Since then he’s had a lot to say, and she’s been listening. And when the detectives started asking all those questions I could tell Mom was never going to invite you back.”

“That’s why you wanted to meet last night?”

“I figured it was the only chance I’d ever have to tell you how I feel.”

“Wow. That was pretty damn brave.”

“I know, right? I mean, I didn’t think you’d laugh at me, because we’ve always been so close. And in the back of my mind I had the smallest hope you might be flattered, or possibly interested, because sometimes when we talked I had the feeling you were looking at me with more than friendship eyes.”

“I’m sure I was!”

She smiles. “I know that now. But I kept telling myself I was imagining that part. But when you told me you were going to leave Michael, I put it all out there. I’ve wanted you, like, forever, and I couldn’t bear the thought of never seeing you again.”

“You’re definitely going to see me again.”

We walk silently a few minutes till she says, “You know what really surprises me? You haven’t said a word about backing out of telling them we’re a couple. That’s got to be really hard for you to do.”

“I’m glad you understand that.”

“Want to do a practice run?”

“You mean right now?”

“Uh huh.”

“Fine. How’s this: Alison, I know you just lost your husband yesterday, and Michael, you and Jessie lost your dad. And even though David’s not yet in the ground, I think today should be all about me, not you, so here’s the scoop: I’ve fallen in love with Jessie, and she loves me. By the way, Michael, I’m not going to marry you. Alison? I want you to know Jess and I haven’t had sex yet—wink, wink! —but we fully intend to explore the sexual component of our relationship as soon as she turns sixteen. Why am I telling you this today? Well, Jess asked me to, in order to prove my love. How’s that?”

She laughs. “Shitty. Let’s lose the part about today being all about you, and the ‘here’s the scoop’ part. And the part about how it was my idea to tell them. I want it to come from you.”

“You know I was being sarcastic, right?”

“Of course. But still. Want to try again?”

“Not really.”

“Fine.”

“Fine.”

We walk in moody silence for about five minutes before her phone rings. It’s Alison, saying they’re on their way back to the hotel. Jessie startles me by saying: “Mom? When you guys get here, can you meet us in the lobby? Nicki has something important to tell you.”

Those few words uttered so casually into her phone tell me Jess actually expects me to tell her mom and brother we’re having an affair! Until this very moment I thought she was just testing me, waiting to see if I’d back down. I never believed she really meant it. Not today, at least, and not anytime soon. Now that I know she’s serious, I can’t fathom her reasons. It’s worse than coldhearted, it’s downright cruel. And now I’m thinking: what if she’s punishing them, somehow? What if she decides at the last moment not to back me up on the sexual part? What if she tells them everything we’ve done since last night? What if they call the police?

Jess hangs up, checks the time, flashes a big grin. “All this time you thought I was kidding, but I wasn’t.”

I think about denying it, acting cool, like it’s no big deal, but she knows better.

“It’s best this way,” she says.

13.

12:00 Noon

WE’RE IN THE lobby, occupying the furniture—a couch and two chairs—that probably gets the least use due to its distance from the front desk and the glare from the giant window directly behind it. Speaking of glares, Michael’s making no secret how he feels about me at the moment: he’s throwing a full-scale pout.