"Your sister's one of those fashion-y types. No one ever looks good enough for them. She'd probably try to make me over if I gave her the opportunity." The trick was not making eye contact. And moving fast enough to avoid critique.

Any other boy, David thought, and he'd be full of his own sly, witty quips. Another night, he might have said them anyway, to see just how red Izak Kagan could blush. He wasn't so much in the mood, though.

"That's good to hear," he said lazily. "Dad's not getting home 'till late tonight, if you want to go to my place."