Page 48 of Hide And Seek

“Okay… yeah,” Jesse said, nodding slowly. “That’s actually really good. If she comes in the morning, we could have cops here before lunch. And then we can all get the hell out of here.”

“Exactly.”

“All right.” Caitlin pushed herself up from her seat with a sudden burst of energy. “I’m making celebratory s’mores.”

A few people blinked at her.

“Seriously?” Knox asked.

“Yes, seriously,” Caitlin shot back. “We’ve got marshmallows, chocolate, and crackers. We might as well use them.”

A few people volunteered to go with her, because no one wanted to walk around alone right now, and the rest of us watched them go, their figures slipping in and out of the shadows as they moved beyond the reach of the firelight.

For a moment, the tension threatened to creep back in, that instinctive tightening in my chest at the idea of people leaving the circle. But then Caitlin and the rest of the s’mores crew returned a few minutes later, arms full of supplies and very much alive, and the moment passed.

Someone handed out skewers, and soon people were leaning forward, holding marshmallows over the flames. The conversation picked up again, still subdued but less strained.

I shifted slightly on the bench, adjusting my grip on the lukewarm can in my hand, and glanced off to the side.

Sloane and a Legacy guy named Reid were sitting a few feet away on a log, angled toward each other. I hadn’t really been paying attention to them before, but then I noticed Sloane’s hand slowly sliding up Reid’s arm.

She leaned in. At first, I thought she was whispering something to him. But then his hand moved to her waist, pulling her closer, and—

Oh.

I blinked.

They were kissing. Not subtly, either. It was… a lot.

I glanced at Jasmine. She was already staring at the two of them, her brows pulled together in disbelief. “Are you guys seeing this?” she muttered under her breath.

“Unfortunately,” I murmured back.

“Yeah, it’s kinda hard to miss,” Wren added.

Sloane shifted on the log, one leg sliding over Reid, her fingers tangling in the front of his shirt as she pulled him closer. He made a low sound against her mouth, his hand moving up along her side like he’d forgotten there were twenty-seven other people sitting within a ten-foot radius.

Jesse snickered. “Who needs Pornhub when you’ve got this show?”

Tamsin scoffed and shook her head. “I can’t believe this. Delia hasn’t even been dead for twenty-four hours, andthat’swhat those two are in the mood for?”

Jesse lifted his palms. “Hey, you know what they say.” He paused and adopted a mock-dramatic voice. “Life finds a way.”

“Oh my god, are you seriously quoting Jurassic Park?” Tamsin replied, a faint smile breaking through as the rest of us laughed.

“Yeah, shouldn’t you be quoting Friday the 13thinstead?” Jasmine said. “Or… wait, what’s that other one called? Where that camp counselor gets pinned to the door with a speargun?”

The laughter instantly died.

“Oh my god, guys, relax!” Jasmine said. “It’s a joke.”

Wren shifted uncomfortably. “I get it,” she said in a low voice. “I just don’t think it’s funny.”

Jasmine rolled her eyes and jabbed a thumb in Jesse’s direction. “So he’s allowed to quote movies, but when I do it, it’s suddenly a problem?”

“I was quoting a dinosaur movie, Jas,” Jesse said. “You were talking about movies where camp counselors get murdered. Bit different.”

“Really, guys?” Jasmine looked around. “When did you all get so fucking serious?”