Page 23 of Dark Witch: Entangled Fates

Had his remark been directed at her?

Amanda pursed her lips. "I'm not stuck-up."

Edgar blanched. "I didn't mean you. Never. I meant human women, and it was a generalization."

She waved a dismissive hand. "You don't need to apologize. I might not be stuck-up, but I can admit to being vain." She smiled. "If I didn't have any flaws, I would be perfect, and that's boring." She shifted her gaze back to the obstinate Guardian. "Last chance, Max. If you don't want to go, Ed will."

Max shrugged. "I've seen Jasmine through the surveillance cameras, and she's beautiful, but she also reminds me of someone who I lost a friend over, someone who wasn't very discriminating with her affections and chose to indulge me when she knew my friend was in love with her. I was an ass for not realizing the depth of his feelings for her, but she wasn't blameless. I know that Jasmine is not her, but she is similar enough in character and looks that I can't help the aversion I feel."

It was silly to think that just because Jasmine looked like that woman, she was like her in other ways, but Amanda had to admit that Jasmine was a major flirt, so there could be more to the similarity than met the eye.

"I would love to go," the pilot said. "I would have visited Jasmine before, but we were told to stay away from the crew quarters because of the rescued women and their fear of men."

That was true, and she'd forgotten about it, but the rescued women had their own section of the staff quarters, and as long as Edgar didn't go to that area or to the staff dining room, it should be okay.

"Jasmine spends most of her time in the staff lounge, and the rescued women never go there. If you stay away from the staff dining room and their section of cabins, it should be fine."

Ed rubbed a spot behind his left ear. "What if I go down there and Jasmine is not in the lounge? She could have gone to bed already."

"Then you can try again tomorrow. She doesn't have a phone. Otherwise, I would call her and ask her to meet you there."

"I can check for you." Max pulled out his phone. "We have surveillance cameras in the lounge." He typed on his screen and then nodded. "She's there, watching television, and Amanda was right. She's all alone."

Edgar's face lit up. "Awesome!" He practically bounced on his feet. "I'll go right now."

Chuckling, Amanda held up a finger. "Don't you want to stay for the wedding dinner?"

Edgar's eyes widened, a look of inspiration crossing his face. "That's a great idea!" He snapped his fingers. "I'll load up two plates and take them down to the lounge. Jasmine and I can chat over dinner and get to know each other."

"Just be careful," Amanda cautioned. "Jasmine still doesn't know who we are, and it needs to stay that way, at least until Edna probes her. I was supposed to wait until after Edna had a chance to get a read on Jasmine's intentions, but I got excited by the idea of making another match." She cast an accusing look at Max. "I didn't expect my gesture to be refused."

"I'm sorry." Max smiled apologetically. "I can't help it. Just looking at her irritates me."

"Don't sweat it." Amanda let him off the hook and turned back to the pilot. "Jasmine thinks that this cruise has been organized by Perfect Match for its management and top employees, and that the secrecy surrounding it is to protect the privacy of some high-profile clients who met through the service and are getting married on the ship."

"Got it," Edgar said. "I can talk a mile about Perfect Match. I've been on six solo adventures so far, and it was amazing."

Max clapped a hand on Edgar's shoulder. "I hope Jasmine is the one for you."

"Alright." Amanda waved a hand at Edgar. "Go forth and conquer, Romeo."

"Thank you." The pilot sketched a mock salute. "Wish me luck!"

16

EDGAR

Edgar discovered that loading up two plates at the buffet table required careful maneuvering, and it also annoyed the people standing in line behind him because he was taking so long to decide what to load for Jasmine.

Succulent slices of roast beef or beef Stroganoff, creamy mashed potatoes or Persian rice, crisp green beans or mushrooms with onions. He didn't know what Jasmine liked, but he figured variety was the key. The problem was that he had only two hands and could maneuver only two plates.

He loaded each plate with different things with the intention of letting Jasmine choose what she wanted, and he would eat the rest. Edgar couldn't care less what she left for him to eat as long as she didn't dismiss him.

She wouldn't be rude, he knew that, but she could come up with a polite excuse that she wasn't hungry, or that she was bone tired and on her way to bed, or any other gentle letdown she could think of.

Ed wasn't like the hulking Guardians that women found irresistible, but being a pilot had its own allure as well. A civilian helicopter pilot was not as sexy as a jetliner captain or a military fighter pilot, but it was still better than having a boring desk job.

Hopefully, Jasmine would remember him fondly from the boat ride, and would welcome his company.

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