“Me? It’s you who should hate me. I shouldn’t have lied about Natalie. I just—” He pauses. Looks over my shoulder. “Sorry, could I come in? Feels weird to pour my heart out on the front porch.”

“Meet me in the kitchen. I’ll be right back.”

Vanity appeased, I make it to the kitchen after ten minutes, mouth minty and undergarments secured. Ben’s poured twin bowls of raisin bran, and there’s a pot of coffee hissing and spitting on the counter. I spoon wheat flakes into my mouth and wait for Ben to resume his speech.

“I was so terrified you’d lose interest in me. And Natalie had worn me down, convinced me I was nothing but trash that had to be kept secret. I’ve been licking my wounds since the summer, and you seemed too good to be true. I didn’t want to blow it.”

“So you were, what? Her secret boyfriend?”

He nods. “For most of last year. At first, it was fun, like a game we got to play, sneaking around. Then it started to suck. And especially when my mom died. At first, I thought we were going to be okay even with the lawsuit. It was between my granddad and her father, not us. But she started acting even worse at school, literally cut me out of our friend group. Spread those rumors about me. But she’d call me on a Friday night and ask me to come by for a hookup. It fucked with me. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I should have.”

“Was it just about us, or were you also messing with Natalie?”

He cranes his neck over to check the coffee, putting off answering the question. But finally he acquiesces. “It did cross my mind. But I swear to you, I didn’t hate Natalie. Certainly didn’t want her dead. I was mostly just…hurt. And then you came along, and I couldn’t believe my luck. And then we started a murder investigation together…and Natalie was gone, so there seemed no point in saying anything. But last night was weird.”

I groan. “Don’t remind me. It’s been playing on a loop since then. I lost it. I mean, they’re all liars. You too, I guess, but I forgive you.”

“You do?” He grins.

“I’m the person who exposed a dead girl’s dad for hooking up with her underage best friend, in front of not only his wife but the entire town, at a wake. So I don’t exactly have a leg to stand on. It’s why I’m hiding out here today.”

“Wouldn’t it be better to get out of here for a few hours, take your mind off everything? I have an idea. A road trip, if you will.”

“Go on.”