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“Oh, let’s stop talking about it. Tell me about Ryder. What did he think of where you live?”

“He was impressed, but he’s been to many impressive places.”

“I bet. So . . . did you get him up in your room?”

“Yes.”

“And? C’mon. Out with the details. This is like pulling teeth.”

“We’re just getting to know each other, Kiera,” I said. I didn’t want to describe our passionate kissing in my closet. She’d only want more and more detail, and unlike her, I wasn’t comfortable talking about it.

“That’s how you get to know each other best,” she said, followed by her little evil laugh. “I described my first date with Richard, remember? I thought he might think less of me at first, but the truth was, I excited him in ways he never expected. And still do!”

“Why don’t you send me a picture of him?”

“Yes. I’ll do that. Maybe a picture with his clothes off.”

“Don’t you dare.”

She laughed. “I’ll see. I’ll expect a picture of Ryder in return.”

I heard a beep on my phone. “I think that’s him calling. You want to hold on while I check?”

“No. Send me an e-mail, a delicious one,” she said, and hung up.

I flashed the line and said, “Hello.”

“Did you get a lecture about me?”

I knew all I had to do was say yes and I’d never get him back or have him have any more to do with me.

“Talk about being arrogant,” I said. “Why do you assume you were the topic of discussion?”

“Well, why did he want to see you in his office?”

“It’s a long story,” I said.

“Right. It was about me.”

“No.”

“Then start your long story,” he said.

Beginning any relationship with deceit was certainly not a way to give it any lasting meaning, I thought, but in this case, stretching the truth a little would be better.

“The Marches are having a hard time with Kiera.”

“Still?”

“She’s seeing someone seriously at college, and she won’t tell them how serious it is. Donald and Jordan know I exchange e-mails with her. They wanted me to tell them what I know.”

“Donald? It’s Donald now?”

“Yes, he asked me to call him Donald instead of Mr. March.”

“More progress. Maybe he will agree to adopt you. Okay, I want some quid pro quo, too.”

“What?”