The Tycoon's Son

“I understand that,” Theo said amiably. “However, I’m here to meet—”

“It doesn’t matter, sir,” the man said.

“But—” Theo began.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw the guard stand. He wasn’t surprised. Because of security concerns, most cruise ships were reluctant to allow non-passengers on board. That’s why Katherine was supposed to be here, to navigate him through security.

“I am so sorry I’m late.”

Theo heard the feminine voice even before the beautiful woman rounded the corner. Stylishly slim with light brown hair and a fair complexion, she looked more like her English mother than her Greek father.

“Gentlemen, it’s my mistake,” she said, in a soft, melodious voice. “I planned to be here with this before he arrived but I was detained.”

She showed the man the security pass and he scanned it then waved Theo forward. Katherine waited until they were in the hall before wrapping her arms around him in an impulsive hug that seemed to surprise her as much as it did him. He stiffened but didn’t pull away.

Her arms dropped to her side and she took a step back then held out her hand. “By the way, I’m Katherine.”

He took her hand in a brief shake. “Theo Catomeris.

“Thank you so much for coming.” The merest hint of pink touched her cheeks. “And just so you know, I’m not in the habit of hugging complete strangers. But the resemblance to…well, the resemblance is uncanny.”

Theo had seen Elias Stamos on television many times. He knew he bore a strong resemblance to the man, but in his family that was never mentioned. He didn’t know how to respond to Katherine’s comment so he remained silent.

“I’m so happy you decided to come.” Katherine punched the elevator button then gave a nervous laugh. “I think I already said that before, didn’t I?”

Theo just lifted a shoulder in a slight shrug. This was a difficult situation for all of them to navigate. At least she was talking. His ability to make small talk seemed to have vanished.

“I was surprised to get the invitation,” Theo said finally. “I wasn’t aware you knew I even existed.”

“Well, I…we…haven’t always known,” Katherine said. “But we do now.”

Theo sensed she shared his unease on how to manage the situation. Obviously meeting your father’s bastard son wasn’t something covered in most etiquette books.

“Have you had dinner yet?” she asked.

Theo shook his head.

“Good,” Katherine said, and he could almost see a little of the tension ease from her face. “Helena and I considered having dinner brought to the penthouse but we thought you might enjoy seeing some of the ship. The Empire Room is the main dining room.”

Her speech had taken on a nervous, edgy quality that he found oddly reassuring. At least he wasn’t the only one stressed over this meeting.

Katherine took a deep breath and continued. “It serves international cuisine so I’m sure you’ll find something to please your palate. It’s very impressive.”

“Spoken like a true PR person,” Theo said before he could stop himself.

Surprise skittered across Katherine’s face. “You know what I do?”

“Just what I read in the papers,” he said. “I know that Liberty is one of your firm’s biggest accounts.”

“Well, right now you seem to have the advantage,” Katherine said. “Because I don’t know a whole lot about you.”

“Not much to know.” Theo hoped dinner didn’t deteriorate into a question-and-answer session. The last thing he wanted to do was spend the evening being grilled about his past. Of course, enduring an hour of awkward silences didn’t hold much appeal, either.

They stepped into the elevator and Katherine punched the button for deck five. “Helena will join us there.”

“Is Helena younger or older than you?” Theo knew the women had been born a couple years apart but found it hard to keep the two straight in his mind.

“She’s thirty-five.” Katherine brushed a strand of hair behind her ears with a perfectly manicured fingernail. “I just turned thirty-seven. Sometimes I can’t believe I’m that old.”

“I’m forty,” Theo said. “By your calculations, I guess that makes me ancient.”

“Sometimes I feel like all the good years are behind me.” Katherine’s expression turned pensive. “Other times it’s as if the best is yet to be.”

“I understand what you mean,” Theo said, feeling a moment of connectedness with this stranger. At twenty, when Theo had envisioned his life, he’d been determined to have it all; a successful business and a loving wife and children. Lately he’d started to realize he’d been so focused on building his empire that the home and family he’d wanted had never materialized. Now he was forty years old, with nothing to show for his life except a fleet of boats and a profit and loss statement firmly in the black.

