Isabel had heard many things in her life. But she had never expected to hear that. Her eyes went wide and she blinked a few times as she stared at him.

He said it without a stutter. She stood behind him, still frozen in place, her hand tingling from where his mother had grabbed her, her heart pounding so loud she could barely hear what came next.

His mother was staring at him, stunned into silence.

“You don’t mean that,” the woman finally whispered, “you said that to make ...