Archer nodded, tongue-tied. They said never to meet your heroes. It seemed they were right. Not that he expected Mateo to be his instant best friend, but Mateo seemed to actively dislike him. The disappointment was heavy in his chest as he changed into his flip-flops and gathered his belongings before heading down the stairs.

“Archer.”

He startled at Mateo’s deep rumble and turned around, hopeful. “Yeah?”

“That’s the wrong door. The dining hall is this way.”

3 The Cabin

Archer stood next to Betty with his dinner tray heaped high, surveying the crowd and waiting for Beau and Ben. He couldn’t pick out any of the dancers in the sea of faces and suddenly he was in high school again, wondering where he should sit. He was eyeing a nearby table that had some room when Betty murmured in his ear.

“That’s the housekeeping staff. We don’t eat with them.”

“We … What?” Oh shit, it was high school again.

Betty cackled. “Nah, I’m fucking with you. This isn’t high school. Of course we do.”

Archer sagged with relief and followed her over to the table. “There’s so many people here though,” he said as he sat. “I feel like I’ll barely be able to remember all the dancers.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll help you,” Betty said. “Everyone’s been really nice so far … mostly.”

When they came back from dinner to unpack and settle in a bit, Caleb was stretched out on the fourth bed scrolling his phone. He was strikingly beautiful—Black with deep eyes, thick lashes, and full lips that seemed to be permanently curled into a suggestive grin.

“Welcome,” he said, getting up with a grand gesture, as if they were in the guest suite at the Ritz. “I’m Caleb. The most important roommate rule this summer is if you’re hooking up or jerking off or something, sock on the doorknob. If you forget, it’s your fault if someone walks in.” Caleb’s gaze ran up and down Archer’s body. “Archer, was it?”

“Er, yes,” Archer stammered. Caleb’s frank pause at his bulge heated his cheeks.

Caleb’s gaze flicked back up, the grin curling farther. “You single, Archer?”

He shifted. “Why?”

“Just wondering how often you might need a sock on the doorknob.”

“I’m single but … not really here to hook up?”

Caleb smirked. “Heard that before.”

To his relief, Archer’s phone buzzed in his pocket, which reminded him he hadn’t checked in with his parents when he arrived. “Excuse me, I need to…” He waved his phone in the air, then eased back into the hallway, sure Caleb’s eyes were on his ass.

He was expecting a message from his mom but instead it was Lynn. Hey! Did you arrive okay???