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“I do think being in love means being faithful, Kiera.”

She tilted her head and smirked. “Please. Do you think my parents are faithful to each other?”

I felt my face redden. Had Jordan told her about her suspicions about Donald? Somehow, because of the strain in their relationship, I couldn’t see Jordan confiding in her. Did this mean that Kiera knew something about her father that her mother didn’t know?

“I thought they were,” I said.

“Even after all I’ve taught you and all

you’ve been through, you’re still so naive.”

“How do you know?”

“What? That you’re naive?”

“No, that your parents aren’t faithful to each other.”

“I just know,” she said, and turned away. Even so, I saw the look on her face. For a moment, I thought she was going to cry. Then she caught herself, took a deep breath, and turned back to me. “You didn’t tell Ryder I was engaged or something, did you?”

“No.”

She smiled. “Good. I don’t need someone else making me feel guilty if I fancy someone later. That’s the way Richard puts it . . . fancy. Isn’t that cute? The first time we met, he said, ‘I fancy you.’ I didn’t know what he meant. I said, ‘Well, that’s because I’m fancy,’ and he laughed. We have such good times together. He has a wonderful sense of humor.”

“He sounds so great. Did you bring a picture to show me?”

“Picture? Oh. No, I didn’t think of it. I was in too much of a hurry to get out of there. The girls in my dorm were getting on my nerves with their trivial talk. They’re always trying to find out what I do to keep looking beautiful. Like I have to do something. Is that him?”

“What?”

“The car that just drove in,” she said, nodding toward the parking lot.

I stood up. “Yes,” I said.

“He couldn’t have been too far behind you, or else he was speeding. You know what that means?”

“What?”

“He expects a good time, not a goody-goody time,” she said.

Ryder parked and stepped out of his car.

“We’re up here!” Kiera shouted. He looked up and waved. “He is handsome,” she said. “Better keep your eyes on him.”

I went ahead of her to the door and stepped out to see him come up the stairway. As soon as he appeared, I ran to him, and he hugged me.

“Was it difficult getting away?” I asked him.

“I had to wait until Summer went to her class. I thought I could use the head start, so I went to class and then asked to go to the bathroom. I left my books on the desk. It probably took until the end of class before I was reported missing.”

“Then you must have been speeding,” Kiera said, coming up behind me.

“A little,” Ryder said. “Hi.”

“Hi. C’mon in. We started the party already,” she said, holding up her glass of vodka and orange juice.

Ryder looked at me and then smiled. “Sure.”

“I hope this is okay,” Kiera said when we entered.