“You have to press it to make it do that sound, you know.” Oliver stood in the doorway wearing a button-down shirt and actual khaki chinos.

“You look like the lost member of One Direction,” I said.

“There will be a reunion and I’m ready for it,” Oliver said. “How did you get through the security?”

“What security?”

“The big gate down the street to keep the riffraff out.”

“You’re rich, I’m not. Ha ha.”

“Well, I wasn’t expecting you, so I had to resort to something easy. I should have gone the slut-shaming route.”

“A missed opportunity,” I replied dryly. “How’d you know I was out here?”

“I was passing by and I saw you muttering to yourself.” He pointed at the wall beside the door and I stepped over the threshold and saw there was a small security screen.

“I was not muttering.”

“Yeah, you were. For ages. I was standing here laughing at you.”

I peered around for signs of any other nonspecific Quinn family members. Off the hall a door was ajar and music and laughter wafted out.

“I’m going to assume Ruby invited you in some post-sex sapphic haze, but you’re very late for dinner. Can I assume this is a booty call?”

“We didn’t—” I started but didn’t finish. I didn’t have to answer to him. I felt a small thrill when he said her name, though. A friendship thrill. New friends are exciting.

“That must be a first for you,” he said, smirking.

I rolled my eyes. Correcting him would only encourage him to think it was anyone’s business but mine and the person I was not doing it with.

“And someday you’ll have your first time too,” I said, squeezing his shoulder.

I eyed the room the music was coming from. Light from a screen flickered against the visible sliver of opulent wallpaper. What if I walked in there and Ruby was annoyed with me and told me to leave? Or what if she didn’t actually remember me? Maybe she kissed girls and invited them round all the time. She said it was a family thing, but she could have met loads of people since last week. What if that room was full of lesbians?

Well, I mean, that didn’t sound terrible, but still.

“You’re right, though,” I said, backing away, “I am very late and I shouldn’t disturb your party.”

“Oliver, is someone at the door?” a woman called.

I shook my head at him.

“Yes, Mum, we have a visitor.”