Chapter Thirty Five: June

“So, we all have our partners, right?” Mia’s voice rose above the music and soft lapping of the pool. She twirled her wine glass dramatically and looked at all of us with a gleam in her eye. “Cool. So the first round will be… drumroll… the guys have to make a cocktail that represents their partner.”

I stared at her like she’d just summoned a demon. What the hell did I sign up for?

Mia, practically bouncing with enthusiasm, turned back to the rest of the group to explain the rules more clearly. Meanwhile, Cat flopped onto the chair beside me, sunglasses sliding down her nose. “We’re different,” she said confidently, gesturing toward the guys gathering at the mini-bar. “They won’t win.”

“Chill,” Mia replied as she plopped into the seat on my other side. “If they manage to make the right cocktail that actually represents us, then we’ll call it a win for everyone.”