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“I saw you steal that.” Mr. Copley pointed at Marlowe like he was ready to make a citizen’s arrest and maybe write an op-ed about it. “Don’t think for a moment that I abide shoplifters. I’m calling your parents and the police.”

“It was me,” Jace said. “I accidentally took them.”

Mr. Copley’s bushy eyebrows drew together. “What?”

Jace stepped in front of Marlowe. “It’s my box of protein bars. She was just with me. I wasn’t thinking, and I forgot to pay and walked out with them. They’re mine.”

Mr. Copley squinted, skeptical. “I saw her carrying them.”

“She picked them up for me.” Jace didn’t miss a beat. “But you must realize they’re mine. You’ve seen me buy this brand of protein bars a dozen times. Marlowe doesn’t even like peanut butter.”

Which was untrue, Marlowe noted dimly. She loved peanut butter. But now was not the time.

Mr. Copley looked between them and jutted his chin at Jace. “You, come back inside with me. Marlowe, be on your way and from now on, stay out of my store.”

This couldn’t be happening. “But he has to take the SAT,” she protested. “He’s going there now. He can’t be late.”

Mr. Copley grunted and his voice grew louder. “He should’ve thought about that before he shoplifted from my store.”

Marlowe glanced at Jace. If this event was anything like the time she’d been caught vandalizing the store, he wouldn’t be free to go for hours. “It was just a mistake,” she said to Mr. Copley, pleading with him. “And this is the last time they’re offering the SATs this year.”

Mr. Copley shook his finger at her, making his arm fat wobble. “You teenagers always think you can do whatever you want, and the rest of the world will make exceptions for you. Not at my store. I don’t let people get away with crime. You should know that already.”

She had to tell him the truth. She took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. “Mr. Copley, Jace didn’t shoplift that box of protein bars⁠—”

“I just accidentally walked out with them,” Jace cut her off. He gave her a pointed look, one telling her to be quiet.

“You’ll miss the test,” she said.

“Then I guess I’ll go to college a semester late. There are worse things than staying around Lark Springs longer, aren’t there?”

He knew she wouldn’t contradict him about that. Had he changed his mind about wanting to be with her? Was he throwing the test on purpose to stay longer?

She stared at him, trying to figure it out.

Mr. Copley gestured for Jace to go back into the store. “This way, young man.”

Jace gave her one last unreadable look and headed to the store with Mr. Copley following in his wake.

Marlowe stood in the cold morning air for several moments, waiting as though they might come out of the store again.

They didn’t, of course. Eventually, she trudged to her car.

Perhaps Jace and his parents could convince Mr. Copley that walking out while holding a box wasn’t the same as shoplifting. It was an error, not intentional theft.

When Marlowe got home, she did her Saturday chores woodenly. She couldn’t concentrate on anything but Jace. How bad were things going for him?

After a few hours, when she figured Mr. Copley had finished meting out whatever punishment he’d decided on, she called Jace. He didn’t pick up, so she texted, Thanks for taking the fall for me. I owe you. Sorry about the test. I guess I shouldn’t have prayed so hard that you would miss it.

She hoped he would call her back, tell her he was sorry for their argument, and he didn’t want to break up. Throwing the SAT was a romantic grand gesture.

Looking back, that had been a foolish hope. Jace had always intended to leave Lark Springs as soon as possible and become important and rich. He would never have been satisfied with someone like Marlowe.

When Jace finally texted her back Sunday night, he said, You don’t need to apologize. I didn’t miss the test after all.

He hadn’t? Well, Mr. Copley was easier on shoplifters than vandals.

But even so, Jace had been willing to throw the test for her. That meant something, didn’t it? She wrote, I guess you’ll be going to college in the fall like you wanted. I know things will be different between us then, but that doesn’t mean we couldn’t have a long-distance relationship.