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“What a traitor,” Boone says.

“Okay, pause. Someone want to clue me in, here?” I say, feeling like I’m on the outside of an inside joke.

“We made him swear he wouldn’t date you or Rowe,” West says, like it’s no big deal. “We did that with all of our friends.”

My muscles tense. “Why would you do that?”

“Think about it. If you went out with Noble or any of our friends, and it didn’t go well? Disaster,” West says with a shrug. “It’d ruin everything if it didn’t work out.”

“When it didn’t work out,” Boone says. “No offense, Noble.”

“Offense taken, buddy.”

“When was this supposed pact?” Momma asks, amusement in her tone even though I don’t find one single thing about this funny.

“I don’t like the word ‘pact’,” Boone says. “It wasn’t like, a binding agreement or anything.”

“Yeah, we weren’t a bunch of girls doing pinky promises or whatever.” West takes a drink.

Momma’s eyebrows go up, as if to point out that they didn’t answer her question.

“I don’t remember when it was,” West says.

Boone shrugs.

Quent eats in silence, and it’s pretty clear he wants no part of this.

“Summer after Hattie turned fifteen,” Noble says.

“Yeah! That’s right,” Boone says. “Summer after Hattie turned fifteen. She started looking more like a girl.”

“She got boobs,” Rowena quips, then giggles.

“Rowena Louise!” Momma says.

West whips a chunk of bread at her. She casually catches it and shoves it in her mouth.

My face lights on fire, and I push my chair back from the table. “Well. That’s my cue.”

“Come on, Hattie, it was a long time ago,” West says. “And anyway, you know we were right. It would’ve been a disaster if you guys hooked up.”

“Let’s cut the ‘hooking up’ talk,” my dad says.

“Yes, please,” Momma groans.

Noble leans forward. “They just didn’t think I was good enough for you.”

I look at him.

“I mean, they were right.” He shrugs. “Nobody is.”

I try to brush it off, but the air crackles at the comment. I look away, and Boone and West break out in a mocking chorus of “awww, how sweet.”

“So you would all rather Rowe and I end up alone forever?” I ask. “Is that what you’re saying?”

“Not forever,” Boone smiles. “But it kind of seems like you’d rather end up alone.”

“Look who’s talking.” I shoot Boone a look.