by Jack Harbon
“Almost done…aaaaand done.” He slid the phone across the table.
Mateo grabbed it and looked over the screen, confused. Some banking app was open, but not the one he usually used. And when he got to the amount that had been deposited earlier in the morning, he nearly dropped the phone.
“Arthur, this…”
“This is the separate account I set up for you. It’s under my name, but you’ll have sole access to it, and can transfer the money to your own bank if you’d like. I also wrote down the login information in your Notes app. You can change it to something you’re more comfortable with. From now on, this is the account I’ll be transferring money to at the beginning of every month.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“You don’t have to say anything. Well, other than that you’ll go to karaoke with me again. Sometime soon, preferably.”
Mateo slipped out of his chair and rounded the table, wrapping his arms around Arthur’s larger frame. It was the only appropriate thing to do. How else could he possibly show gratitude for the ten grand that now sat in an account for him?
When he parted, he stared down at Arthur, whose eyes shone like he’d just given Mateo the best gift on Christmas morning.
“Thank you,” Mateo said, suddenly aware of just how close he was to getting emotional. He couldn’t ruin this moment by crying. “Just…thank you, Arthur. Really.”
Arthur pulled him down for a quick peck. “You’re welcome. Now, finish your breakfast so we can get out of here and go see a movie or something. If you’d want to, I mean.”
“I want to,” Mateo said. “I definitely want to.”
He could barely eat, though. All he could think about were the endless possibilities Arthur had just given him access to. Rent would be covered, food was taken care of, and any money he made from work was suddenly additional income.
None of this felt real. It was as if he’d fallen asleep and the past few weeks were all some complex dream he was having. Any minute, he’d shoot up from his sleep, tangled up in the covers on his couch, disappointed at how vivid everything had been. If this was a dream, Mateo decided to enjoy it while it lasted.
He’d take Valerie’s advice and stop questioning everything.
*
“Bro, careful,” Mateo laughed. Both of Rob’s arms were so full of plastic grocery bags that he could barely fit through the door walking head on. Instead, he had to turn sideways just to fit through.
“I told you, man. We’re getting all these in the house in one trip.”
They carried the bags to the kitchen, dropping them off on the counters and kitchen table. Mateo couldn’t recall the last time he’d been able to come home with this many groceries. Most trips to the store were humble, a few meals that he’d planned out, but this was entirely different. With all the money that Arthur had given him last week, he was able to buy more than enough food for the month.
“What in the world is this?” Amira asked, startling the both of them as they dug around in the bags. She put her hands on her hips and surveyed the room. “Did you buy all of this, mijo?”
“Yeah,” he said. This was the part he’d dreaded since getting the money. The very reason he’d held off on spending even a dime of his monthly allowance from Arthur. He could see the wheels turning in her head, and he wanted to hide like Salome did whenever she got in trouble.
Rob must’ve been able to sense it as well, because he gave Amira a quick hug and waved to Mateo. “I’ll see you later on, man.”
“Yeah, sure. Thanks for the ride to the store!”
Amira closed and locked the door behind Rob. She returned to the kitchen, arms folded over her chest as she stood silently in the doorway. When the awkward silence was too much, Mateo turned to her and asked, “What’s wrong, Mami?”
“I’m trying to figure out where you got all this money from! Just last week you were complaining about not having enough for rent. Now you and your friend come walking in here at ten in the morning with all kinds of groceries. It doesn’t make sense.”
He chewed on the inside of his cheek before responding. “Do you really want to know?”
“Of course, I want to know!”
“I…” Shit. Shit, shit, shit. How was he going to do this? “Okay, so basically, I can’t get too into the details, but just know that I’m not doing anything illegal or dangerous.”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “Is that supposed to make me feel better?”
His smile was hopeful. “Maybe?”
“I oughta spank you right now,” she said. “What are you doing? Did you take on a new job or something?”
