by Jack Harbon
Inside the Crystal Ballroom, Mateo quickly decided he was currently in a Cinderella moment. The entire place screamed elegance, from the fluted wine glasses aplenty to the gold and champagne-colored decor and all the oversized, gaudy diamond jewelry men and women wore. He accepted a glass of something bubbly and nearly raised his pinky ironically the way he and his friends did when they drank peach-flavored André.
“Let me drive the boat,” he murmured to himself, laughing as he sipped the glass.
A wry smile spread across Arthur’s face. “What’s that?”
“It’s just a little thing my friends and I do. There’s this rapper—”
“Megan?”
Mateo’s eyebrows went up. “You know her?”
“I may be older than you, but I’m no grandpa,” Arthur winked. He leaned in close, brushing his lips against Mateo’s ear. “Pardon my French, but I’ll also have you know that I’m a big ole freak.”
Mateo laughed loud and clamped a hand over his mouth, stifling the hoarse noise. When he pulled away, Arthur was chuckling too.
They made their rounds around the room, Arthur meeting with people Mateo had never heard of. They all seemed to know of his date, however, and he could only infer that they all knew each other through business connections. When Arthur introduced them, he found endless ways to compliment Mateo, all of which went directly to his head. He must’ve looked like a tomato by the time they were done meeting everyone Arthur knew at the party.
“Would you like to dance?” Arthur asked.
“Sure. I have to warn you, though, I’m not very good at it.”
“Neither am I.” Arthur stuck out his hand and Mateo placed his in the man’s palm, allowing him to guide him to the middle of the room. A few other couples around them swayed to the music, but Arthur didn’t seem content with that. He placed his arm around Mateo’s hip and pulled him closer, stepping in time with the melody of the song playing. Mateo could feel Arthur’s chest expand with every breath and tried hard to resist just hugging up against him like they had that night in his penthouse.
It took Mateo a moment to get the hang of it, but soon he found the proper stride. The pattern was easy enough to get a hang of. He tilted his head up and found Arthur staring back down at him, his brown eyes even more warm than usual. “What?” Mateo asked.
“Nothing. You’re just a quick learner.”
“I have a good teacher,” Mateo replied.
“My ballroom dance teacher would roll over in her grave if she heard you say that.”
Mateo made a face. “You took ballroom dancing classes?”
“When I was younger. My parents insisted that any man worth knowing knew how to dance with a woman. If only they could see me now.” He waggled his eyebrows and gave a half-smile. “Of course, I was terrible when I was younger. They eventually realized that it wasn’t for me. I didn’t actually learn until a few years ago when Nicola convinced me to take classes with her.”
“I would pay good money to see you learn,” Mateo said. When he and Angel were younger, they’d practically begged their parents to let them develop some kind of skill or hobby. Mateo wanted to learn gymnastics, and Angel wanted to fight. Neither of them got their wish. Money had been tight for as long as he could remember.
“You just want to laugh at my two left feet.”
Coyly, Mateo said, “Maybe.”
When the music changed to something from the current generation, Arthur’s eyes lit up. “I really like this song.”
“Yeah?”
“For some reason, this song just reminds me of what my twenties should have been. Partying, getting all of this energy out of my system and making all kinds of mistakes when I was younger. I didn’t have that freedom, though.”
“Why not?”
Arthur shrugged. “My parents gave me the family business when I was twenty-four. I’d just graduated, and they wanted me to take over. That meant no partying. No fun. All I could think about was making sure I didn’t run my parents’ hard work into the ground.”
The cynical side of Mateo felt a bit iffy about sympathizing too much. Arthur had been given a multimillion-dollar company and a life countless people would kill for. But he couldn’t help himself, either. He liked Arthur, and he could only imagine the level of stress that had to come with keeping up with expectations. Even he cringed at the idea of disappointing his parents, and he didn’t have anywhere near as much riding on him.
