“So I owe you one food offering that’s equal to ice cream?” Harper asked.

“Yes. And the repayment can happen at your earliest convenience,” Daniel said. “Tomorrow or the next day or even next week. Whenever works for you.”

“Okay. That sounds like a … deal.”

“Good,” he said as she started walking away from him. “I’ll hold you to it. You know that, right?”

“Yes, I do,” Harper said, and part of her actually hoped he would.

She weaved her way through the picnic, and it didn’t take her long to find Marcy. She was sitting at a picnic table with Gemma and Alex, which would’ve been nice if Alex’s friend Luke Benfield hadn’t joined them.

Harper actually slowed down when she saw Luke. And not just because things were weird between them. Whenever Luke and Alex got together, they tended to go into computer-geek mode, talking only in tech terms that Harper didn’t understand.

“So when are you gonna make an honest woman out of Gemma here and win her a prize?” Marcy was asking Alex when Harper reached the table.

“Um…” Alex’s cheeks darkened a little at the question, and he rubbed his hands together nervously.

“I told him not to win me a prize,” Gemma cut in, rescuing him from embarrassment. “I’m a modern girl. I can win my own prizes.”

“You probably stand a better chance since you’re the athlete,” Marcy said, popping a cheese curd in her mouth. “Alex looks like he throws like a girl.”

Luke chuckled at that, as if he stood any chance of throwing better than Alex. He twisted the huge Green Lantern ring he wore on his finger and laughed so hard he snorted a little.

“Like you can talk, Marcy,” Harper said and sat down on the bench next to her, across from Luke. “I saw the way you tossed a beanbag. Alex could probably kick your butt.”

Gemma gave her a grateful smile for coming to Alex’s aid. Harper noticed that she’d put her hand on his leg, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

“Where were you, by the way?” Marcy looked over at Harper, unfazed by her comments. “You just disappeared.”

“I ran into someone I know.” Harper evaded the question and turned her attention to Gemma and Alex. “How is the picnic treating you guys?”

“Good,” Luke said. “Except I should’ve worn more sunscreen.” His pale skin seemed to reflect the light, and the red curls on his head were frizzing out. “I’m not used to this much sun.”

“Do you live in a dungeon, Luke?” Marcy asked. “I’m only asking since you’re skinny and pale, and it looks like your parents might keep you chained in a basement.”

“No.” Luke scowled, then pointed to the Canadian flag on her shirt. “I thought Canadians were supposed to be nice.”

“I’m not Canadian,” Marcy corrected him. “I’m just wearing this shirt to express my anti-patriotism.”

“You really are a charming girl, you know that, Marcy?” Alex said.