Scarlett Summers was speechless.

She stayed quiet for a long moment.

Jeremy Hale finished the rest of his water and set the glass down. "There's another reason I said after the new year. Adrian's homeroom teacher called me last week — said his ranking slipped. He dropped from first in his grade to fifth."

"Fifth is still impressive," Scarlett said.

Jeremy smiled, his eyes soft on her. "Julian and I were number one our entire lives. Never slipped once. ...