Caleb flung his arm over his eyes, nodding. “Thanks. I’ll head there in a minute.”

Agnes led them to the center pavilion. A long table covered in red-checked tablecloths and dozens of absolutely delectable-looking pies was set up in front of a low stage.

“Oh, damn,” Archer said. “These look so good!”

Agnes was pleased. “They will be! Now come on up here to the judges’ table.”

They climbed the few steps to the stage where they joined two women and another man already seated. “You can sit here,” Agnes said, pointing to the open chairs at the end. “And we’ll begin shortly!”

“Hope you really like pie,” Archer said, as they watched an aproned swarm descend on the table below and begin piling thick slices onto labeled paper plates.

“I do, actually,” Mateo said. “My mom was a baker. She used to make the most delicious key lime pie.”

“Oh, yeah? I love key lime. I think my favorite is blueberry, though.”

“Well, you’re in luck,” Mateo said, as a huge slice of blueberry and a scoresheet was placed in front of each of them. “Let’s dig in.”

“Oh my God, I’m so full,” Archer said, half laughing, half groaning, leaning back in his chair. “But that was amazing.”

“Sooo amazing,” Mateo agreed, patting his stomach. “And so, so full. I’m not sure I needed to finish off every bite of that last key lime.”

“Yes, you did,” Archer assured him. “And the one before. But we should probably get going if we’re going to do our shopping and get the shuttle back for Mrs. C.”

Mateo moaned. “I don’t know if I can get up. Thank God we don’t have to dance tonight.”

“No kidding.” Archer stood and held out a hand to Mateo. “Come on, I’ll help you.”

Mateo took his hand and Archer hauled him to his feet and … neither of them let go. They held hands down the stairs and through the crowded pavilion until they reached the main thoroughfare and it felt like too much space around them to keep holding on.

Mateo paused outside the entrance, jamming his hands in his pockets and nodding at the nearby pharmacy. “I’m going to head in here.”

“Okay.” Archer realized he was mirroring Mateo’s posture and took his hands out of his pockets. “I’d better go find Caleb.”

“Right.” Mateo turned to go.

“Right … Hey, Mateo?”

He paused again. “Yeah?”

“Thanks. That was fun.”

“Yeah.” Mateo nodded, eyes on a tuft of grass poking through the sidewalk crack. “It was.”

Archer found Caleb in the pub with Betty and a few of the others, a pile of shopping bags at his feet.

“There you are!” he cried when he spotted Archer. “How was the pie?”

“Urgh,” Archer moaned, slumping into the chair between Caleb and Betty. “Delicious, unfortunately, and plentiful. How are you feeling?”