Sometimes, Cal felt guilty for dressing in a way he knew Arden would like, because it felt like manipulation. But the warm weather made him feel less like he was being inappropriate, and the beach setting got rid of any last anxiety.

"Did you set this up to encourage outdoor reading or was the place just like this today?" he asked. BD-1 hopped off of his shoulder and immediately went to the speakers to judge the tech hookups like a nerd.