“Or something.” The look on her face told him she wasn’t going to drop the conversation anytime soon, so Mateo had to think on his feet. He reached into a nearby bag and pulled out a pack of Amira’s favorite snack. “I got your Sponch!” he said.
The distraction worked like a charm because the second her eyes landed on the fuchsia package, her entire demeanor changed. “Ooh,” she said, grabbing the treats from his hand and bringing them to her chest. “You promise it’s not illegal?”
“I’m not selling drugs or getting involved with gangs. I’m just doing what I have to do to make sure we’re all taken care of.” Mateo gave her a look. He needed her to understand that he really, really didn’t want to get into the logistics of where all this money had come from. There were times when it was better if she didn’t know, and this was certainly a moment where he felt like pleading the fifth.
“As long as you’re being careful.”
“I promise, I am.”
Amira nodded, and after a moment of intense eye contact, she finally moved past him and begin loading up the fridge. Working together, they put away all the groceries in quick time. Mateo put up the last can of chickpeas when he said,
“I was thinking of getting a new car too.”
“Oh?”
“Well, it’s not new, but Rob was going to sell his, and he said he’d give me a really good deal. A thousand up front, and then a few hundred every month until we reach three grand.”
Her thin brows went up at the offer. “Wow. That would help me get a better job,” she said.
“Exactly! I could also finally be done with my bike. Maybe I’ll give it to Tomas. He’s been begging for it for the past year.”
Mateo was caught off guard by his mother’s hug. She squeezed him tight and rubbed his back. When she pulled back to look over him, she said, “I’m so proud of you, Mateo. I don’t tell you enough, but I really am. When your father got sick, you didn’t even hesitate to come back and help us. And now you’re talking about getting a car? I just can’t believe it.”
The cynical side of him wanted to remark that he didn’t really have a choice. He couldn’t sit idly by and watch his family struggle when he was fully capable of helping. At the same time, he knew that would only make Amira feel guilty about not being able to provide as much as she would like, so he kept his mouth shut and simply enjoyed the sight of her smile.
She didn’t do that very often anymore.
After putting away the rest of the groceries, Mateo kissed Amira on the cheek and hurried off to the bathroom to get ready for work. He had a long shift ahead of him, and he wanted to be as prepared as he could be.
Underneath the steaming stream of water, Mateo felt his happiest. In such a small apartment without a room of his own, it was difficult for him to ever get any time alone. Because of these limitations, he found solace in the little things, like the complete and utter silence in the shower, or the days when his mother took his siblings down to the park. These moments of reprieve kept him sane.
When he was clean and refreshed, Mateo changed into his usual work uniform and headed downstairs with his bike. The ride to the mall was always the worst part, but with his headphones in, the music helped ease his annoyance. He reached the mall with fifteen minutes left to spare before his shift began.
The moment he saw Pauline’s face, he k
new something was up.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“Nothing’s wrong. You just have a delivery.” Pauline gestured to the front counter, where a massive bouquet of roses sat in a wicker basket. Accompanying the flowers was a heart-shaped box wrapped in red cellophane and a white envelope.
“What in the world?” he asked himself. Mateo reached for the card, flipping it open. To his surprise, he found neat, clean cursive.
I know you’ll probably need some time in advance to figure out your shifts, but I would love it if you would accompany me to the fifth annual Sweethearts Ball. It’s a charity party, and this year, the proceeds will go to struggling schools in the area. If this isn’t your kind of thing, we can do something else for Valentine’s Day. I’m not picky. I just want to spend it with you.
Will you be my valentine, Mateo?
- Arthur
“Ooh,” Pauline said, reading over Mateo’s shoulder. “Who’s Arthur?”
He pressed his lips together, fighting off a smile. “This guy that I’m seeing.”
“He sounds like a dream.”
Mateo reached for one of the roses and brought it to his nose. “He’s dreamy, alright.”
A charity ball. He’d heard about the Sweethearts Ball from social media, but never in a million years did he expect to have the opportunity to attend one. These kinds of events were usually reserved for the top influencers and whichever celebrities were in the area. Not employees at lotion shops.
