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“Wanted to see what I was working with,” I clarified. I pushed my goggles to my forehead and Ciaran did the same. “You’re good. Have you ever placed in a competition?”
“When I was younger,” Ciaran said. “I came in second place a few times. But once Mom and I took over my grandpa’s deli, swimming became less a priority. I was still part of my school’s swim team, but it’s tough to compete when I needed to be behind the cash register most nights and weekends.”
We swam a few more laps before my shoulder gave out, though I didn’t say anything.
“Not much time for socialization, was there?” I asked.
“If you counted our regular customers, then yeah, I was constantly around others. Vegas peeps are interesting characters. You get everyone from high rollers who are staying at a nearby penthouse suite, to the unhomed individuals from around the corner.”
“Who was the more interesting of the two?”
We waded in the water, just talking. Ciaran was just as comfortable in the water as I was. He seemed open to conversation, too.
“The better question is, who did I appreciate more. The high roller expected free food. The unhomed couldn’t afford it but always came in offering something. Mom would charge them a quarter for a full combo meal.”
“Your mom sounds like an amazing woman.”
“The best. I don’t know how your dad convinced her to marry him, but it must have been an offer she couldn’t refuse.”
“What do you mean?” Mostly, I was curious. Wouldn’t the money have helped? I didn’t say that out loud as I knew Ciaran wouldn’t appreciate it.
“She’d been proposed to so many times, it wasn’t even funny. Even wealthy men, like casino owners. Maybe not as wealthy as your father, but still wealthy enough that she wouldn’t have to scrounged in the deli ever again. I just pray he’s good to her.”
That made sense. “If it’s helpful, I’ve never seen him in love like this. My dad’s only ever been married once, and that was to my mom. He’s had a handful of girlfriends, but none have ever come close to becoming ‘Mrs. Vaulteneau.’ I truly think it was love at first sight for my dad.”
“That must explain it,” Ciaran said with a tinge of bitterness.
“What, you don’t believe in love at first sight?”
He thought about that for a long moment, even going under water to rewet his hair.
“I dare you to answer the question first,” Ciaran said instead of answering.
My lips curled into a smile. “Nicely played. Okay, let’s see,” I said, swimming under the lane divider and away from him for a few paces before turning around to face him. “Do I believe in love at first sight?”
“Stop stalling and answer my dare, Matty.”
This was a weird conversation between stepbrothers.
“No,” I answered. “I don’t. My turn. I dare you to swim to the bottom of the pool and do a handstand.”
Ciaran gave me a nonplussed look but complied. Sinking to the bottom of the pool, I watched him perform the move with very little effort. I even gave him a thumbs-up, to which he flipped me the bird when he turned right side up.
He splashed up. “I just noticed your back. What happened?”
I knew it would be difficult to hide the gashes in the pool. My mind went back to last night, to how Ciaran dug into me possessively. I flushed and heat spread up my chest and face.
“It’s nothing.”
“The hell it is,” Ciaran said. “You have large gashes on your lower back, like someone clawed you.”
Ciaran closed the distance between us. Freckles popped on his face and his eyebrows bunched up.
Thankfully, Ciaran didn’t remember. That’s all that mattered.
When I didn’t answer right away, he pushed against my shoulder, and I winced.
“Is your shoulder injured, too?” Ciaran asked with some urgency, swimming to my side. He cupped my shoulder gently, feeling around. I grumbled as he did it. “Matty, your tendons are swollen.” He moved to face me, and I watched as he inspected my left, unharmed shoulder, and then inspected my right shoulder again. “You need to lay off the shoulder for a while, man.”