He shoved the self-pitying thoughts aside. He had a good life, and like Katherine, he held fast to the thought that the best was yet to come.

When the door to the elevator opened, Theo followed Katherine out and down a long hall. A throng of well-dressed men and women were milling around the entrance to the dining room, waiting to be ushered to their table. Theo wasn’t surprised when Katherine skirted the crowd.

The maître d’ led them to a table draped in white linen in an alcove just off the main dining area. The table looked like something from a magazine with its crystal wineglasses, shiny silver and fine china plates.

Theo didn’t give the elegant table setting much more than a passing glance. Instead his gaze settled on the attractive-looking woman with dark hair and eyes sitting at the table sipping a glass of wine. She rose when he approached the table. Unlike her older sister, Helena’s hair, eyes and facial features reflected her Greek heritage.

Though Theo wasn’t a fashion expert, Helena’s brightly colored dress had a designer look. Thankfully her smile was as open and welcoming as her sister’s.

She stood and extended her hand. “I’m Helena.”

He shook her hand, but instead of releasing it she held it firmly and took a step back. She studied him for a long moment, much as Katherine had, a look of utter astonishment on her face. “You look so much like—”

“He does, doesn’t he?” Katherine said, nodding her agreement.

Theo’s stomach tensed. Hopefully this would be the last remark he’d have to endure about Elias Stamos. If not, it was going to be a short evening indeed.

He offered an affable smile and gestured at the large airy room, hoping to change the subject. “This is a beautiful restaurant.”

“Thank you,” Katherine said. “It took a lot of planning. We have a fabulous French chef who is very talented. Excellent cuisine in an elegant environment is all part of giving passengers a memorable dining experience.”

Katherine sounded, Theo thought, very much like a proud parent.

“So I know that you’re responsible for Liberty’s public relations,” he said to Katherine, then turned to Helena. “And you do costume designing for stage and film?”

“That’s right,” Helena said with a pleased smile. “You’ve done your research.”

“Actually,” Theo said, “all I need to do to keep up is read the newspapers and watch television. Your father is an important man and the news media love his daughters.”

The minute the words left his mouth Theo saw the look of surprise on Katherine’s face when he’d deliberately not claimed any tie to their father. She seemed to be searching for a way to comment when one of the waitstaff standing a discreet distance away moved forward to pull out their chairs.

Once they were comfortably seated, it was Helena, not Katherine who spoke. “What business are you in, Theo? Katherine told me it has something to do with shore excursions?”

“That’s correct,” Theo said. “My company provides excursions to most of the islands around here. We contract with the major cruise lines so we keep busy year-round. Once we get the tourists to the different locations we have a number of employees on each island to lead tours.”

Though his operation had grown considerably over the last few years and earned a nice profit, it was tiny compared to Elias Stamos’s holdings. Still Theo couldn’t keep the pride from his voice. His company was something he’d built from the ground up, with no help from anyone.

“It must be wonderful to have that much control,” Helena said. “When I do my costume designs, I have a lot of artistic freedom but I certainly don’t have the final word.”

“Remember that show you did in Athens last year?” Katherine asked.

That was all it took for Helena to launch into a diatribe about the director from hell.

Theo just listened, grateful when the server came around and filled the wineglasses. The women were both friendly and going out of their way to make him feel at ease. Still, it seemed awkward to sit across the table from them and know that some of the same blood that flowed through their veins flowed through his. To know that they’d grown up in a whole different world based solely on the fact that his father had chosen to marry their mother.

Still, they kept the conversation going throughout dinner, and just as he’d hoped, the women seemed willing to carry the brunt of the conversation.

He learned that Katherine’s husband was an architect with worldwide clients, and consequently his job demanded a lot of travel. He also discovered that Katherine’s daughter, Gemma, was on the ship as a volunteer in the children’s centre. Helena touched briefly on her failed marriage and satisfaction with her career and single status.

But neither brought up the reason they’d contacted him, and even after they’d finished dessert, he still wasn’t sure why he was really there…until a spot of red hair caught Theo’s eye.

Trish Melrose, a woman he hadn’t planned on seeing again, sat across the dining room at one of the large round tables. His blood turned frigid as he made the connection.

