There was a knock on Adley’s bedroom door late that evening. “Come in,” he said, looking up from the brainteaser he’d been working on.
Fedment entered. “Where did you go tonight?”
“If you must know, on a date.”
“A date?”
He couldn’t keep the defensiveness out of his voice. “Why is that so hard to believe?”
“You found someone else to leave the Christmas Eve party for a date? It’s a perfect match.” Fedment sat on the foot of Adley’s bed. “Tell me about him.”
“You’re very nosy.” This was not news, of course. Adley nevertheless felt compelled to point it out from time to time, on the off chance Fedment might rein in his excessive inquisitiveness. It hadn’t happened yet.
“I’m supposed to be nosy. It’s part of being a younger brother.”
“I think you were supposed to grow out of it.”
“I a
