I tried not to gag. Something about Owen's roommate had never felt right. He told big exciting stories with details that did not quite match up. From what Owen said, Jasper was a talented website designer with a promising freelance career, but I had never seen one scrap of evidence that he actually worked.
A group of five more people filed into the apartment. Two were friends of Jasper's, but the other three were local gamers. Owen greeted them with big hugs and smiles. Maybe Jasper was right. A night spent surrounded by friends would make Owen feel a lot more supported.
"Everyone's read the chatrooms and they have ideas for what we should do," Owen said. He brought me a beer and leaned against the kitchen counter next to me. "I hate to say it, but maybe Jasper is right. I'm worrying about things that haven't happened and probably won't."
"I'll drink to that," I said. I slipped an arm around Owen and was relieved when he did the same.
It was one thing to feel so connected to him when we were alone, but it was still hard for us to be together in front of people. Most of his friends had met Sienna and they knew who I was. It was just something we were going to have to get past together and Owen's arm around me helped.
The apartment started to fill up and Owen saw people he knew everywhere. I was content to stand back in the kitchen and observe while he made tracks back and forth through the growing crowd. His friends were there, but Jasper's eclectic guests soon outnumbered them. He claimed most were clients, but many did not strike me as flourishing business owners that had hired Jasper to design their websites. In fact, I recognized a few as regular burn-outs from my high school.
I was making my way towards them to ask how they knew Jasper when someone caused a scene in the doorway. Anya arrived in a skin tight green dress. The Dark Flag players applauded as they recognized her Ayaan costume, minus the green scaly skin. I wished she had done the makeup because without it, she was devastatingly beautiful. Every eye was drawn to her.
Even Owen looked. I watched as he accepted her kiss on the cheek and clinging hug. They talked closely for a minute and then Owen kissed her on the cheek. I was glad when he moved away from her and came directly over to me, but there was still a hard knot in my throat, and I could not speak.
"Anya is sorry about the whole mess with the chatrooms. She's going to help track down who started the rumor," Owen said.
"That's really nice of her," I said. I wanted to point out it was also a convenient way to cover up if she was the one who had started them in the first place. The jealous thought was hard to tamp down, but I swallowed hard.
Owen noticed and he put an arm around my shoulders. "Jasper invited her," he said.
"Jasper invited everyone."
"But I really only want to hang out with you," Owen said.
"Then how about we ditch the party and go somewhere? It’s a clear night. I bet the stars will be out on the trail."
"Everyone came over to help," Owen said. "It would be rude to leave now. Plus, I feel like I haven't partied in forever and I've never really partied with you. Don't you want to have a few drinks and a good time?"
"Yes, but this just doesn't feel like the best place to do it," I said.
"Now who’s the one being paranoid?" he asked. He hip-checked me.
I pushed him back and had to admit that I was looking at everyone as if they were suspects. "Fine. I'd love another beer."
Owen opened the refrigerator and handed me one before a few of Jasper's friends asked for drinks too.
"How do you know Jasper?" I asked as we all stood around the kitchen island.
"Um, through work?" one said.
"Really?" I asked. "He designed your website? Jasper's kind of secretive about his work. I'd love to see what he did for you."
"Website design? Isn't that like super brainy? That's what J does?" the other friend, a lanky heavy-lidded young man asked his friend. "That's cool."
Owen was too busy brainstorming a new mission with two of his clan members to notice the strange conversation.
"When did you meet Jasper?" I asked.
"A while back," the first one said. He was noticeably more sober than his friend.
"Yeah, like last week at the grocery store," the lanky one said.
#
It took a few long conversations about Dark Flag and one awkward explanation of how we met before I was able to pull Owen aside for a private conversation.
"Have you ever seen any of Jasper's work?" I asked.
"Oh, Quinn, please. Do I have to think about this now?" He looked over to where Jasper was loudly entertaining a knot of women with his imitation of a Vegas showgirl he once met. "He's just one of those guys that talks himself up. So what if he doesn't want people to see his work? It’s probably all boring corporate stuff."
"Do any of these people look like corporate clients?"
Owen shook his head. "You don't invite those kind of clients to a party like this. These are probably the IT guys and computer geeks he met while on the job."
I hated to admit how much sense that made. "Alright, fine. But you have to admit something feels off about your roommate."
Owen slammed back the rest of his beer. "Oh my God, I think I know what it is," he said. "Jasper reminds you of Trent. Think about it. He's the life of the party, he's always meeting new people and bringing them along, and his stories are always just a bit over the top."
Again, it was impossible to admit how much sense that made. "What made you think of that wild theory?"
"They actually met the other day. Remember that awful dinner party at your parents’?" Owen asked. "Jasper met him out at the club that night. How's that for insane coincidence?"
"Sick is more like it," I said.
"I know a cure for that," Owen said. He gave me a smacking kiss and got us two more beers. He really was not kidding about wanting to drink and party.
My only consolation was that Anya appeared to be captivated by Jasper. Owen told me they had flirted very heavily the night she stayed over and it seemed like they were picking up right where they left off.
"Wouldn't that be a good couple? Then they could both go off to wherever his new job is and leave us in peace," Owen said.
"I like the sound of that. But I wouldn't want to break up your clan," I said.
"Quinn, it’s a game," he said. "I know it’s my job, but it’s also just a game. This is real life." He slipped his hand around my waist and squeezed.
"How drunk are you?"
He shook his head. "I can handle it. Sienna never liked me to drink."
I frowned. It was the most effective way to get me off his case, but I was disgusted that he had used it. "Well, you have fun with that and I'm going to go look up your roommate. Something still doesn't feel right."
Jasper had moved Owen's computer to a kitchen cupboard and I pulled it down and tucked myself into the corner. From there, I was not shocked to pull up scant results for Jasper Collins. He had a few social media accounts, but there was nothing about his work. No profile webpage, no advertising, no freelance hub connections.
I looked up and accidentally caught Jasper's eye. He was watching me with a steady look that belied his carefree partying facade. The look made a chill run up the back of my neck. It only got worse when I saw Anya shamelessly flirting with Jasper. She rubbed her tightly clad body along his, but her eyes were on Owen.