“Is that why you use these kinds of sites?” Mateo asked. “You just want to have fun after doing all that work in your twenties?”
Arthur blinked as if he’d been caught off guard. “I’ve never really thought of it like that, but…yeah. In a way. All the friends I had when I was younger are off raising families and living their lives. Nicola can’t be there to travel and experience new things with me all the time, either.”
Mateo nodded and glanced at their hands. He laced his fingers through Arthur’s and said, “Well, I’m here now, and I don’t do shit but work and spend all day at home. So, whenever you need some company…”
Arthur flashed him that picture-perfect smile and leaned in for a soft kiss. Mateo tasted the wine on his tongue and the warmth of his mouth, and he reached up to drape his arms over Arthur’s shoulders. The rest of the guests seemed to disappear, and though he wasn’t particularly fond of public displays of affection, he couldn’t be bothered to care. What mattered more was the swell of pleasure he felt getting to learn that much more about this enigmatic man.
When they broke the kiss, Mateo stepped into his arms and pressed his head to Arthur’s chest, swaying back and forth with him as Sixpence None the Richer’s “Kiss Me” started. Valerie would roll her eyes at the timing, but it put the tiniest of smiles on Mateo’s lips.
He’d just settled against Arthur’s chest when he heard Nicola’s voice. “Have you seen Lincoln anywhere?” she asked, looking between the two men.
Arthur made a face. “No. Did he run off?”
“Yes,” she sighed. “He’s been gone for like twenty minutes. I’ve looked all over this damn room for him, and even the bathrooms. He said he wanted to dance and then he disappeared on me.”
Mateo stepped back and looked around the room. There were far too many people moving back and forth to spot Lincoln in particular. “I can help you look for him if you want.”
The wrinkles in her forehead softened. “That would be amazing, thank you.”
“No problem,” he said with a hand wave. Arthur gave his hand one last squeeze before the two of them parted. Mateo agreed to look near the DJ booth while Nicola and Arthur split off to cover the rest of the massive room. As he slipped around dancing couples and Instagram stars talking countless selfies, he found himself wandering into the Crystal Garden. He’d seen a few pictures online, but nothing compared to the soft glow the entire garden seemed to have.
He registered the sound of giggling as he walked deeper into the garden, and as he rounded the hedge, he felt his throat go dry and his blood freeze in his veins. A couple, not much older than him, sat on a white wooden bench kissing and snickering softly. The woman was pale enough to practically glow in the moonlight, and her bright blue eyes went wide when she opened them and found Mateo staring back.
She shoved the man back and gasped. When her partner turned his head, Mateo’s entire body tensed. Lincoln stared at him with an unreadable expression, and the woman he was with looked between the two of them curiously.
“Mateo, I—”
He didn’t stay long enough to hear what Lincoln had to say. He took off running, bumping into a waiter on the way. This wasn’t happening. He hadn’t just seen that. He’d misread the situation entirely. But he couldn’t shake the feeling that what he’d witnessed would break Nicola’s heart if she ever found out. Only, there was no if. She deserved to know what her boyfriend was doing. He had to tell her what he’d seen.
Right?
10
I’LL HANDLE IT
Mateo ducked behind the large balloon display near the back exit of the room, squeezing his eyes closed, trying to get a grip of himself. His head hurt and his throat felt too tight, like he couldn’t quite swallow properly.
He tried to convince himself that this wasn’t a big deal. It wasn’t his business to get involved in all of this. He could sit it out and let Nicola figure out what Lincoln was doing all on her own. Hell, maybe they weren’t even exclusive. For all he knew, she allowed him to have his fun as long as he accompanied her to events like this.
But what if Nicola had no idea what Lincoln was doing behind her back?
She’d been nothing but nice to him since the moment they met. If she found out that Mateo knew Lincoln was cheating on her, what would she think of him? What would Arthur think of him knowing but not saying anything about it?
“Fuck,” he groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose.
