The Frame-Up (The Golden Arrow #1)(41)
“Stock up. This looks like serious business,” I say to Matteo, eyeing the spread of a humongous Subway sandwich bar and several homemade-looking sides. My stomach literally growls as I spot a huge bowl of my favorite artichoke dip from the Christmas parties.
“So, MG, if you do costumes . . . can I talk to you about something?” Nina moves closer to me and drops her voice. Her eyes dart to the Crock-Pot as if attempting to gauge whether Kyle can hear her.
“Sure, what’s up?”
“Well, Kyle will kill me for asking, but I know he and Simon have been doing this extracurricular stuff, and they need to make it official. With costumes. I was going to try to hack something together myself, but . . . Well, if you’re a professional, we could just hire you to do it.”
My heart races, and I channel my mental energy into not gaping at her like a fish. I didn’t even have to snoop! Proof that Simon and Kyle are two superheroes in want of costuming! On one hand, I’m shocked they’ve managed to elude police thus far, but on the other hand, I’m glad that this mystery can finally get solved. They can just tell us what they know about the White Rabbit. I school my features. “Oh, yeah, um, of course. I’d love to. What kind of costumes are we talking?”
Nina eyes the floor. “Well, you’re a fellow geek. I’m sure you’d understand, but I need chain mail.”
I blink. “Chain mail?” Wouldn’t that be a little heavy when scaling the side of a warehouse?
“Well, a whole knight costume really. I know it sounds silly, but they are having so much fun learning to sword fight.”
“Sword fight.”
“It’s this whole LARPing group they joined to keep fit. Sword fighting, metal working, rope making, stuff like that.”
Live-action role-playing. I’ve heard of it. Never done it myself, but I don’t hold it against anyone if they want to nerd out in costume. But this negates what I thought would be a big break in the case and possibly means Kyle and Simon are up to nothing more than hitting each other with wooden swords. Or cardboard tubes, like the ones under their desk. I inwardly groan. I need to tell Matteo.
The man in question now leans so close to me, I can smell his aftershave. It’s a heady scent, and my brain swims with his closeness. Is he playing up the dating thing? Is he possibly going to kiss my shoulder? Or give me a hug from behind? I am so lost in that role-playing fantasy that when he speaks he takes me by surprise.
“What is a pufflehuff?”
I snort. “Hufflepuff. It’s another Hogwarts house, from Harry Potter,” I whisper back, reveling in his aftershave awhile longer.
“Is that the wizard thing?”
“It’s a person. And yes, he’s a wizard. Why do you ask?”
Matteo nods toward Andy. “That guy over there said that he’d thought for sure I’d be in that Hufflepuff house. I told him it sounded girly.” He lowers his voice until just I can hear him. “Plus, I need to be making notes about your coworkers, so maybe you can introduce me?” I bite my lip but nod, and we shuffle around the kitchen until we’re in a corner between the sandwiches and the artichoke dip.
I keep my voice low, anxiety pooling in my belly. It’s normal that I introduce everyone to my guest, right? Act natural. I point in turn at the people in the room with us. “That’s Andy. He’s essentially my boss. He presents our team’s work to the executive art directors at Genius. He really doesn’t seem the type to chase anyone, much less bad guys, but that’s your area of expertise.” And the guy who steals my ideas to get my promotion. Even if he did do a teensy bit better job packaging my ideas. I’m not quite ready to forgive him, though, so I’m going to just continue to studiously avoid him today.
“Next is Kyle, who you met. He’s an illustrator, and he works on the new Hooded Falcon and whatever other current Genius comics are tying in. There’s Tej over there; he’s the most charming guy you’ll ever meet. He works on adaptations for films, coordinating with developers, marketing, press releases, that sort of thing. He’s not always a part of our work team, but he’s awesome.” He’s also gorgeous, geek or not. Mocha skin, dark hair always updated with the trends, immaculate clothes, and black plastic-frame Clark Kent glasses. He’s laughing in the living room with a woman I assume is his girlfriend or wife. I’m newly ashamed that I don’t even know if my coworkers are married.
Simon steps into the kitchen, so I introduce him, hoping it comes off as natural. “And this is Simon. He’s the illustrator I work with the most. His desk is right next to mine, and he’s helping me with Hooded Falcon and Hero Girls right now, although I hear tell that he’s going to be pulled onto a revival of The Green Monster. Version six hundred million.”
“Version six hundred million and one,” Simon corrects, reaching out to shake Matteo’s hand before pointing to the girl deep in conversation with Nina. “And that’s my wife, Isabella—no relation.”
Matteo looks thrown. “No relation to . . .”
“Twilight?” Simon smirks. “Sparklepires?”
“Let’s not destroy Matteo’s perfect and pristine mental canvas with that,” I say, looping an arm around Matteo. His middle is solid, and I can’t keep myself from wondering if he has a six-pack like the cops on TV have. A moment later I let it drop, unsure if the contact is appropriate.