The Leavers(56)

“He’s a senior, in the same program as her,” Elaine said. “We met him for the first time over winter break.”

“Good head on his shoulders,” said Jim. “Very polite, well spoken.”

He thought about the guys Angel had spoken about. There’d been an ex-boyfriend who was now one of her best friends; a co-worker she had a crush on.

“Angel,” Elaine called. “Look who’s here.”

Angel saw Daniel and said something to Charles, who scowled.

“Angel,” Jim called.

She crossed the room with Charles’s hand in hers. When Daniel hugged her, she flinched. “Hey,” he said. “Good to see you.”

“This is my boyfriend, Charles,” she said, looking over Daniel’s head.

Daniel shook the guy’s hand, which felt like shaking air. His suit looked expensive. “Nice to meet you. How long have you guys been together?” He heard a swell of voices behind him. Jim and Elaine greeted another couple and got pulled away in the crowd.

“We should head back to our table,” Angel said to Charles.

Kay touched Angel’s arm. “Angel, we haven’t had a chance to catch up. How’s school? We heard you were supposed to go to Nepal?”

“I was, but I had money stolen from me.”

“Stolen?” Peter said. “In Iowa?”

“Even in Iowa.”

Daniel turned to Charles. “So where are you from?”

Charles laughed, a sharp bark. “Thieves are everywhere. You don’t need to be in the same place as someone to steal from them.”

Daniel drained his champagne.

“How awful,” Kay said. “Did they catch whoever did it? What happened, exactly?”

“Look, Mom, the food is coming.”

“What happened is that the thief knows exactly what he did,” Charles said.

“Oh, he does,” Angel said, her eyes meeting Daniel’s.

Daniel took Peter and Kay by the elbows. “We should sit down before the food gets cold.”

“It hasn’t even arrived yet,” Kay said.

They walked to a table across the room. “That’s so strange,” Kay said. “What Angel and her boyfriend were saying.”

Peter said, “Something about a thief?”

Daniel took off his coat and hung it on the chair next to Kay’s. He took out the forms for Carlough College and passed them to Peter.

“Good,” Peter said.

Kay’s smile was so big, her whole face crinkled. Daniel smiled back. He was still full from last night’s dinner at Vivian’s, but ate marinated olives and arugula salad and linguine and lamb with eggplant, ordered a glass of red wine, another. As the servers cleared away the plates he saw Angel leave the room by herself. Maybe if he apologized to her in person, she wouldn’t tell Peter and Kay who the thief was. He excused himself, taking another glass of champagne as he crossed the room. Angel stood in the front entrance with a short-haired woman in a white jacket, one of the restaurant staff, and he heard them talking about candles and cake.

“Angel,” he said.

She stopped in the middle of her sentence, astonishment flickering on her face.

“Is there a problem?” the woman said.

“No,” Daniel said.

“As I was saying,” Angel said, “we’ll dim the lights, then sing. He’ll like that.”

He waited for her to finish talking, and when she turned to leave with the woman, Daniel blocked her.

“Okay,” she said. “What do you want?”

“Did you get my text?”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “What text?”

“I’m sorry about everything.”

“I’m sure you are.”

“Can you do me a favor? Please don’t tell my parents about the money. Or your parents.”

She snorted. “Why not? You’re scared?”

“I don’t want them to know. I’m working on fixing things. You’ve got to believe me.”

“You want them to think you’re perfect? Then you shouldn’t have screwed up so hard in the first place.”

“They already know I’m a fuck-up. I’m just trying to make things better.”

“You know you can’t please everyone, right? Me included.”

“I swear I’m going to pay you back.”

“You need to figure your shit out, but don’t expect me to do it for you.” She turned and left the room.

Elaine intercepted him as he made his way to the table, said they’d have to set a date for dinner, she would get his number later, at the apartment. His parents were staying over tonight, and they’d have coffee there after the party. “You’ll have more time to talk with Angel once we’re all back at our place. Did you get to meet Charles, at least?”

“He seems nice.”

“He’s planning on law school.” Elaine leaned closer. “You know, I’m sure they wouldn’t want me to say this, but I’m going to say it anyway, because you know me and my big mouth. Your parents are heartbroken that you’re not going back to school. I know it seems like we’re a bunch of old fuddy-duddies, wanting to control your life, but believe it or not, I was young once, too. I know how it goes. But in this case, I must say, your parents know what they’re talking about. But. Have you thought of suggesting to them a school in the city if you don’t want to be upstate? I mean, I love your parents, but I get why a kid your age would prefer to be here rather than Ridgeborough. You could always stay with Jim and me. Think about it, will you?”