Cut and Run 3 - Fish and Chips

exquisite and light grilled fish without sauce,” Bianchi said, wagging a finger in the air at Zane expansively.
    “I’m sure there will be plenty of opportunity for wine during the cruise,” Zane said smoothly, turning his body slightly in the chair so he was more open to the Bianchis.
    “Ah, champagne with breakfast, mixed drinks at lunch, cocktails with the appetizers, wine with dinner, and cognac with my cigar. I do indeed like that,” Bianchi said with a smile as he laid his napkin on the table next to his plate.
    Zane had to ignore how dry his mouth had just gotten. That laundry list of drinks was appealing in its own scary way. “Well, it is vacation, after all,” he commented.
    “Bah, vacation. Life is all about love and liquor,” Bianchi said with a grand gesture to the woman with him. “Isn’t that right, Norina?” She smiled indulgently and nodded, and Zane saw the light of it sparkle in her dark eyes. She matched Bianchi for coloring, though Zane would place her as younger than Ty, early thirties at the most. “Ah, to beautiful women in love!” Bianchi proposed, holding up his nearly empty flute before finishing it in two swallows.
    Zane let out a chuckle and nodded. “I’m sure we would join you in some variation of your toast if we had glasses.”
    Bianchi narrowed his eyes, looking between Zane and Ty curiously, when Norina spoke up in a spate of Italian, and his eyes widened in surprise for a moment before he broke into a full laugh as he stood and offered his hand. “Well, then to beautiful people in love. I am Lorenzo Bianchi, and it is a pleasure to meet you finally. You are Mr. Porter, no?”
    Zane smiled as he stood and shook hands with Bianchi. “I agree with both those sentiments. Corbin Porter, yes.”
    Bianchi continued to chuckle as he pumped Zane’s hand. “Well, well, Mr. Porter, it is as Norina supposed. Perhaps we meet earlier than planned, but it was indeed a good first discussion, don’t you agree?”
    “Yes, I think so, Signor Bianchi.” Zane turned partway toward Ty. “This is my husband, Del Porter.”
    “Very nice to meet you, Mr. Porter and Mr. Porter,” Bianchi said as he offered his hand to Ty as he gestured with his other arm for Norina to stand. “And this is my gioia Norina.”
    To all three men’s shock, the Italian beauty stood and threw her arms around Ty enthusiastically, talking rapidly in elated Italian as she hugged him. Zane caught himself before responding with anything more than a laugh, but that certainly wasn’t something he’d expected to see. He was sure Ty hadn’t been expecting it, either, and glad Ty had been able to repress the Instakill.
    “Ah, they spent so much time on the computer planning this and that,” Bianchi said with a wave of his hand. “That will be why you and I sit in peace at the poker tables.”
    Zane rubbed at his chin as he suppressed the reaction to frown. So Norina and Del were e-mail pals. That could be good. Or not. “I’m looking forward to it.”
    “Come, Norina, you and Mr. Porter can catch up tomorrow,” Bianchi said pleasantly. “We have that concert to see.”
    Norina chattered a little more as she hugged Ty one last time before giving Zane a brilliant smile. Zane really hoped what she was saying wasn’t something Del was supposed to be understanding and answering, because it was obvious Norina expected Del to understand Italian. They all said their goodbyes just as the waiter appeared with the appetizer and salads, and Zane sat down in his chair to take a deep breath and process.
    Ty remained standing, watching them go with a smile firmly in place. He waved one last time as Norina Bianchi turned and waved back at them excitedly. As soon as they were out of sight, Ty turned to Zane, smile gone and face expressionless, and he sat heavily in his chair. He looked like he desperately wanted to say something, rail against McCoy and God and Donald Duck for putting them on this cruise ship in this position. But he remained silent.
    Zane couldn’t think of a single thing to say, so he started on his salad as he reviewed the conversation, committing details to memory, and watched Ty poke at his bowl of vinaigrette-covered greens. Zane could almost physically feel Ty restraining himself. He knew his partner’s temper well, having seen Ty lose it on various occasions. Ty’s mood was what one might call mercurial. Depending on the subject of his ire, it was oftentimes amusing to watch him go off.