“There’s a diamond lining in every cloud,” Leo deadpanned, earning himself a jab in the ribs from Courtney.
His sarcasm went over Kris’s head. “True.”
Farrah stifled a laugh.
Meanwhile, Olivia was trying to engage Nardo in conversation, a clear sign of how much she liked Sammy. She thought Nardo was a pompous, mansplaining jerk, but he was Sammy’s best friend, for reasons no one could fathom. Sammy was the most likable guy on the planet; Nardo was not.
“Whatcha reading?” Olivia flipped onto her stomach to peer at the thick tome in Nardo’s hands.
“A book.”
“No shit, Sherlock. What book?”
Nardo pushed his glasses up on his nose. He was the palest in the group and slathered on half a bottle of sunscreen before they hit the beach. Even so, Farrah could see the skin on his back turning pink. “War and Peace and War.”
“You mean War and Peace.”
“No, that’s a 19th-century novel by Leo Tolstoy about the French invasion of Russia. This is War and Peace and War by Peter Turchin. It explores the rise and fall of empires from the perspective of evolutionary biology.”
Olivia’s eyes glazed over. “Wow. Fun beach read.”
“Do you know you talk like a human Wikipedia?” Farrah asked.
Nardo looked touched. “Thank you.”
Sammy rolled over onto his side and kissed Olivia’s shoulder. “He’s always been this way. You should see our dorm at Harvey Mudd. It’s packed with political history books.”
Olivia wrinkled her nose. “Aren’t you guys math majors?”
“I’m economics.” Nardo returned to his book. “You can read outside your major.”
“I know. I just finished Crazy Rich Asians.”
Farrah’s face split into a huge grin at the look on Nardo’s face.
“Excuse me. I thought we were on vacation.” Courtney snatched the book from Nardo’s hands, ignoring his cry of protest. “Let’s do something fun.”
“We are doing something fun,” Sammy said. “We’re at the beach.”
“No, something fun. I know!” Courtney snapped her fingers. “Let’s go skinny dipping!”
Farrah’s eyes widened in horror.
“I love you, but that’s the worst idea I’ve ever heard.” Olivia’s expression matched Farrah’s. “It’s broad daylight.”
“So? We’re among friends. Live and let live, Liv.”
“No, thanks.”
Luke raised his hand. “I’ll do it.”
“Me too,” Nardo said.
Every head whipped in his direction.
“You will?” Sammy asked, mouth agape.
Nardo’s cheeks matched his back. “Like Courtney said, we’re on vacation.”