I shook my head. “Brody, you tell everyone about being three percent Neanderthal. It’s going to be your yearbook caption.”

“I tell everyone I know.” He pointed at Arthur again. “I don’t know this guy.”

Arthur smiled. “Once again, Arthur.”

Brody shot him a look. “I heard it the first time. Who are you and how exactly do you know Finley?”

“Arthur and I go to school together,” I said.

Mia rolled her eyes and curled her upper lip. “Christ. It’s always about that goddamn school.”

“Barrington,” Arthur supplied, before taking a sip of his cider.

I watched a surprised thought dart across Brody’s face. “Wait, wait. Hold the fuck up. Are you two”—he pointed between us—“like, a thing? Is he your boyfriend?”

A long silence followed where neither Arthur nor I answered. And I took Arthur not immediately scoffing in disgust or waving off the notion of us being an item as an invitation for me to be the one to take the lead in replying. Which he probably assumed would be with honesty.

It wasn’t.

Instead I impulsively said, “It’s early.” And let it hang out there, naked and exposed, for Brody and Mia to fill in the implication as they saw fit.

In the four seconds that followed, Arthur had a couple of options about how to respond to what we both knew to be a lie. He could have told the truth to Brody and Mia right then and there, which would have been humiliating for me, but he had no reason to spare my feelings. Or he could have pretended not to hear correctly, though that would take a bit more finesse.

But he didn’t do either of those things.

What he did do was put his arm around my shoulders, awkwardly, but there, and said, “I am having a delightful time getting to know Finley’s family and charming hometown.”

Brody took a step back as if he’d been struck.

He stared at me in barely contained fury. “You told me you couldn’t date anyone because you were going to be spending all your time studying. You said that!” He pointed to the nearby cement picnic table. “Right there!”

I unconsciously leaned in closer to Arthur and his puffy green jacket. “Things changed.” And I emphasized my point by looking between Brody and Mia. “For both of us.”

Mia, for her part, seemed as upset about me and Arthur as Brody was, which I didn’t quite understand.

“How long have you two been dating?” she demanded.

“I already told you, it’s early.”

“Before you came back here, though?” she pushed.

Brody sneered and answered for me, “Why else would he be here, Mia?”

Bad move, Brody, I thought, wincing internally.

Mia shoved against his chest with both hands. “Don’t you snap at me!”

He quickly muttered, “Sorry—sorry!”