He’d taken Katherine’s phone calls, hardly questioning the fact that out of the blue she’d decided it was time for them to meet. He hadn’t balked when she’d asked if he’d come aboard Alexandra’s Dream.

Now he realized he’d been a naive fool. His mother had been right. Katherine and Helena had their own agenda.

Now that he’d discovered what it was, he just had to decide what he was going to do about it.

CHAPTER FIVE

IF ASKED, TRISH couldn’t say exactly when she first became aware Theo was in the dining room. All she knew was that right in the middle of her Lobster Newberg, the hairs on the back of her neck prickled. She glanced around, checking out the other tables in her vicinity, but came up empty.

Then, after she ordered dessert, a curious warmth filled her body and she knew with absolute certainty that Theo’s eyes were on her. She couldn’t explain how she knew because she didn’t understand it herself.

Taking a sip of cappuccino, Trish slowly scanned the upper level of the dining room. Only this time she cut a broader swath, delving into the farthest reaches of the room, into the small alcoves reserved for VIPs and couples who wanted privacy.

She’d almost surveyed the entire room when her breath caught in her throat. For several heartbeats she sat frozen, unable to look away.

Theo Catomeris, the man she’d thought she’d never see again, sat at a table with two women, one with dark hair, the other an almost-blonde. He looked serious, his expression grim. Trish couldn’t help but wonder what they were talking about and why he was on the ship.

When he’d dropped her and the other tourists back in Corfu Town, she’d been certain she’d failed. Now it looked as though she may have been given another chance to convince him to sign that contract with her company. Trish’s heart fluttered in her chest and she placed the cup back on the saucer with a trembling hand as excitement coursed through her.

Although she often got an adrenaline rush before making a big business deal, this felt like something more. She suspected her mounting excitement wasn’t just because she had another chance to make the deal or save the jobs of her employees. Some of the rush came from seeing Theo again.

“I really wanted Bananas Foster,” Sally said with an exaggerated sigh. “But the fruit should be good, don’t you think? And it’ll be a lot less calories.”

“The fruit will be fabulous,” Trish heard herself murmur. Pushing back her chair, she rose to her feet and placed her napkin on the table. “I see someone I know. I’m going to run over and say a quick hello.”

Without waiting for her friend’s reply, Trish started across the dining room, carefully avoiding the waiters holding large silver trays laden with desserts. On her way to Theo’s table, she noticed several admiring glances.

She gave all the credit to the russet-colored silk dress she’d picked up several months ago on clearance. It hugged her lithe body, giving a tantalizing illusion of curves where there weren’t any.

The closer she came to the table, the happier Trish was that she looked her best. She’d been so focused on Theo that she’d failed to properly appreciate his dinner companions, two very beautiful women in their midthirties.

The one with dark hair and an olive complexion looked as if she could be Greek. The other woman was fair, with classic English looks. Their dresses were designer elegant and judging by the number of waitstaff hovering near the table, one or both were very important.

Interrupting a man having a private dinner is risky, a tiny little voice inside Trish’s head warned. He saw you. He’s probably still angry. If he wanted to talk, he’d have come to you.

Trish knew she could have waited. That may have been a better option. After all, the alcoves were specifically for passengers desiring privacy. But she’d already finished her dinner and she couldn’t wait at the table all night hoping he’d come over. Besides, she only planned to say hello. Any business person would do the same.

Drawing closer to the table, she became increasingly aware of the intimacy of the setting. Neither woman looked up as Trish approached. There was something about the threesome…something that was similar. Perhaps it was their shared Greek heritage. Now that she was closer, Trish could see then even though the blonde didn’t have the same dark complexion, there was definitely Greek blood in her background.

The dark-haired woman was recounting some tale for Theo, punctuating her words with exaggerated hand gestures. The other woman’s attention was totally focused on Theo.

He wore a button-up shirt open at the neck, and its pristine whiteness brought out the olive tones of his skin. Trish could understand why the women couldn’t seem to take their eyes off him.

Her steps slowed, but when he looked up and saw her, Trish knew she was past the point of turning back. She was barely five feet from the table when the women finally noticed her.

Of course, Theo pushing back his chair and rising to his feet was a fairly obvious clue that she wasn’t just another guest passing by.

