“Why? What do you mean?” I said. Did he know? I’d die if Oliver knew about the falling in love montage. I’d never hear the end of it.

“She’s really into these. I’ve seen her sing along to My Best Friend’s Wedding at least twice already this summer and she’s only been here a few weeks.”

“She mentioned it. I thought I’d check it out.”

“What’s the craic with you two anyway?” he said, but so casually it sounded distinctly uncasual.

“Are you asking if my intentions are honorable?” I joked.

“I’m not expecting miracles,” he said. “Just, you know, what’s the craic?”

“I like her,” I said lightly. But I felt my cheeks betray me by heating up. “It’s not serious, though. It’s fun. Summer fling. You know.”

“Sure,” he said, drawing the word out slowly, as though he was giving himself time to think of his next words. “I think that’s good. She’s had a tough time. She needs something fun, I think.”

I thought about the panicky sound of her voice when she got that call from her mum. The weird thing she’d said about her having to stop her gymnastics lessons. The fact that her family had abandoned her here to begin with.

“What do you mean she’s had a tough time?”

Oliver narrowed his eyes. He opened his mouth to speak and then he closed it again.

“Ask her yourself; it’s not a secret.”

“If it’s not a secret, then tell me.”

“No. It’s her business, not mine.”

“Now you have ethics?”

“What’s the big deal? I mean, I’m surprised you don’t already know. Haven’t you asked her why she’s staying with us? Or do you two not talk a whole lot?” He waggled his eyebrows.

“Nope,” I said. “It’s all the nonstop scissoring. It really requires too much concentration to talk.”

I was dying to know, but talking about family stuff was one of the harbingers of doom. I mean, it would be fine if Oliver told me—that was like a loophole—but if I asked Ruby then I’d be breaking a sacred vow (no, that’s not an exaggeration), and what if she started asking about my family?

“You wouldn’t tell her about my stuff would you?” I said. I’d never talked to Oliver about my mum but everyone at school knew anyway. It’s a small town.

“Watch you don’t trip over your own hypocrisy,” he said. “But no. That’s your business.”

Maybe his ethics weren’t so terrible.

“She likes you too, by the way. I can tell,” Oliver added.

I looked back at the screen and bit the inside of my cheek so he wouldn’t see me smile. The films you might like list on the screen looked a lot like Ruby’s movie list for the montage.