28. Matthias

28

MATTHIAS

" W ait, Ciaran," I called and Ciaran stopped mid-step. "Thanks for dressing my shoulder. It feels…" I paused, searching for the right word… amazing, relaxed, calm . I tested movement and didn't grimace as much as I had earlier. "Better."

"Yeah, no worries. I'm glad it helped." Ciaran turned to leave again.

"Wait," I said again. When he glanced back, I couldn't get a good read on his expression. It was a cross between being embarrassed and agitated. "You seem to know your way around the body." Ciaran's eyes went wide. "No, that's not what I meant." I coughed nervously. You'd think I was a pimple-faced virgin the way my face flamed. "What I mean is, therapeutically speaking. You know your way around the body therapeutically . Have you considered sports medicine? USC has a great program."

Ciaran chewed his lower lip in contemplation. "I plan to apply for the English and Creative Writing degree program."

"Well, just a thought. Oh, and just in case it wasn't clear, you're more than welcome to attend the pool party." I wasn't eager for Ciaran to run into Jason for fear of what the swim captain might reveal, but I was powerless to actually stop it. Ciaran would learn the truth sooner or later. Part of me said, Yeah, but Ciaran should hear it from you directly . "Joan's coming with Filipe."

"I'll think about it."

I watched him go before making my way to the front of the estate to turn on the Vaulteneau charm and act as a gracious host.

Everyone came to party. USC's swim roster was thirty strong and most everyone brought a significant partner or a friend or two, so within a few hours, the grounds were crawling with close to seventy guests—and two dogs.

The main house was locked up tighter than Fort Knox, but going in and out of the guesthouse was perfectly acceptable since it had guest changing rooms. The bedrooms on the second floor were secured so that curious guests couldn't snoop or swipe personnel effects.

Davies thankfully had all the vehicles under control by taking them into the garage herself. She didn't trust anyone in her domain.

Honestly though, the more guests the merrier, in my mind. Anything to keep my hands off Ciaran. Or rather, Ciaran's hands off me . He seemed so sure, so confident in his movements that I was, for several minutes, held hostage in the best way possible. Had Ciaran ever made those kinds of moves on Drew?

As I fired up the grill, Filipe and Joan shuffled in with oversized pool floaties. Someone got the music started and I directed a few of my teammates to grab the food from the guesthouse kitchen, and to wheel out the coolers filled with sodas, water, and beer.

As the day progressed, people were swimming, dancing to music, drinking beer, and conversing. Considering I'd come straight from the hot tub, I didn't even have to change.

By now most everyone on the team had heard Coach Anderson benched me for two weeks for the shoulder injury. If some didn't believe it, just seeing the multiple strips of KT Tape on my shoulder was evidence enough.

Wearing a tiny black bikini, Joan kissed me on the cheek before setting up everything on nearby tables.

Filipe's lazy ass was already floating in the pool, a large can of beer in his hand. He offered an air toast, which I matched with my own can.

If we let him, he'd sit there all day. He was immune to sunburns and, apparently, he never needed to pee. I didn't want to think about the alternative.

"Any word on your contact?" I asked Joan. I needed to take my mind off Ciaran and my shoulder.

She looked around before answering. "I was going to text but figured I'd just tell you when we got here. The embassy of a country that shall remain unnamed wants to meet tonight to take custody of the statue. If you can't do the delivery, Filipe and I can do it, but I'd feel more comfortable if we all went together."

"Why are they spooked?"

"I don't think they believe it's authentic, even after I sent the photo. Apparently the statue hasn't been reported missing, and here we are with it in our possession. I'd be suspicious, too."

"We could abandon the whole thing and find a new way to offload the artifact," I said, knowing full well that I did not want to keep the statue in my safe longer than necessary.

Joan shook her head. "It won't look good if I shop it around. The wrong crowd might start asking questions. If tonight ends up being a bust, maybe Dante can step in for old times' sake."

"Dante might," I agreed, "provided he can move the artifact with little fanfare." Dante had the right connections, too. "Let's meet them after tonight's party, but let's take your car in case we need to zip out quickly."

"Too easy."

After that, Joan flitted away to mingle and ply her seductive wanderings on my guests. Everyone was fair game. I enjoyed watching her antics and how she flustered even the most seasoned womanizer.

A while later, I was still grilling and serving burgers and hot dogs when Joan returned to ask, "Where's Ciaran?"

I scanned the area but because so many people were milling about, I didn't immediately see him.

"He said he might go down to the beach," I answered. Joan's furrowed eyebrows reproached me. "I made it more than clear he was invited, so don't think I've been a prick."

"Okay, I was going to accuse you of being a prick, but also, Jason is here." She pointed toward the waterfall pool lagoon. He and two other teammates were jumping in and out. "Ciaran won't remember him, but…"

"No, I know," I said under my breath. "It would be very suspicious if I tried to keep them apart. Maybe Jason won't say anything."

"You're really leaving it up to chance?" She whistled. "Drama at home, drama on the team," she said, and tsked . "How did you explain the night? Your lip is looking better, by the way."

"I told him I stopped him from getting more drunk and that he punched me because of it."

"I'd be shocked if Ciaran actually believed that," Joan said after a long swill of her beer.

"You've got a good read on the kid. He let it go but my guess is he thinks I'm full of shit. We've been, ah, dancing around each other."

Joan studied me for a long moment. "I called it." Her voice was smug. "I can't wait to tell Filipe I was right."

I took my time flipping two rows of turkey burgers. "What are you going on about?"

A group cannonballed into the main pool while someone threw a Frisbee for the Chocolate Labrador to catch mid-jump. In a sense, the scene was picture perfect. A late spring party. Good tunes, libation, pretty people in very little clothing, no adult supervision. Miss Paulina would march out only if someone set the house on fire.

By all appearances, there was nothing missing.

But my mind was on Ciaran. I should go find him and insist he come to the party.

"You like Ciaran," Joan said.

"He has several good qualities," I replied. I hiked my shoulder. "He administered the KT Tape and did a hell of a job."

Joan's self-satisfying smile did not deceive me. "You like like him. You think he's hot, don't you? I mean, when I witnessed how he kissed Jason, whoa. That tongue…"

Joan fanned herself as she watched several of my teammates form a line and start sprinting to the edge of the property, whooping and hollering. If anyone got too close to the fence, they'd pitch over and tumble two hundred feet to the beach below.

"You're being a bit dramatic." I bit into one of the turkey burgers. "You should join the theater program instead of pursuing activities in cyber security."

"Then I'd only be able to pretend to be a hacker instead of the real thing. But you don't get to change the subject like that. I think Ciaran's hot, too. I dare you to admit it."

"Joan, stop."

"As I live and breathe, Matthias Vaulteneau, it's more than that, isn't it? You've got a crush on someone you can't have a crush on."

"Shhh," I hissed at her, looking around to see who might have overheard. "I do not. Ciaran is free to do as he pleases."

"Is that so?" she asked, her lips teasing into a smile.

I finished my beer. "Yes."

"So then it won't bother you that he's playing Frisbee with Jason?" Joan pointed to the far end of the property near the alcove that led to the semi-private grotto. "They certainly look pretty chummy."