Matt’s fingers tightened around mine as Xavier’s expression flickered.
“Victories?” Xavier swirled his wineglass. “Matthew always did attract ambitious people. Though some might be punching above their weight class.”
“And some might be living in the past,” I shot back.
Ryan kicked me under the table, but his aim was off and he hit Xavier instead. “Oh God, I’m so sorry! Hey, while I have your attention, what do you think about quantum computing’s impact on?—”
“Matthew,” Xavier cut across Ryan smoothly, “remember that night before finals? The one where we planned our futures?”
“I remember you planning my future.” Matt’s voice carried a warning edge.
“We had such grand visions,” Xavier continued as if Matt hadn’t spoken. “Though I don’t recall small-town app developers featuring in them.”
Ryan nearly knocked over his water glass in his haste to interject. “Speaking of apps, Xavier, I’d love your input on?—”
“You always did have a habit of trying to script other people’s lives, Xavier,” Matt cut in, his tone dangerous. “It didn’t work then either.”
I watched Xavier’s face as he stared at Matt, and suddenly everything clicked. The lingering looks, the deliberate dismissals, the intimate references to their past.
Ryan, still trying to run interference, launched into a detailed description of some tech conference, clearly thinking he was protecting me from Xavier’s attention. If he only knew.
“Your brother’s quite energetic tonight, Matthew,” Xavier observed, finally acknowledging Ryan with calculated amusement. “Though his timing could use work.”
“My timing is perfect,” Ryan protested, then added under his breath, “for keeping predators at bay.”
I had to bite back a laugh at the irony. Poor Ryan, playing bodyguard against the wrong threat entirely.
“I need another drink,” Ryan announced, grabbing my arm. “Andy, come help me pick something that isn’t just glorified sugar water. I can’t handle Mr. Perfect back there without at least some decent mocktails.”
I let him drag me toward the bar, catching Matt’s subtle nod. He could handle Xavier’s attention for five minutes without starting World War III. Probably.
“Okay, spill,” I said once we were safely by the fancy drink station. “What’s with the human barrier act tonight? You’re jumping into conversations like you’re training for the Olympic interruption team.”
Ryan’s perfect hair suffered a frustrated hand-rake. “You don’t know Xavier’s track record with Matt’s boyfriends.”
“Do tell. I’m assuming it’s not a heartwarming tale of matchmaking success?”
“He’s like a relationship wrecking ball in designer suits,” Ryan muttered, flagging down the bartender. “Every guy Matt’s ever dated? Xavier swoops in like some toxic fairy godmother and poof—relationship over.”
I watched Xavier lean into Matt, saying something that made Matt’s jaw tick. “You don’t say.”
“There was Rick from their senior year—lasted two weeks after Xavier started hanging around. Then Michael from that tech startup. Even that hotshot lawyer Matt dated briefly. Every. Single. Time. He gets in their heads, plays these mind games until they’re either running for the hills or falling into his bed.”
The pieces clicked together like a jigsaw puzzle, but I had a feeling Ryan was looking at the wrong picture on the box. “And you think I’m next on his hit list?”
“Have you seen the way he looks at you? Like you’re some tiny bug that landed in his hundred-dollar wine.” Ryan grabbed our drinks. “But not this time. Nobody messes with my future brother-in-law-to-hopefully-be-someday.”
I bit back a laugh. “Ryan, have you considered that maybe?—”
“Just look at him!” Ryan hissed, nodding toward our table. “Always bringing up their MIT days, practically eye-fucking Matt across the— Oh.” He froze, glass halfway to his lips. “Oh, holy shit.”
“The penny drops.”
“He’s not trying to steal you away. He wants…” Ryan’s eyes went saucer-wide. “All this time he’s been… and I’ve been… oh, sweet baby Jesus.”
“And the light bulb finally flickers on.”
“But then why does he keep sabotaging Matt’s relationships?” Ryan downed half his drink in one go.
