Lulu is sort of annoyed that he’s not more annoyed about Kiley hanging out with Ryan—does he really think he doesn’t have anything to worry about with that? Lulu doesn’t like Ryan, but he’s cute, and he’s rich, and he looks like if he saw a sliver of an opening with you, if that was something he wanted, he wouldn’t hesitate to take it.

“I have whiskey in my room,” Ryan offers. “Do you drink that?”

“I do.”

“Okay,” Ryan says.

Kiley grins. “Are you going to go get me some?” she asks.

She sits next to Owen, where he’s spread out a blanket to lie on. He reaches up a lazy arm to pull her down next him. “You’re a very rude guest,” he tells her. “Extremely rude, Kileyrath.”

“Go get it please?” Kiley beams up at Ryan.

“Very rude,” Ryan agrees, but he’s already turning toward The Hotel. “Should I bring cups for everyone?”

“I could level up,” Cass says. She’s been a little more than usually quiet all afternoon; Lulu hopes this means she’s just being shy, that she doesn’t want to, like, leave or anything. She hates the idea that she brought Owen and ruined The Hotel for Cass, even if it was Ryan who invited him this time.

“Me too,” Lulu agrees.

“In that case, want to help me carry?”

It takes Lulu a second to realize that Ryan is talking to her.

“Sure,” she says.

It isn’t until they’re inside the lobby, the heavy glass door swinging solidly closed behind them, that he says, “I’m sorry if this is weird for you.”

“It’s fine,” Lulu says automatically.

“I guess you and Cass have kind of had your, like, girls’ thing lately. I didn’t think you would mind.”

Do I look like I mind? Lulu wonders. Can Owen tell? Can Kiley?

“I don’t.”

“I mean, I invited him because I wanted another dude around, and then he brought Kiley. So actually it backfired on both of us, if that helps.”

“I said it was fine.” Lulu doesn’t like Ryan’s tone—the way he’s insisting on talking about her unhappiness like it’s something she wants to admit to, like it’s something she’s agreed to discuss.

“Sure it is.” Ryan pauses at the top of the stairs and holds up both hands, like Lulu’s got him at gunpoint or something. “It would be fine if it wasn’t, though, also. You’re only human. You guys broke up—what, a couple of months ago? If it helps, I’ll admit it: I wasn’t thrilled when Cass showed up with you that first night. I knew she was interested in girls, but I had sort of—”

“You knew what?”