“Definitely a worthy choice,” he drawls, as if I care about his approval. Heather’s already checked out of this conversation, eagerly flipping through different binders and pamphlets laid out on the table, and I take that as a sign that I’ve put in enough time.

I glance around for a smooth exit strategy, my eyes lighting on a familiar face on the row of athletic booths. “Speaking of worthy,” I say, infusing my voice with as much “unlike my present company” as I can, “I see a friend I’ve got to say hi to. Good to see you, Heather.” And then I turn my back on Lucas Burke to sail right over to Matt Haley, and I can feel him watching me every step of the way.

“Dormie!” Matt throws his arms wide when he sees me walking up to the basketball booth, where he sits next to a hot Asian dude whose jaw could cut glass. His teammate is staring at his phone as if it holds the secrets of the universe, but every ten seconds or so, he glances up at the absolutely stunning girl standing across from them, looking like he wishes he could literally drown himself in her strawberry-blond waves. “You coming to join the team? I knew you were a Cougar at heart.”

“Yes, Matthew. I’ve decided to join the boys’ basketball team to add further confusion and ensure I will never get out of Rumson. I thought you guys would really benefit from my extra height.”

The girl gives me a toothy smile, and even though I am reasonably certain I am heterosexual, I also feel like I would give her all my earthly possessions if she’d smile at me like that again someday. “Oh, I like you. You’re the Rumson Girl?”

I resist the urge to grimace. “Evie.”

“Isabel McEvoy.” There’s a brief moment where I feel like everyone’s waiting to see if that means anything to me, but it’s over so quickly that I must’ve imagined it. “Matty and I go way back.” Before I can respond to that, she tips her head to the side, her gorgeous hair flowing over her shoulder. “Hey, what did you sign up for on Friday afternoons?”

“Nothing yet, I don’t think.” I glance down at the haphazard schedule I’ve been jotting down in my Notes app. “So far I’ve got Book Club, Baking Club, and Board Games Club, so I guess I need something else with a B? Not basketball,” I clarify to Matt before he can get any ideas.

“Well, ‘community service’ starts with a C,” says Isabel, “but we do collect bottles for recycling sometimes? And bring food to the elderly?”