Calla gestured at the group. “Brit and Ollie couldn’t make it. He’s got a big exam on Monday and Brit’s staying with him in Morgantown, but I think you guys know everyone here except—­”

“Me.” A guy with beautiful mocha-­colored skin and bright green eyes stood from one of the chairs. He was tall and lanky, and vaguely reminded me of Bruno Mars. He was wearing a gray loose-­knit beanie I kind of wanted to steal. “I’m Jacob. I go to college at Shepherd. I’m a Gemini. I’m allergic to Game of Thrones, because I can’t keep track of everyone who dies on the show. If you talk shit about Doctor Who, we cannot be friends, and I still want a goddamn pony and no one will let me buy one.”

Teresa, who was sitting in one of the plastic chairs, ran her hand through her mane of dark hair. She looked stunning, as usual, a modern-­day Snow White. “You’re the only grown person who wants a pony.”

“I kind of want a llama,” I said.

Reece looked down at me, lips pursed thoughtfully, as if he was rethinking the whole boyfriend/girlfriend thing.

“Why would you want a llama?” Calla sounded genuinely curious.

I shrugged. “Who wouldn’t want a llama?”

“Um . . .” Avery wrinkled her nose. “Don’t they spit?”

Jacob shushed her and then grinned at me. “I think we’re going to be great friends. We could take our pony and llama on playdates. Oh! Ollie could totally fashion leashes for them. I want one with Swarovski crystals.”

Another man I hadn’t met before groaned from where he stood. “That is not going to happen.”

Jacob then shushed him. “Mr. Dream Crusher, also known as Marcus, is my boyfriend. He doesn’t understand the need for an obscenely large four-­legged friend.”

I grinned at what had to be the greatest introduction of all time.

Marcus was equally handsome, even more so, and nicely tanned. “Out of college,” he said, standing and offering a hand to Reece and then me. “I don’t know any of these ­people.”

“That’s probably a good thing,” Jacob said. “Half of them are insane.”

“Hey!” shouted Teresa from her seat. “We’re not insane. We are eccentric.”

“Speaking of insane”—­Katie returned to our huddle, holding a bottle of Corona—­“have you thought anymore about trying out that pole?”

Jacob choked on the beer he was drinking and turned sideways quickly, waving a hand in front of his face. Before he could say anything, Jase’s head swiveled around so fast I thought it might spin right off. “What?” he demanded.

Teresa grinned as she bit down on her lip. “Nothing, honey.”