“Miss.” A tall muscular man in a dark suit appeared out of nowhere and stepped in front of her just before she reached the table. “This is a private party. I must ask you—”

“Mrs. Melrose and I are acquainted,” Theo said, cutting off the man’s dismissal.

The man kept his feet planted but cast a questioning glance at the fair-haired woman seated to the right of Theo. She inclined her head slightly and only then did the man in the suit step aside.

By now both women were staring, along with the serving staff clustered just a few feet from the table. Thankfully Trish had never been the type to blush. She lifted her chin and extended her hand to Theo. “Forgive me for interrupting. I just wanted to stop by and say hello.”

Theo hesitated before his hand closed over hers for the briefest of shakes.

“I believe you know Katherine and Helena.” He gestured to the two women at the table, now on their feet and openly assessing Trish.

She blinked several times before she made sense of the strange comment. She couldn’t believe Theo was so naive. Alexandra’s Dream had over a thousand passengers. Just because she and the women were on the same ship didn’t mean she knew them. “I’m afraid I haven’t had the pleasure.” Trish flashed a warm smile and extended her hand first to the dark-haired woman closest to her. “I’m Trish Melrose from Miami, Florida.”

The woman took Trish’s hand. “Helena Stamos. This is my sister, Katherine.”

Stamos? Trish frowned. “Any relation to Elias Stamos?”

Katherine laughed, a light gentle sound. “He’s our father. But, please, don’t hold that against us.”

Despite the words, Trish could hear the fond undertones and knew the woman and her father enjoyed a close relationship.

Theo stiffened and Trish couldn’t help but wonder why a man who seemed to have a grudge against the wealthy shipping tycoon was having dinner with the man’s daughters?

“Do you know our father?” Helena asked.

“I don’t know him personally,” Trish said. “I run a company that arranges excursions for cruise lines. So any contact I’ve had has been on a business level.”

Katherine’s eyes lit up. “You’re the one charged with getting the Kefalonia excursion back on the schedule.”

“That’s right,” Trish said, doing her best to keep her tone light. “I’ve been trying to convince Theo that it would be in everyone’s best interest to sign the contract.”

Theo’s expression darkened and Trish saw instantly that her calculated risk had blown up in her face.

“But of course, that’s his decision to make,” she said hurriedly. Trish knew she could stay longer and try to repair the damage, but the tense set of Theo’s jaw told her she’d already overstayed her welcome.

“I think it’s time for me to get back to my friend. Again, I’m sorry I interrupted.” Trish smiled at Theo, not surprised he didn’t smile back. “A pleasure to see you again.” She turned to Katherine and Helena. “It was very nice to meet you both.”

The three resumed their seats. Conscious of their eyes on her, Trish walked away with her head held high, making a determined effort to hide her disappointment. The encounter may have gone badly but she was only down, not out. She would regroup. Plan her next move. She wasn’t ready to give up yet.

Still, when she got to the table and saw everyone enjoying their dessert, Trish found herself wishing she’d remained at her table and chosen cheesecake over Catomeris.

“TRISH MELROSE,” Katherine mused as she stared after the other woman. “So that’s the woman whose company handles the excursions.”

“She seems nice,” Helena added, casting a sideways glance at Theo.

Theo took a sip of grappa, his gaze still firmly fixed on Trish. When he’d spotted her in the dining room, it had instantly become clear why his half sisters had chosen to eat there. Why he’d been asked to meet them on the ship. Why they’d even contacted him in the first place. He’d been set up. Obviously Stamos had asked them to do their part to get him to sign.

Anger warred with disappointment. Though he didn’t know Katherine and Helena well, he’d been open to considering a relationship with them. In his mind, they had nothing to do with their father’s treatment of his mother and him. But Trish…well, her behavior shouldn’t have been such a surprise. She’d made it clear by her repeated attempts to convince him to sign that her allegiance was with Stamos.

“Theo?” Helena’s concerned voice broke through his thoughts. “Is something wrong?”

They’d been in it together. Plotting, throwing out all the stops in an attempt to get him to sign with Liberty. Katherine hadn’t contacted him because she wanted to get to know him…she’d done it to help her father. Obviously family loyalty didn’t extend to him.

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