“What happened to Shelby last night?” Alexa wanted to know, and she also didn’t.

“She went home,” Cam said. (Was that a grin playing at the corners of his mouth?) “She got a ride with someone else.”

Most likely, thought Alexa, Shelby had to get to bed on time. She probably had the early shift handing out breakfast to homeless people in Lowell, or she was organizing a charity walk on Boston Common.

“She was mad,” added Cam.

“Mad?”

Now the grin was full-on. “She didn’t like it that I said I would take you home.”

“So why did you?”

“You looked like you could use the help.”

“Why did you bring me here?”

“Well, you begged me not to take you home.”

“I did?”

He nodded. “You wouldn’t even give me your address.” This sounded plausible; Alexa sort of remembered shaking her head and making a motion like she was zipping her lips. “I asked you if you wanted to come here for a little while. We watched some Samantha Bee, and you fell asleep. I thought it was best if I just got you to bed instead of trying to get you back in the car and having a whole situation with your parents.”

“My mom,” she corrected. Then: “Samantha Bee? You’re so woke.” She was teasing, and also not.

“I try.”

“How come I don’t know you? Have you always lived here?”

“Since I was three.”

“You didn’t go to Newburyport High.”

“Immaculate Conception through eighth grade.” (The Catholic school. Alexa hadn’t known many of the IC kids, except for a few girls she played town soccer with in elementary and middle school.) “Then St. John’s Prep. I go to school in Vermont now.” He pointed to his T-shirt, which was gray. In purple letters were the words saint michael’s college and in the middle of the shirt was a drawing of a knighthead.

That explained it. “Wow. I’m so sorry. I have no idea how I got so drunk.” Even though she did know: it was simply a terrible mix of liquor and a strong beer and an extremely empty stomach. “What time is it?”

“Just after eight,” said Cam. “I’m an early riser. Do you need to call someone? Tell them where you are?”

Just after eight was good. In her house, nobody would expect her to be up before ten o’clock, and since Tyler had picked her up for last night’s party, her Jeep was still in the driveway. Even so, precautionary measures were in order.