“There you are,” Arthur said, startling Mateo. He spun around to face the older man, eyes wide. “Whoa. Is everything okay?”
“Yeah. Yeah, no, I just—” Mateo was at a loss for words. “I just needed a moment to get away from everything, and you surprised me. Sorry.”
Arthur slipped an arm around his waist and edged him closer. “I’m sorry for scaring you. Nicola actually found Lincoln a few minutes ago, and now they’re out there dancing. Are you having a good time?”
“Tonight’s been amazing.”
“I’m glad to hear that. I’m really happy you came with me. It’s been a long time since I’ve had a date on Valentine’s Day.” He leaned in for a soft kiss, and Mateo wanted desperately to fall into that kiss and ignore the nagging discomfort bouncing around in his brain. He longed to breathe in the man’s cologne and press himself against his frame, but he couldn’t.
“Listen,” he said, pulling away. When he looked up into Arthur’s eyes, he couldn’t. He just couldn’t.
“What’s wrong?” The happiness in Arthur’s face faded, immediately replaced with concern. “What happened?”
“It’s about Lincoln,” Mateo said. “I saw him earlier.”
Arthur cracked a smile. “Why didn’t you say anything? Nicola was looking all over for him.”
“No, I mean… I mean I saw him outside in the garden. After we all split up to go find him. I thought maybe he stepped outside for some air, and I saw him there.”
Arthur’s eyebrows knit together. “Okay?”
“He wasn’t alone. He was with some woman, and…and they were kissing.”
Arthur simply blinked. “They were kissing?”
“Making out, yeah. And I don’t know what to do now. I don’t even know if Nicola and Lincoln are together together or if they’re just friends with benefits. Should I tell her? Or will that make her mad at me? I don’t want her to be upset with me, Arthur. I really, really like her, and—”
Arthur silenced Mateo with another hug. If he hadn’t been on the brink of a full-blown anxiety attack, Mateo might’ve melted into a pool of sludge on the floor. The hug cut off his panicked words, which was what he suspected Arthur wanted.
“I’m going to take care of this. I’ll handle it,” Arthur said when they parted.
“Wait,” Mateo said. He caught Arthur’s wrist, holding him back. “You’re not going to fight him or anything, are you? I don’t want this to be a big thing. Tonight’s supposed to be a good night.”
“I don’t cause scenes, Mateo. I’m just going to talk to Lincoln.”
Mateo wasn’t sure how to feel about this, but he believed Arthur. He didn’t seem like the kind to fight, especially not at a public event like the ball. Mateo nodded, then followed close behind, wincing when he caught sight of Nicola and Lincoln dancing together.
“Dance with her,” Arthur whispered just before they approached the other couple.
Mateo stepped up to Nicola and said, “May I have this dance?”
She narrowed her deep brown eyes and smiled at him. “Why, yes. You may.” Lincoln handed her off to Mateo.
“We’ll get some drinks,” Arthur said, practically dragging Lincoln away by the collar of his jacket.
“Have you been having fun, darling?” Nicola asked, eyes closed as they spun in circles, stepping to the rhythm of the classical song.
“I have,” Mateo said. “I always thought these parties were a little too stuffy and uptight, but it’s been so much fun. I’m really happy Arthur invited me out.”
“He really likes you, you know?” She opened her eyes and settled her gaze on him. The smile she wore told Mateo that she knew more than she was letting on. “He talks about you quite frequently. I can’t remember the last boy to ever make him this excitable.”
“Really?”
“My god,” she groaned. “The last boy he dated, I couldn’t stand him one bit. I saw it before Arthur. That boy just wanted someone to pay his bills while he social climbed. Made connections with people ten times wealthier than him. And normally I don’t care about swindling men with money, but when that man is my best friend? That’s where I draw the line.”
Mateo nodded, biting back a smile. “He sounds awful.”
