I'd lied to Cindy. I hadn't meant to, I really intended to tell Iryna how I felt. I wanted to, and I'd come close a bunch of times. But I was afraid. What if Iryna was ready to go? Was this just a bit of fun for her? I know she'd told me that it wasn't, and I believed her, I really did, but doubts can be vicious, tenacious things.

We'd all spent an enjoyable Sunday just hanging out at the house, looking through the myriad photos that Cindy had taken from the day before and swimming in the pool. Iryna did get a call from her agent with the...