“Oh hush, Mateo. If you’re involved, I know it’s amazing.” She hugged him. “Maybe you two can stop by my cabin for a drink tomorrow?”

Mateo nodded. “We’d love to.”

“It was nice to meet you, Archer.” She swapped cheek kisses with Archer and slipped from the room.

“So? It went well?” Archer asked the second the back door closed.

Mateo slumped onto the piano bench like his legs were about to give out. “Really well,” he breathed. “Really, really well. We talked for hours. I’d forgotten what a great friend she is.”

“I’m so happy for you,” Archer said, sitting next to him and pulling him in for a hug.

Hugging Mateo was so easy, even easier than dancing with him, the way their bodies melded together so perfectly. Archer never wanted to let go.

When the hug ended, Mateo pulled away, opening his mouth to say something, but then the back door wrenched open and they heard Dominik screeching.

“NOBODY MOVE! ABBY HODGE SHOOK MY HAND!” He appeared in the greenroom, grinning from ear to ear. “Mateo, why do you get to have such cool friends? I can’t believe she’s here! Oh my God, is Abby Hodge going to be watching us tonight? I am literally dying.”

But Mateo barely seemed to notice Dominik’s theatrics. He bumped shoulders with Archer. “Thanks. I’m happy too.”

“ARCHER!” Archer was walking across the center green Saturday afternoon when the shriek reached him.

He turned. It was Lynn, barreling toward him, holding her hat with one hand. Sasha followed behind, towing their suitcases. Archer’s smile was so broad it hurt his face. “Lynnie!”

She threw herself into Archer’s arms. “Hiiiii! I missed you so much!”

“I missed you too!” He hugged her hard. “I can’t believe you’re actually here!”

“Me neither, especially after hearing about it all summer!”

Sasha puffed up to them, sweat already sliding down her temple in the heat. “Hey, Archer,” she said, with a hug of her own.

“Hi, Sasha. Wow, you two look gorgeous!”

They were both wearing long, flowing pastel summer dresses and wide-brimmed hats.

“Oh, these old things?” Lynn declared with a wink.

Archer knew Lynn had done a special shopping trip to pick out some memorable outfits for their sure-to-be-memorable weekend.

“Where’s your cabin?” Archer asked.

“One-oh-five, I think?” Lynn said, digging in her bag for the keys.

“Ooh, a nice one! Right down by the water!”

Sasha frowned at Lynn. “I hope you didn’t spend too much, love.”

Lynn booped her on the nose. “Don’t you worry about that.”

Archer pointed them down the right path. “I’m on my way to grab some food before the show, but your cabin is that way.”

“Yes, we should go get settled in, but we’ll see you at the theater! Which show is tonight again?”

“From the Heart, the contemporary one. Then tomorrow is the big finale.”