It wasn’t really a question, and Angie said nothing at all. They watched two tall, slender figures moving past the rectangle of light, forward and back, like uncertain dancers; like lovers circling each other. They never touched, and that somehow made it all the more clear that they meant to, but could not quite.

The whole world seemed to have gone very still. Beside her, Angie could almost feel John’s heart beating. He said, “Angie. Why is she here?”

“You should ask her that,” Angie said, and felt his hand on her arm, his grip strong and unrelenting.

“Angie.”

“She didn’t tell you the whole truth, John. All that stuff about wanting to quit academics and leave Ogilvie and become a chef, I don’t doubt that’s all true, but she left out the part where she fell in love with somebody else.”

His voice came cool and from far away. He said, “I don’t believe it.”

Miserable, Angie nodded. “You’re right. You shouldn’t take my word for it. Nobody has said anything to me directly, not Rivera or Caroline. But—”

“You’ve seen how they look at each other.” He stood up abruptly and shook himself like a dog. When he looked at her she couldn’t make out his expression; she didn’t recognize him at all. He started to walk away and she called after him.

“Is it me you should be mad at, John?”

“You’ll do for a start,” he said, without turning around.

She watched him walk around the house and disappear into the night shadows.

When she could make herself go back into the house, Angie found that Caroline had left, too. She turned off all the lights one by one and then made her way upstairs by touch. Rivera’s bedroom door was open and she was sitting on the edge of the bed, her hands folded in her lap. The lamp on the dresser was on, but her face was lost in shadow.

Angie stood in the hall until Rivera raised her head and looked at her directly.

“That bad, huh?” Angie said.

“Worse,” Rivera said. “You’ve been so good, never asking. I know you’ve been worried and you must have been confused.”

“I’m still confused,” Angie said.

“Me too. Remind me never to get involved with Catholic girls, would you?”

“Ah.” Angie closed her eyes. “I wasn’t sure.”

“Neither is Caroline. She’s not ready to come out to her family; she’s not sure she ever will be, but hey. I’m supposed to be satisfied with the fact that she’s getting out of Ogilvie. Apparently, mastering the perfect Béarnaise sauce will be enough of a challenge for Caroline Rose.”

“And you fit into this where?”

“I wish I knew. I wish she knew.”

“That stinks,” Angie said.

“Yeah, well.” Rivera drew in a long breath. “What about you?”