together, taking away the old stuff and putting down new linens.

Harris kept his focus on her and laughed. “This is crazy. It will make the best story for our grandchildren.”

Zane’s hand tightly gripped his glass of water, and he had to force himself to release it so it didn’t shatter.

Sarah smiled. “It will.”

Zane could pretend to be dead for six months, could go into insurgent territory and mix with the locals if necessary under extreme duress, always with his eye on the prize—but right now, he was losing it.

Cheryse was back, looking flushed and acting very apologetic. “I’m sorry about that. So sorry.”

Sarah shook her head. “No, it was my fault.”

Cheryse put new dishes down and skirted around the table, adding new silverware and napkins. Zane saw her putting the phone down on the floor by Harris’s feet.

Zane wanted to fist-pump. They must have gotten the download. At this moment he was equal parts proud and distressed as Sarah and Harris kept murmuring to each other about the Caribbean.

Finally, after they had shared a chocolate mousse, Sarah said, “Oh, dear. I have a client I have to meet.”

Harris stood, patting his pockets and looking around frantically. “Where’s my phone?”

“Oh.” Sarah started to look with him.

He bent and saw it on the floor. “Must have dropped it onto the floor.”

Sarah acted like nothing had happened and let him pull her in for one last kiss. Then they left the restaurant together, hand in hand. Blayze and Corbin would be watching from outside, making sure Sarah made it to her car and back to the mansion.

Zane stayed where he was and repeated mantras in an attempt to soothe himself. When a sufficient amount of time had passed, he dropped some money on the table and left the restaurant without even making eye contact with River.