“He truly was. But then you came along, and now Arthur’s happy again. Whatever you’re doing, keep it up.”
All the praise made the guilty knot in his stomach double in size. Here she was, complimenting him when he knew something about Lincoln that would more than likely crush her. She deserved to know the truth. Whatever it was that Arthur was talking to Lincoln about, Mateo could only hope that her feelings were spared in all of this.
“Hey,” Arthur said, appearing at Mateo’s side.
Nicola glanced around the room. “Where’s Lincoln? I want another dance with him.”
Arthur cleared his throat and adjusted the cufflinks on his sleeves. “Nicola, Lincoln’s not coming back.”
That seemed to sober the woman up quickly. “Why not? What’s wrong with him?”
“He said that he didn’t want to hurt you by telling you this now, but he didn’t know how long he could keep it a secret. He’s…he’s not feeling this relationship anymore. He hasn’t for a long time, and he wants out.”
Arthur gave Mateo a look that said leave, and Mateo didn’t need to be told twice. He excused himself and headed to the garden, momentarily afraid that he’d find Lincoln and that woman kissing again. He took a seat on the bench and put his head in his hands.
This wasn’t how he’d seen the night going.
In his mind, the four of them would drink, dance, party, and eventually say goodbye and head back to their respective cars. Mateo would walk out of the Sweethearts Ball with nothing but memories that would make his friends green with envy. The last thing he’d accounted for was something this messy. And on Valentine’s Day, no less.
The one silver lining to all of this was Arthur. He and the man both knew Lincoln hadn’t said anything of the sort. He’d probably been perfectly content sleeping with Nicola and taking her money while he stepped out with other women. Something told Mateo this wasn’t even the first time Lincoln had done something like this.
You didn’t get bold enough to kiss other people at charity balls without plenty of practice beforehand.
Arthur was doing this to spare her feelings. He’d come up with some story that would hurt Nicola as little as possible, and that was something he’d do for Rob or Valerie. During his freshman year of college, he’d been cheated on, and having someone else tell him about it only made the pain that much worse. In his eyes, the whole school knew personal details about his relationship, and he’d been the last to know.
He’d been the fool.
What Arthur had done was merciful.
Ten minutes passed, and when Mateo looked up, he found Arthur standing behind one of the bushes, staring at him. “Is everything okay with Nicola?” he asked.
The somber look on Arthur’s face was answer enough.
“That bad?” Mateo rose from his seat. When he was close enough, he took Arthur’s hand.<
br />
“She didn’t take it that well,” he said quietly. “But I think she’s going to be okay.”
“You lied to her. Why?”
Arthur looked off to the side. “She’s been through things like this before. For some reason, the shittiest people are attracted to her like magnets. They take and take and take, and then they leave her with nothing. Lincoln was just another asshole that she fell for. I couldn’t let her go through another one betraying her.”
“How did Lincoln react?”
“I didn’t give him enough time to say anything,” he chuckled bitterly. “I told him to never speak with her again. That if she tried to contact him, he wasn’t allowed to speak with her. He made it clear that he didn’t respect her. I think he’ll be good on his word. The consequences aren’t worth it.”
Despite how awful he felt for Nicola, Mateo was glad she had someone like Arthur looking out for her. The pain wouldn’t go away anytime soon, especially considering how happy she’d been with Lincoln, but Arthur clearly cared about her more than any sugar baby ever could.
“Can you give her my phone number? If she ever wants to get wasted and sing bad songs from the ‘90s, I’m there,” Mateo said. Arthur chuckled and draped his arm around his shoulder.
“I’m sure she’d love that.” There was a moment of silence before he said, “We should get out of here. Want me to drop you off at your place?”
“Can we go back to yours again?”
“Of course.”
Arthur led them back into the building, and as they walked, Mateo gave the party one last look. For a while there, it had been amazing, like a dream come true. Now all Mateo wanted was to get his suit off, change into something comfortable, and spend some time with Arthur.