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“Didn’t I tell you the other morning?” Matty stepped out of the hot tub, studying my face. Water sluiced off his swim trunks and his actions were perfunctory in the way he dried himself. “I’m hosting a barbecue for the swim team tonight. I do it every year during Memorial Day weekend. You couldn’t have missed the dogs in the fridge and the patties in the freezer.”
“Oh, right,” I said quickly. “I’ll probably head out to the beach. I hope you and your friends have a good time.”
I started walking away.
28
MATTHIAS
“Wait, 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.”
