Samantha nodded, thoughtful. “That’s good to know. Maybe I’ll strike up a conversation with him soon.”

“You should,” Jaya said, smiling, glancing at Daphne Elizabeth. “He’d love that.”

“He’ll be over the fuckin’ moon,” Daph said seriously.

Sam flashed them a grin that she’d probably be wearing all day.

“So, you and Grey, huh? First Sam and Leo, now you guys… Must be something in the air,” Daphne Elizabeth said, sipping her second hot cocoa (that was really more marshmallow than cocoa).

“That’s ridiculous!” Jaya said immediately, feeling her cheeks getting warm at Daphne Elizabeth’s insinuation. So ridiculous.

It was ten minutes till seven o’clock. She had asked Daph to come to Forest Lakes Lodge with her, just to help the time pass more quickly. They were all done with their shopping and didn’t have to be back at the bus until ten o’clock. Daphne Elizabeth and Jaya were seated in gold velvet armchairs near the giant roaring fire. There was an enormous chandelier hanging right above them, made from what looked like real antlers. Hundreds and hundreds of them. How odd. What designer had thought, I know what’ll give this luxury resort a really classy feel. A grotesque amount of deer’s head outcroppings!

“We’re just meeting up to talk about something important,” Jaya added more calmly, leaning back. She didn’t know why she hadn’t told Daph about finding Grey in her room. He’d looked so… flustered, both in her room and on the bus, that Jaya had felt like protecting his privacy. Her feelings didn’t make sense, however, and she was acutely aware of that. After all, Grey hadn’t really cared about Isha’s privacy when he’d leaked those pictures.

“Mm-hmm.” Daph chuckled, licking the marshmallow off her top lip. “ ‘Important’ like how does he look under his clothes important?”

“Daph!” Jaya said, scandalized.

Daphne Elizabeth laughed and hopped up from her chair. “Okay, dude, I gotta pee. Hot cocoa goes right through my system. And then I guess I’ll take off. He’ll be here soon, right?”

Jaya tried not to wince. “All right, then. I’ll see you later, on the bus?”

Daph shot her a mock salute and rushed off toward the restrooms on the far end of the room.

The sky outside was a dark indigo, the pine trees mere shadows against it. Jaya got her cell phone out of her pocket and checked it. Nothing from Grey, and it was 7:01 now. Would he actually show up, then?