“And now my gift!” Caleb crowed, handing Archer a paper bag with the resort’s logo on it. “I didn’t know it was your birthday until we got back”—he shot a pointed look at Betty—“so this was the best I could do.”

“You didn’t have to get me anything,” Archer insisted, peeking into the bag. It was an assortment of snacks from the gift shop, including his favorites. “Yum! Thank you, Caleb.”

“And…” Caleb gave him a meaningful look with an eyebrow waggle. “I have something else for you later tonight.”

“Um…” Archer flushed, for some reason looking over at Mateo, who was examining the armrest. “Okay. Thank you.”

The gang scattered after that, some heading out to the dock to swim, others wandering back to the dorm. Archer’s phone buzzed as he stood, and he smiled when he saw the caller ID. “I’ll meet you out there,” he told Caleb, and then he took the call out onto the deck and leaned on the railing overlooking the lake. “Lynnie!” he said when he answered.

“Happy birthday, Archer!” Lynn cried. “Oh my gosh, I miss you so much.”

“Aw, thank you. I miss you too.”

“Are you having a good day? I wish I could be there.”

“I wish you could, too. But I’m having an awesome day. The dance crew threw a little party for me.”

“Tell me all about it.”

So he did, but she cut him off when he got to the part about Mateo’s gift.

“Wait, wait, so … Mateo made you a cake and got you an incredibly thoughtful and personalized gift?”

“… Yeah?”

“Archer … he totally likes you.”

Archer opened his mouth to argue but it took his brain a second to come up with the argument. “I don’t know, Lynn. I really doubt it. He’s usually so grumpy.”

“Is he?”

“Yeah, he’s always barking orders and giving me shit.”

“But always at work, right? When you’re dancing?”

“Yeah, but—”

“No buts. I’m telling you.”

“Well…” His brain was still spinning. “It doesn’t matter, does it? I’m with Caleb.”

“And what did Caleb get you?”

“Um. A bag of treats from the gift shop.”

Her silence was deafening.

“It’s not his fault! He didn’t know it was my birthday until we got back from town.”

“Mm-hmm.”

“It’s the thought that counts, Lynn! He didn’t have to get me anything at all.”

“He kind of does, if he’s regularly making out with you.”

But at Archer’s noise of protest, she relented. “Okay. It was sweet of Caleb to get you a present. I’m just saying … Mateo likes you.”

Archer’s gaze landed on the dock. Caleb was laughing with Dominik, then they turned and tried to heave River and Gage into the lake. A scuffle ensued, and the four of them went tumbling into the water in a hollering mass of well-toned arms and legs.