"You would have just said that to begin with!" I shot back, exasperated. I didn't know why he was holding onto this so strongly. Were I someone else, were he someone else, it would have made me back down, at least a little. But I was a Lane and he was Jake and this could not stand.

"Why are you on "vacation"?" I asked with air quotes, because I didn't buy "vacation" for a second. "What do you need a break from?"