Then Lee said, “Ew, cooties,” and I burst out laughing, the others chuckling along with me. Forgetting the twist in my gut at the prospect of Noah and I breaking up in just a matter of weeks when he left, and the awkwardness that had been thick in the air before, I just enjoyed myself. Noah held my gaze with that intense look, a sparkle of amusement in his eyes and a mischievous quality to his smile. Even if I did have only a few more weeks with him, I knew I was lucky to have that much.

I tidied up a few of my things, like dirty laundry and tossed-aside sandals, as Rachel was unpacking the rest of her stuff on the other side of the bedroom. She was telling me how excited she was about the next few days, and about spending some quality time with Lee and his family.

“I wouldn’t bank on quality time with Lee,” I warned her with a laugh. “That’s pretty hard to come by here, with everyone around.”

“Guessing you’re speaking from experience, there.”

“Yup. I don’t think Noah and I have had more than, like, five minutes alone yet.”

A knock on the bathroom door cut our conversation short.

“You ladies decent?” Lee’s hushed voice was muffled by the door; it was kind of hard to hear him. I rolled to the other side of my bed and leaned over to open the door.

“Now you’re all polite because your girlfriend’s here.”

Lee just grinned. “But you know you don’t really count as a girl, Shelly.”

I raised an eyebrow. “What’s up? Did you leave something in here, or are you just missing our room so much already?”

“Our room?” Rachel echoed. We both looked over to see her blinking at us, confusion all over her face. “Did you guys…I thought you and Noah shared this room?”

Lee laughed, reaching over to ruffle my hair. “As if. Nah, me and Elle have always shared. Noah got his own room, since he’s the oldest.”

“Oh. Oh, right. Sure.”

Rachel’s usually bright smile seemed stiff, and she quickly turned back to plugging in her phone charger. I shot Lee a look. Hadn’t he mentioned, when he told her about the beach house, that we shared a room?

Not that it had ever mattered to us, but…Well, I could see how someone like his girlfriend might find it weird.

“I’m so glad to have a different roommate for once,” I told Rachel, trying to lighten the mood. “Someone who’s, like, actually tidy. And doesn’t snore.”

“Speak for yourself,” Lee told me. “Anyway. I didn’t come here to be insulted.” He lowered his voice to a whisper. “I came because we’re switching rooms.”

“Huh?” Rachel and I shared a look of confusion.