Page 50 of Flirty Dancing

“Is he?”

“Yeah, he’s always barking orders and giving me shit.”

“But always at work, right? When you’re dancing?”

“Yeah, but—”

“No buts. I’m telling you.”

“Well…” His brain was still spinning. “It doesn’t matter, does it? I’m with Caleb.”

“And what did Caleb get you?”

“Um. A bag of treats from the gift shop.”

Her silence was deafening.

“It’s not his fault! He didn’t know it was my birthday until we got back from town.”

“Mm-hmm.”

“It’s the thought that counts, Lynn! He didn’t have to get me anything at all.”

“He kind of does, if he’s regularly making out with you.”

But at Archer’s noise of protest, she relented. “Okay. It was sweet of Caleb to get you a present. I’m just saying… Mateo likes you.”

Archer’s gaze landed on the dock. Caleb was laughing with Dominik, then they turned and tried to heave River and Gage into the lake. A scuffle ensued, and the four of them went tumbling into the water in a hollering mass of well-toned arms and legs.

Mateo was on the dock, too. He didn’t join them often, and he had removed himself from the crowd a little now, stretched out on a red and white striped towel and watching the antics with a straight face.

Caleb was the obvious choice. He clearly liked Archer a lot, was fun and affectionate, and had the easy lightness that came with being only twenty-four… and it wasn’t like Archer wanted anything serious that would last past the summer. But Mateo… Archer’s gaze lingered over his thick, sculpted shoulders and long limbs… Yes, he was ideal teenage crush material, stupidly hot, and could set the dance floor on fire, but in person… mercurial, closed off, older, and overly serious… None of those things sounded like a good idea for a summer fling.

“I don’t think he does,” Archer said to Lynn. “He just likes to bake and… buy people stunningly perfect birthday presents.”

Lynn laughed. “Okay, Archer. As long as you’re happy.”

He looked back at Caleb, who was now trying to drag Ben into the water. “I am.”

“Good. Listen, when you’re back, I’m going to take you out for the most incredible belated birthday dinner. There’s this new, sort of over-the-top Italian-but-not-really place Sasha found in Brooklyn you have to try.”

“Sounds amazing.” Archer strolled along the porch toward the back of the cabin and a quieter view of the lake. “Hey, speaking of Sasha, have things slowed down at work? Any more proposal ideas?”

Lynn sighed. “Yes, they have, but not really.”

“What if,” Archer said with a flash of inspiration, “you did it old-school—baked the ring into a cake?”

She laughed. “You want me to bake a cake?”

Archer considered the sketchy old kitchen in their apartment. “Or hire someone else to do it?”

“Hmm… you know, that’s so unexpected for me, I kind of love it. Icouldbake a cake! Maybe if we win the trial, I’ll tell her we’re celebrating. Or, I guess if we lose, moping.”

“There you go! And get some champagne. A bottle ofnicechampagne, one that costs more than two-ninety-nine.”

“Thanks so much, Archer! I have to run now, though. Hope the rest of your day is amazing!”

“You’re welcome. Thanks for calling. Love you.”

---