and Sammy off to the side. Blake was friends with Luke, who was friends with Courtney, which meant Blake was a de facto member of their group.
Farrah was still trying to figure him out. Sometimes, she glimpsed something deeper beneath his cocky playboy persona—a vulnerability that flickered over his face when he thought no one was looking. Then, with the wink of an eye and a smile, it was gone.
Blake’s gaze met hers. “What’s so funny?”
“Nothing.” Farrah’s residual smile faded when Blake walked over and slung an arm over her shoulders. The gesture made her heart flutter in a way she did not like. At all.
“What are you doing?”
“Keeping you warm. You look cold.”
“It’s seventy-five degrees.” Farrah shrugged Blake’s arm off her shoulder. To her surprise, goosebumps rippled over her skin. After the warmth of Blake’s embrace, the park felt like a tundra.
Damn him.
She ignored Blake’s chuckle and scooted closer to Olivia.
“I’ve mapped out the most efficient route for us.” Olivia snapped open a map of the park. “We’ll start at the farthest section and work our way clockwise back to the entrance. First, we’ll go to Fantasyland, then Treasure Cove and Adventure Isle. We’ll cut through the Gardens of Imagination and make our way to Pixar Toy Story Land and Tomorrowland on the other side.”
Luke grimaced. “You scare me.”
“I think it’s nice to have someone organized plan things for us,” Sammy said.
He and Olivia locked eyes. Olivia blushed and busied herself refolding the map.
Farrah and Courtney nudged each other at the same time. Olivia could deny it all she wanted, but the attraction between her and Sammy was mutual, and everyone knew it. They already had bets on when the two would get together.
Farrah gave them another week, tops.
As the group battled their way through the crowd toward Fantasyland, Nardo looked almost as displeased as Kris. “We could’ve gone somewhere more authentic for the Mid-Autumn Festival,” he grumbled. “This place is so Westernized.”
“It’s Disney. It is Western. And according to the Internet, it’s one of the best places to celebrate the festival.” Courtney leveled Nardo with a stern look. “That’ll be the last complaint for today. If anyone wants to be a Debbie Downer, do it on your own time.”
“The Internet is stupid,” Nardo mumbled.
Courtney narrowed her eyes. “What was that?”
“Nothing.”
Olivia may have mapped out the best route, but sadly, her efficiency didn’t extend to the lines, which snaked in front of every ride and restroom like never-ending spokes of misery.
By lunchtime, Farrah’s feet were numb from standing.
“Thank god,” she said as they entered the restaurant Olivia had chosen for lunch. It resembled the set of one of those Chinese palace dramas Farrah’s mom loved watching. Each dining room featured a different theme. The one they ended up in had glowing fish suspended from the ceiling alongside traditional red paper lanterns. Farrah couldn’t figure out the theme. Under the East China Sea? Chinese Little Mermaid? The fish were a little tacky, but hey, this was Disney. They could do whatever the hell they wanted.
Since it was a quick-service restaurant, Farrah volunteered to look after the bags while her friends ordered at the counter. It gave her more time to sit.
To Farrah’s chagrin, Blake also stayed behind.
“Well, well. You and me, alone again.” Dimples creased his cheeks. “What are the odds?”
“We literally came here together, Blake.”
He pouted. “Your indifference to my charms is starting to bruise my ego. Come on, throw a guy a bone.”
Farrah’s lips twitched. “Your ego could use some bruising, and your charms have no effect on me. Sorry.”
That wasn’t totally true, but he didn’t need to know that.
“Why? Do you have a boyfriend?”
“No.”
“Are you in love with someone else?”
Farrah hesitated.
Blake’s eyes widened. “You are.”
“I’m not!”
“Who is it? I won’t tell.”
She didn’t know what it was. The heat? The hunger? The exhaustion? Whatever it was, it caused Farrah to lose her usual control over her reactions. Her eyes flicked toward Leo, who was paying for his food while the rest of the group mulled over their choices.
Farrah caught herself and averted her gaze.
Too late.
Blake’s jaw dropped. “Holy shit. You’re in love with Leo.”
“I am not in love with him.” Farrah fought to keep her expression neutral even as panic raced through her.
“You are.”
“I’m not.”
“You are.”
“I’m—oh, forget it,” she fumed. “You’re insufferable.”
Farrah had thought he might not be so bad after their conversation in the library last week. Clearly, that was a mistake brought on by copious amounts of delicious food and a dash of late-night exhaustion.
Blake Ryan