The Frame-Up (The Golden Arrow #1)(44)
Kyle grabs a pillow off the couch, presses pause on the remote, and leans against the coffee table, Nina snuggling under one arm. “Nah. Once or twice a year.”
“It seems like there’s so much I need to learn,” Matteo says, eyes still glued to the TV. “What did you watch last weekend? I need to start keeping a list.” Matteo not only has an ulterior motive, but he’s a skilled professional when it comes to gaining information and feeling out alibis.
Kyle laughs. “We’ll get you squared away. We actually didn’t watch anything last weekend. Nina had her fifteen-year high school reunion, and I took work along for the hotel.”
“It was so romantic,” Nina intoned, not batting an eye.
Matteo muffles a laugh with a cough. “I bet. Was the hotel nice, at least?”
“Holiday Inns aren’t too bad. Good Wi-Fi.”
Nina ignores him. “We were in San Diego. The weather was awful, though. Kyle actually left the party really early and drove back up here because he worried about moving his artwork around in the rain.”
Only I see Matteo’s attention snap to Kyle. Because I can read him now too, I know he’s wondering if Kyle was up in LA in enough time to get to the warehouse district. But has he seen Kyle? The guy couldn’t wrestle a squirrel. He’s shorter than me, wiry, and about as nonthreatening as Trogdor. Not to mention that I found out about the sword fighting, which shoots my theory to hell.
“It’s my job to care about my art,” Kyle says, rolling his eyes. “Now quiet. This part is so great.”
“Maybe you were late for a sword fighting lesson?” I ask sweetly, batting my eyes at Kyle.
“No—wait. How did you? Nina, did you tell her?” Kyle eyes Nina with mock horror.
“I asked her to make you and Simon costumes, so relax.” Nina rolls her eyes, shoves a chip in her mouth, and turns back to the TV.
“It’s no big deal,” I say, “but it sure puts my mind at ease about why I found cardboard tubes under my desk the other day. But what do you need duct tape for? I assumed it was something kinky. Now I’m assuming it’s something dorky.” I hope Matteo’s picking up my intentional mention of the clues.
Simon’s face has turned red now too. “The duct tape holds our cardboard armor on. I didn’t realize you saw that stuff.”
“Cardboard . . . armor?” Matteo looks between Simon and me, completely baffled.
I make a show of turning to Matteo. “You see, it turns out that Kyle and Simon are learning to sword fight and make ropes and draw pictures like medieval times. It’s called role-playing.”
Matteo turns to Kyle, comprehension dawning on his face. “You said an old lady hit you. Is this actually what happened to your arm?”
Kyle chugs the rest of his beer in what I take as a ploy to look more manly. “Sword fighting. Yeah.”
Simon cackles with glee. “It really was an old lady. Kyle got his ass handed to him.”
“Hey, man, you have to partner with her next week, so shut up.” Kyle tosses the empty can onto the coffee table.
“So you guys have been fake sword fighting with old ladies.” Matteo looks part gleeful and part disappointed. Exactly my feeling. No lead on the Golden Arrow, but a damn fine story.
Simon scoffs, acting offended. “Sword fighting is hard. And we do other stuff too. We’re learning to write with quill and ink, illuminations, stuff like that. There are guilds and crafts, and it’s all very historically accurate. Scientific, even.”
This doesn’t mean that Kyle or Simon can’t be the Golden Arrow; it just makes it less likely. I’m relieved but bummed. I never wanted Kyle or Simon to be the vigilante, but here we are back at square one. At a dead end with no promising leads.
“Can we go back to watching the movies, please?” Kyle shoots Nina another dirty look and presses play just in time for my favorite scene: Han in the cantina.
I usually roll my eyes about the alien-Muppet costumes, but this time is better because I get to watch Matteo recognize young Harrison Ford. And again, I get the distinct impression that he’s truly enjoying this, even if he’s also finding a way to question each of the couples about their past few weekends. When he gets up to use the restroom after the first movie, I wonder if it’s to make notes.
“You guys are cute together.” By the accent, I assume it’s Tej’s wife behind me. She went to the door to grab pizza between films.
I smile. “Thanks.”
“I’ve seen you before at work functions and at the office Christmas party, and you always seemed so reserved. Focused on work. I don’t know you well, but I can tell you’re different around him.”
She may not know me well, but she’s hit the nail on the head, and that freaks me out. I am different around Matteo. Where I’m usually too busy to take time away from furthering my career, Matteo is a breath of fresh air in my life I didn’t even know I needed. Something to turn me on my head and give me a fresh perspective. I always tell myself how happy I am with my party of one, but tonight I’ve glimpsed a version of me that would hang out for movie marathons with coworkers. He’s opened my eyes to some of what I’ve been missing to uphold my persona at work. I’d never have come except for Matteo, and I realize just how lonely a party of one can be sometimes. How can one person affect me so much in a matter of a week?