Rhodes didn’t respond, which annoyed Caddie. He thinks I’m an idiot, she thought grimly. She hated that Rhodes—Rhodes and his pimples—was sitting there feeling, what, sorry for her? Thinking she was so desperate that she had to go out with a guy who had cheated on his sister? Either way, he thought she was a loser.

“It’s not like I’m going to marry the guy,” she said. “We just hang out—go diving—that sort of stuff.”

“Diving,” Rhodes repeated. “And stuff.”

“Hey, it’s more than you and Rose do,” Caddie shot back. “Unless you mean Rosy Palm and her five sisters.” She mimicked jerking on a dick, sticking her tongue out while she did it.

“Nice,” Rhodes said. “Looks like you know how to do that really well.”

Caddie stood up. “Fuck you,” she said. “I’m out of here.” She walked out the door, not looking back. But even without looking, she knew that Rhodes was grinning.

Asshole loser, she thought as she walked away. The guy can’t even invent an imaginary girlfriend, and he thinks he’s better than I am. I bet his sister’s just as foul. I bet she asked Brian out and he said no.

By the time she reached her father’s office, she’d defended Brian to the point where she almost believed he really was a great guy. She’d even decided to call him later, see if he wanted to go to a movie or something.

“Hey,” she said, standing in the doorway of her father’s office. He was looking at something on his desk. When he heard her, he looked up. He looked tired. “Oh,” he said. “Hi.”

“Want to get some lunch?” Caddie asked.

Her father looked at the clock, as if it couldn’t possibly be late enough for lunch. “I’ve got a report due this afternoon,” he said. “And I have to go through all of this.” He indicated a stack of papers sitting on the desk. “I probably shouldn’t.”

“That’s okay,” said Caddie. “I can go by myself. Do you want me to bring you anything?”

Her father shook his head. “No, thanks,” he said. “I’m not really hungry.” He went back to looking at the paper in front of him, but Caddie hesitated, thinking he might yet change his mind.

“I guess I’ll see you later then,” she said when it became apparent that he really wasn’t going to come with her. He nodded absentmindedly, and she turned away, bitterness settling in her stomach.