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I felt like calling Kiera up and saying only one thing to her. The day will come when it will be too late for apologies and expressions of love. There’ll be no one to hear them, and the empty echo of your own voice will haunt you until the day you die and maybe even within the grave in which you sleep. Don’t let that happen.

I practically lunged at my telephone when it rang. It jolted me out of my deep and troubled thoughts.

“Hey,” I heard Ryder say.

His voice felt like cool rain on a hot, muggy day. My body softened and relaxed. “Hey.”

“How was your dinner?”

Should I tell him that Donald had ordered the same exact meal for us? It was too weird for me; it would surely be too weird for him.

“My foster father found out about my grade-average standing in the class.”

“Really? What is it?”

“I could be, I mean, I probably will be valedi

ctorian if I just maintain my grade average. He wanted me home for dinner so he could give me a gift to show how proud of me they are.”

“It wasn’t a new pen, was it?”

I laughed. “Hardly.” I still had the necklace on, and I touched it. “I have a feeling what it cost would have kept my mother and me safe and sound for years.”

“What is it?”

“A pearl and diamond necklace. My foster mother is taking me for a new dress Saturday to wear to the concert my foster father is getting tickets for next month, and he wanted me to have it before she went shopping. At least, that’s the story he gave.”

“Why do you say that? You think there are other reasons?”

“Nothing is simple here,” I said. I knew it sounded very cryptic, even dark and dangerous, but it came to mind.

“Sounds like we could easily exchange homes and families. Any chance of doing something this weekend? I didn’t get the opportunity to ask.”

“The Marches are taking me to dinner Friday night at a hot restaurant.”

“Which one?”

“Castles.”

“Boring,” he sang. “Each table has a full-length mirror for the guests to look at themselves.”

I laughed. “Saturday is free,” I said.

“All right. I know a cheap, small, unimportant sushi joint in Venice Beach. Unless you want to stay clear of the ocean.”

“I don’t hate the ocean or the beach, Ryder. As long as I don’t have to sleep on it.”

He laughed. “Seven?”

“Yes, and Tuesday is fine for us here.”

“Maybe after the real date, you won’t want me coming over.”

“Maybe I won’t,” I said a little too seriously, but I wasn’t in the mood for anyone’s self-pity. “But I doubt it,” I added, “so shut up.”

He laughed, and I said I had to get to my homework.

“You’d better, especially after accepting that gift,” he told me.