But what made his heart throb harder than that was the fact that Arthur didn’t really seem to care what they did, so long as he got to do it with Mateo. That was the part he was hung up on.
Jesus, he never got like this. Not even in his fantasies was he struck with this kind of feeling. This kind of utter and complete infatuation.
“So,” Pauline asked, leaning against the counter. “Are you gonna go with him?”
“Can I get Valentine’s Day off?”
She made a show of thinking for a moment before flashing him a smile. “I’ll have to check the schedule, but I’ll make it happen.”
“You’re amazing, Pauline. Here, have one.” He handed the rose over, but she scrunched her nose up and shook her head.
“You keep it. I will take one of those chocolates, though.”
Mateo nearly considered arguing but couldn’t bring himself to do it. Not when Pauline had just given him permission for this party with Arthur. He reached for the box and tore it open, sliding it to her.
“Take as many as you’d like.”
9
SWEETHEARTS BALL
“This feels weird,” Mateo murmured, looking himself over in the mirror in the corner of Valerie’s bedroom. She appeared by his side in an instant, putting her hands on his shoulders.
“It feels weird because you’re not used to getting all dressed up like this. When was the last time you wore a suit, hm?”
Mateo thought back for a moment, and the memory was a sudden sharp pain in his chest. The last time he’d put on a suit and dressed up like this, it had been for his brother’s funeral. His mother had spent hours getting him ready under the guise of making him look “presentable,” but Mateo knew the truth. Amira had needed to be around him. She’d needed to keep him and Tomas in her arms after having just lost her firstborn child.
He swallowed back the broken glass in his throat and said, “I can’t even remember.”
“Either way, you usually don’t get to dress this nicely. You also don’t get to have your boyfriend send you suits and foot the bill for tailoring them either.”
He rolled his eyes but couldn’t help the smile that tugged at his lips. Arthur’s bouquet had been one thing, but finding the package of three suits at work two days later was something else entirely. His manager had given him a look, as if to ask what the hell all these deliveries were for. All he could do was bashfully shrug and hide his gift under the counter.
“I’m still getting used to it,” Mateo said finally. “The gifts are really nice, but it’s weird. The only time I get stuff like this is on Christmas or my birthday, and it’s never this expensive.”
Valerie put her chin on his shoulder and hugged him from behind. “It’ll get easier, I promise. Soon you’ll be asking him for a few hundred dollars to go shopping and you won’t even flinch.”
Mateo had a hard time believing he’d ever be capable of that, or if he’d even want to. He was fine accepting the money for his family. After all, that was what he agreed to do this for in the first place. Something about just asking for cash without giving something in return made him feel slightly uneasy.
Rather than psychoanalyzing himself like he had a tendency to do, Mateo took a deep breath and messed with the tufts of dark brown hair sticking up haphazardly. He’d tried to use some of Valerie’s styling gel, but he’d hated how it looked and washed it out immediately. The barely contained fluff was just going to have to do.
Something told him Arthur wouldn’t mind too much.
Across the room, his new phone vibrated. Valerie crawled over her bed to grab it, tossing it to him. “Is that him?” she asked.
He quickly read the text, then pressed his lips together, nodding. “Yup. He’s outside right now.”
“You better go get your man then,” she said with a suggestive smile.
Before he grabbed his jacket, Mateo paused to fix the soft red tie he’d settled on. “Thank you for letting me get ready here, Val. My mom would be blowing me up with questions if I was at home.”
“It’s not even a thing, Matty,” she said, waving one hand through the air. Her new Valentine’s Day-themed manicure looked perfect. “Anytime you need to get ready, you can stop by. I’m living vicariously through you tonight since it’s looking like the only action I’m getting is with my vibrator.”
He started to grimace, but said, “That’s actually not a bad way to spend the night. Eating chocolate and playing with yourself.”
