Chapter 8
CHAPTER EIGHT
Nick
It had been two weeks since Matt had sat in our kitchen and told us about the gifts, and nothing had happened. Maybe I was losing my intuition.
JJ was doing great, Matt wasn’t ignoring me as much—he actually said hello and good-bye if he saw me and actually met my eyes when we talked. I’d worried for nothing, but who could blame me?
With what my family had been through, I didn’t feel sorry for being a little paranoid.
“So what are you doing this weekend?” I heard JJ asking Matt as he was packing up his stuff. It was Friday, so we wouldn’t be seeing him again until Monday.
“I’m going to The Alibi tonight. My work friends and I like to try to get together once a month. We’ve been trying to make it work for the last couple of weeks but only finally were able to for tonight. So I’ll do that, then rest on Saturday, cleaning Sunday.”
“Wow, I haven’t been to a club in ages.”
Matt chuckled. “Once you’re all cleared, I’ll go with you to one and we’ll dance.
I didn’t need to see JJ’s face to know it was lit up. “That would be the best way to celebrate!”
“Great, okay. See you Monday, JJ. Call if you have any questions or whatnot.”
“You got it.”
I had been lingering by the doorway into the living room so I quickly dipped into the kitchen under the pretense of making myself a snack.
“Don’t load up on snacks,” JJ said as he came in the room. “It’s pizza and movie night—I’m ordering all the pies, and wings, and breads.”
“All of them?” I snickered.
“Yep.”
“Noted.” I grabbed a bottle of water and leaned against the counter, watching while JJ pulled out the takeout menu. “Has Matt mentioned any more weird gifts?”
JJ fiddled with the menu. “Nope, thankfully. Probably someone who was smitten, realized it was strange, and stopped.”
I hoped JJ was right, and most likely he was, but I wasn’t sure.
“I think I might go out tonight.”
JJ’s head popped up so fast. “What? No! It’s family night. Only if there’s work to be done is anyone allowed to leave. House rules.”
Family night had been implemented by JJ and Mason after the whole Four debacle. Since JJ had been stuck inside for so long with little to do, we’d agreed to make Fridays family night. I’d only missed it that one time to go to The Alibi…and that was the same reason I’d be missing it tonight.
“It is a work thing.”
JJ pursed his lips and glared at me. “What work thing?”
“I have to go downtown. A few businesses I’ve been trying to get to sign on to let me do their tech. They don’t work normal business hours, and I keep putting it off.” I was lying, but I’d rectify it by really trying to get some clubs on board.
“That’s actually smart.” JJ was still looking at me as if he could detect the lie. “You shouldn’t go alone.”
I snorted. “I’m a big boy; I’m not going into a war zone.”
“Downtown on a Friday night is a war zone.”
“I’ll be fine. Watch that movie you wanted to see last week that I hated.”
He threw the menu at me. “Now, I’m ordering extra banana peppers on my pizza and not saving you a slice.”
“Vicious indeed.” I shook my head and left the kitchen to get dressed for my evening.
The Alibi was packed, and it was only nine. I got in, no problem, and parked myself at the bar in the corner. I was able to see a lot of the club, and I immediately began searching for Matt.
I saw the woman he was with last time ordering. I looked away when she turned in my direction. She gathered up her drinks, and I watched as she went to her table. There he was.
The bartender came up to me, asking if I wanted another.
“Actually, is your manager around?”
“I can check, what is it regarding?”
“Tell them their security is a mess, and I’d love to talk about helping him.”
He shot me a curt nod and walked away.
“What the hell are you doing?” I turned and saw an irate Matt.
I held up my drink. “Having a beverage and waiting on the manager.”
“Manager? Really, why?”
“Work.”
His cheeks were pink and his eyes only a tiny bit glassy, not drunk.
“Don’t you all do a family thing on Fridays?”
The corner of my mouth curled up. “You know my schedule—how stalkerish of you.”
He rolled his eyes. “No, ass , JJ tells me. And I did live with all of you for months—it wasn’t hard to miss.”
“Yes, we do, but I had work. It’s the only excuse for any of us skipping out on Friday nights.”
“Uh-huh…so it was business the last time I saw you here?”
Funny enough, it was. “Yup.”
He opened his mouth to speak, but as if my fairy godmother herself had sprinkled luck dust over me, a man in a nice suit approached.
“Good evening, I’m the manager of The Alibi.” He held out his hand and I shook it, glancing at Matt smugly.
“Mattie, if you’ll excuse me…I have work.”
His forehead scrunched, and his mouth was in a thin line. Adorable . He turned and rushed back to his table.
“Hi, I’m Nick Saint.” I spent the next half hour talking to Frank, the manager, about security. All the while, I kept an eye on Matt.
Frank agreed to sit down with me after I was able to give him a more solid estimate. That settled, I ordered one more drink—this time a ginger ale.
Every few minutes or so, Matt would look my way and when I noticed, he’d quickly avert his eyes. Four was right. He did like me, and for some reason, it bothered him. I thought Matt was sweet. Clearly I had boundary issues since I had, in fact, followed him here and couldn’t stop watching him.
It was coming on midnight when Matt stood and started hugging his friends. Oh, thank fuck he’s leaving.
Not wanting him to see me, I slipped off the stool and headed through the exit to my car. I’d parked a few spaces away from his once I’d arrived, but he wouldn’t be able to see me and he had no idea what car I was driving.
I was about to get into my car, but I noticed a note on Matt’s windshield. I wasn’t going to have time to get there, read it, and to my car before he saw me. What should I do? Should I play it cool? Watch him from my vehicle?
He already thought I was an asshole, right?
I walked over to his car and leaned against his door, arms folded.
“Oh shit,” he mumbled as he came closer. “Get off my door.”
“Please tell me you weren’t planning on driving?” He appeared clearheaded, but he’d been there awhile.
“I am. I only had a few drinks early in the night and water for the last couple of hours.”
I tilted my head. “Not sure that’s safe.”
He sighed and then noticed the note. “What’s that?”
I looked to where he motioned. “No idea, it was there when I got here.”
Matt furrowed his brow and snatched up the note. I watched his reaction as he read it: a flicker of concern. He crumbled it up and shoved it into his pocket. “Please, get off my car.”
“What did the note say?”
His eyes widened. “Wait, did you write it?”
“I don’t even know what it says.”
“Sure. Oh, my God! Are you the person who sent me the gifts?”
I pushed off his car door and took a step closer. “Are you calling me a creepy stalker?”
“Why are you here when I’m here, Nick?”
“I told you, business.”
He reached in his pocket, pulling the note out. “And I’m supposed to believe this isn’t you after tonight?”
Before he could pull it away, I grabbed it.
“Hey.”
I turned away and opened the note. You were beautiful tonight .
“That’s mine.” He took it back and I faced him.
“I didn’t write that, Mattie.” I glanced up toward the building where the cameras were. “But I can find out who did.”
“Huh?” He followed my line of sight. “Cameras.”
“Yep.” I beamed at him the moment he looked at me. “It’s my specialty.”