Steven looked away, not wanting to let Anna see his face. Of course Steven had noticed the way Vronsky and Anna had been looking at each other throughout dinner, like they were the only two people at the table. Lolly had told him earlier about showing up to Anna’s room and finding Vronsky there. Lolly made a point to say the door had been wide open, so it wasn’t like they were hiding. Lolly’s exact words were, “I felt like I walked into the falling-in-love montage of a rom-com. He’s such a smitten kitten!” Lolly had found the whole thing innocent, which is what Steven loved about her. Sure, Vronsky was gorgeous and all, but Anna had a boyfriend, and was in no more danger of straying than Lolly was herself.

“Anna, you know you’re only seventeen, right?” Steven said, finally deciding his sister needed the tough love advice she always extended to him. “If you like Vronsky, and yes, it’s obvious you guys are stupid for each other, then go for it. Dump the OG and be a normal teenage girl and date boys, go to parties, cut loose. We have our whole lives to get married and be perfect society couples, so why start now? For god’s sake, you met Alexander when you were fourteen, which I personally have always found more than a little suspect on his part. What sixteen-year-old dude macks on a fourteen-year-old girl?”

“Two of the girls in my quartet were his age so he just assumed I was—”

“So he says, but whatever. I don’t give a fuck about him,” he replied. “All I’m sayin’ is why not act your age and see how you like it? Look, I don’t know what to make of this Vronsky fellow, because he’s a straight-up hound dog, but I know you can handle yourself around bad boys. Dealing with me all the time must be good for something. I see how Vronsky looks at you, and it’s not the typical hit-it-and-quit-it look. I know these things.”

“Steven!” Anna squealed. “Please stop.”

“You know what I’m trying to say,” he replied.

Anna nodded, because she knew exactly what he was saying. She had had the very same thoughts. In the beginning, she did think Vronsky was only interested in her because he wanted to sleep with her. But now that they’d spent more time together, Anna believed Vronsky’s feelings were far deeper than a passing fancy fueled by base desire.

“The ice cream’s melting,” Steven said and stood up. Anna took her brother’s hand and got back on her feet. Together they exited the pantry and were back in the dark kitchen.

“Is the party still going on?” she asked. She looked at the kitchen clock and saw that it was past two in the morning.