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‘Yes, but I don’t spend ninety per cent of my time focusing on how I look. I actually have a life outside staring in the mirror.’

‘So do lots of other girls.’

‘Like Zoë?’

‘She spends a lot of her free time training, so she doesn’t get all that much time to stare in the mirror.’

Riley didn’t want to talk about Zoë. ‘So you didn’t like Amy?’

‘No. I liked Meg, Beth, and I kind of liked Jo.’

Riley glared at him. ‘How can you “kind of like” Jo? Jo is the heroine of the book. If it wasn’t for Jo, the family would have starved. She is brave and ballsy and never pretends to be someone she isn’t. She doesn’t try to fit in with all those stupid, spoiled party girls. She is who she is and she’s brilliant.’

‘I agree. The reason I said I kind of liked her is becauseshe turns Laurie down. That drove me nuts. It’s so stupid. Why does she do that? He’s a great guy.’

‘Well, she doesn’t think they’d make a good couple because his life is all posh parties and small-talk and Jo hates all that stupid meaningless stuff. She doesn’t want to talk about pointless crap, she wants to talk about real things and she wants to dress the way she likes and not have to look the same as everyone else. So, she knows she’ll make Laurie’s life difficult because his friends won’t like her or approve of her.’

‘He doesn’t care about all that. He tells her he loves her and he wants to be with her. She turns him down. Laurie tries to persuade her.’

‘Yeah, well, he should have tried harder. If you really love someone, you should never stop trying. I hate Laurie because he gave up too easily.’

‘He’s a great guy, generous, kind and fun too.’

‘He’s weak and he didn’t fight for Jo.’

‘If a girl turns you down, how are you supposed to know that if you just tried harder she’d change her mind?’

‘Because, Zach, if you really love someone, you don’t let them go, or if you do, you make sure you get them back.’

‘I think Jo sometimes makes Laurie feel like he’s not smart or serious enough.’

‘Well, she’s right, he isn’t. He’s so stupid and weak that he ends up marrying the wrong sister.’

‘Why can’t she look at his good traits?’

‘She does, she loves him, but she knows he’s too weak to be able to stand her never fitting into his crowd. Jo is so brave and generous that she lets him go.’

‘Bullshit, she’s the stupid one. She gives up the chance of a life of love, fun and luxury because she looks down on his friends.’

‘It’s called sacrifice. She sacrifices her happiness so he canmarry a stupid girl who’ll slot into his life and won’t make waves or embarrass him.’

Zach threw down his pen. ‘It’s called being stubborn and narrow-minded. Opposites do attract and marry and have great lives. She could have made it work. Instead she made him feel bad about his friends and his life and for having fun and being carefree.’

‘That’s not fair. She supported him and loved him and was a great friend to him. She just wanted him to be better, to be more, to reach his potential.’

‘You should accept people the way they are and not try to change them.’

‘I agree,’ Riley said.

‘Then what are we arguing about?’

‘I don’t know.’ Riley chewed her lower lip.

‘I never tried to change you,’ Zach whispered.

‘I’m sorry if you think I tried to change you.’

‘You’re my Jo.’