“Oh. No.” I shook my head vehemently. “There’s not enough Fireball in all the land for me to play Truth or Dare. Nothing personal,” I assured him. “I’m not a very daringperson.”
“Wow.” He gave an exaggerated frown like I’d impressed him somehow. “Well, then it looks like we’re playing Truth or Truth, Julian. The game where you can either answer my question or volunteer another uncomfortable fact. Pretty ballsy choice, but I’mdown.”
I scrubbed a hand through my hair. “At any point, have you interrogated prisoners? Because, if not, you missed yourcalling.”
“You’re up first cause I’m a nice guy,” he said, turning away to flip the burgers. “Ask me anything. Make itgood.”
“Okay, then. Tell me what’s going on with you andJamie.”
“Heh.” He shook his head. “Should’ve expected that, after the little scene you witnessed the other day. But that’s not aquestion."
“Hey, if you’re already uncomfortable, we don’t have to play this game,” I said, like that hadn’t been my intention in the firstplace.
“Not at all, my man. Justrephrase.”
I blew out a breath. “Fine. What are your feelings for JamieBurke?”
“I love him,” Parker said easily. “Always have, alwayswill.”
“Love? Orlove-love?”
“Are we twelve?” he mocked. “Love. More than anyone. Even when he stopped talking tome.”
“Whydid…”
“My turn,” he said, pointing at me with his spatula. “Take yourshot.”
I had no idea what the rules of this game were, and I was pretty confident he was making them up as he went along, but I did asinstructed.
“Okay, what’s the deal with you andDaniel?”
“Hey.” I scowled. “That’s the same broad question.Rephrase.”
“Nope,answer.”
“What? How come you getto…”
“Have you ever played this before? No? Then I’m in charge. Answer, orvolunteer.”
“You suck,” I said without heat. I rested my elbow on the countertop and grabbed a chunk of my own hair in frustration. The urge to confide the whole mess in someone was strong, and really, what did I have to lose? “This stays betweenus?”
“Bartender’scode.”
“Fine. When I stood up in the diner last month and… youknow…”
Parker put cheese on the burgers and snorted. “Did theRomeo and Juliet? Yeah, Iknow.”
“Well, we weren’t actually together. We were just friends. And I, um. Made it up. Daniel is… was…straight.”
Parker turned away from the stove. “Bullshithe’s straight. You two have been all over town acting couple-y.”
“An act. Well,initially.”
“Okay, now you’ve intrigued me,” he said. “Spill.”
“Isn’t it my turn to ask aquestion?”
“Sure. But I’m gonna get to the bottom of this story, so just how much alcohol do you want to drink today,Julian?”
