I didn’t wait for a response, slipping away and cutting in front of a group of people heading out into the autumn sun. A wide smile broke out across Jacob’s face as he spotted me. He said something to Shortcake, and her shoulders tensed. I wasn’t surprised. I expected this. Every time we got together, we had to start over. Even I was amazed by my patience when it came to her.

“Hey, Cameron!” Jacob said, awfully cheerful. “How’s it going?”

“Hey, Jacob. Brittany.” I took the seat next to Shortcake and nudged her arm. “Avery.”

She murmured hello and then asked, “What are you up to?”

“Oh, you know, mischief and mayhem.”

“That so reminds me of Harry Potter,” Brit said, smiling faintly. “I need a reread.”

All eyes turned on her.

Red bloomed across her cheeks as she ran her hand through her hair. I didn’t know Brittany very well, but knew she had gone to my high school and seemed pretty cool. “What?” she said. “I’m not ashamed to admit that random things remind me of Harry Potter.”

“That guy over there reminds me of Snape.” I tipped my chin at the table behind us. “So I understand.”

A thankful smile crossed Brittany’s face.

“Anyway, what are you guys doing?” I shifted so that my leg pressed against Shortcake’s. “Playing with M&M’s and Skittles?”

“Yes, that and we’re studying for our history midterm next week. We have to map out Europe,” Jacob explained.

“Ouch.” I knocked my leg into hers.

She returned the favor.

“But Avery, wonderful, Avery . . .” Jacob’s grin spread as Shortcake’s glare increased. “She’s been helping us study.”

“That she has.” Brittany exchanged a look with Jacob, and my interest peaked.

Jacob leaned forward, resting his chin in his hand. “Before we started studying, I was telling Avery that she should wear the color green more often. It makes her sexy with that hair of hers.”

“Do you like the color green on her, Cam?” Brit asked.

I hadn’t noticed what she was wearing, but I turned to her, my gaze slipping over the green sweater. “The color looks great on her, but she looks beautiful every day.”

Shortcake flushed as she exhaled.

“Beautiful?” Brit sighed.

“Beautiful,” I repeated, nudging her knee again. “So did you guys learn anything from studying?”

Shortcake said, “I think we got it.”

“Because of you.” Jacob shared another look with Brittany. “Avery came up with this song to help me remember where the countries were.”

“Sing him your song.” Brittany elbowed her, causing her to bounce into me.

“What song?” I asked.

She shook her head. “I am not singing that song again.”

Jacob smiled. “It’s the Croatia song.”

The look on Avery’s face could kill.

I laughed. “The Croatia song? What?”

“No,” she said. “I am not singing again. That is so not my talent.”