Valerie laughed and reached for her heart-shaped box of candy. “You find me a man that tastes like chocolate or can vibrate at twenty different speeds and my life would be complete. Now, stop talking to me and get your little ass out there.”
“I’m going, I’m going!” He gave her a wave goodbye and hurried out to the curb where he found Arthur’s car waiting for him. When he climbed inside, Arthur looked him up and down and smiled.
“You look nice,” he said.
Mateo made a face. “Like I’m any competition with you around.” Arthur had gotten his beard trimmed, and now he looked even more put together, all sharp, crisp lines and perfectly smooth skin. Mateo needed to find out what his skincare routine was—stat.
As they rode, Arthur made a call to let Nicola know that they would be arriving shortly. She sounded eager to meet up with them from what Mateo could hear. He was just as excited to spend some time with her and Lincoln as well. That night at the karaoke bar had been some of the most fun he’d had in a long time, and he anticipated nothing less than that tonight.
When they made it to the Beverly Hills Hotel, Mateo couldn’t believe his eyes. He’d seen the hotel in pictures and once had passed it on a school field trip, but tonight it was something else entirely. Valet seemed to be working overtime to get every car taken care of, and everywhere he looked, Mateo saw the flash of photographs being taken.
He’d anticipated the Sweethearts Ball being a big deal, but nothing like this. He pulled his phone free to check Snapchat, and as he tapped through the hotel’s stories, he spotted a few incredibly recognizable faces. Chelsia Vivienne, one of the newer designers that Valerie was obsessed with, had taken a video of her and a few celebrities dancing in the ballroom. Val was going to die when he told her she was in attendance. A man Zendaya was rumored to have dated popped up on his screen next, and after that, a few YouTube beauty gurus with questionable pasts.
This was a bigger deal than Mateo had imagined.
He climbed out of the car when the driver opened his door, trying
hard not to look like a fish out of water. He could do this. It was just a charity ball full of people that could buy his life three or four times over. People that could collectively move mountains if they put their assets together. No big deal. No big deal!
“Hey,” Arthur said. Despite the softness of his voice, Mateo still jumped, immediately red in the face. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”
“No, you’re fine. I’m just…” He didn’t have the words, but the look on his face must have said it all.
“It’s okay to be nervous. This is a lot all at once. But I’ll be by your side the whole time.”
Mateo bit back an anxious smile. “Yeah?”
“Of course. You don’t know it yet, but you’re doing me a huge favor. Nicola said it when we talked last week. I’m your arm candy.”
That brought a laugh out of Mateo. “Yeah, right.”
“Everyone’s seen my old mug. You’re the one they’ll all be talking about.” He reached up and brushed his fingers across Mateo’s stubble-free cheek. “You look amazing, and after they get over how good you look, they’ll see how great you are to talk to.”
Mateo was thankful that Nicola and Lincoln approached with glasses of wine in hand, laughing loudly. He didn’t have to try to piece together a way to accept all of Arthur’s compliments. When the group met up together, Nicola said,
“My god, look at you both. If I didn’t have Lincoln here with me…”
Lincoln gave an apologetic look to the others, smiling bashfully. “My gorgeous date tonight is having a love affair with a man named Dom Perignon. Forgive her.”
Nicola gave a boozy wink to Mateo and Arthur and said, “This is my last glass for a while. Let me enjoy this, darling. Now, let’s get inside so we can dance.” She elongated the last word, dragging Lincoln with her as she marched back up to the security check at the front of the hotel.
“She’s a lot,” Arthur said, almost apologizing for her.
“She reminds me of my best friend. I love her,” Mateo replied.
Arthur stuck out his arm and Mateo hooked his through. Together, they followed after Nicola and Lincoln. Cameras flashed as more celebrities trickled into the hotel, and Mateo tried not to be dizzied by the glittering lights. The last time he’d had his picture taken like this was for his college ID, back when he’d been a gangly, braces-wearing twerp. What he wouldn’t give to see his own reaction when he found out future Mateo would be around such recognizable faces.