Page 198 of Game Night: Truth or Dare

“I have, and they’re amazing.”

Fishing out two loonies from my pocket, I drop them in the jar and the man hands me two cones. He has a table with fresh snow next to him and pours the maple syrup over the snow before filling the tiny cones while you watch.

“One time my best friend dared me to eat an entire cone in one mouthful. I think I was eight.” I laugh as I take a demure bite. “It ended in disaster.”

Malcolm laughs again, and I find myself staring. His whole demeanour changes when he’s not at work. I still don’t know what it is about him, but I just like him. His laugh, his company…his everything.

And no, he’s not the one. My dad clearly inhaled too many butter fumes that day.

It’s not wrong to say I just like someone without any particular reason.

“So what happened?” He gently elbows me, eyes twinkling, and pulls me from my thoughts.

“Oh!” I chuckle. “It got stuck to the roof of my mouth and triggered my gag reflex. Which wasn’t a gag. I threw up everywhere, and it took me months to even want to look at one of these again.”

Malcolm wrinkles his nose. “Eww. Good thing you’re able to eat them again. It’d be a shame if you were turned off forever.” He slants his eyes my way as his tongue dances with a long strand of taffy before drawing it across his lips.

When did eating sugar get so hot?

“And your gag reflex?”

Malcolm now stares me straight in the eye and his tongue darts out again, wetting his lips.

“What about it?”

I know damn well what he means, but I want to hear him say it.

“Is it still sensitive, or can you put things in your mouth without gagging?”

God damn it. I know my cheeks are flaming, and it’s not from the chill in the air. Nothing about this conversation is cold. But Malcolm is both setting me at ease and making me…nervous?

“I manage okay.”

He bites into his maple taffy cone with a wink.

“Just checking.”

I stare off into the nearby park and will my body to stop all its reactions. The tongue-tied and blushing and all the awkwardness that usually comes.

“I was a kid. If you dared me to do something I’d probably do it, you know?”

Malcolm’s eyebrows shoot up. “Were you a kid that took a lot of chances?”

“Sometimes?” We’ve stopped on the path near a woman selling knit goods and tiny bottles of maple syrup. “I…if I was dared to do something that took me out of a social situation, I often did. Like eating the entire taffy cone. If I wouldn’t have puked, I could have just left and gone home.”

“You didn’t want to be there?”

“No. I did, but I guess I’m that kid who likes safety and dares would push me a little out of my box. They also made me want to run home.” I laugh a little. “I’m really not as complicated as I made that sound.”

Malcolm nods, and his gaze on me makes me squirm. It’s like he understands, but not completely. Our night is still young and I want him to understand before it’s over. I just, well, I never seem to say it right.

“Should we head to the hall to find our seats and warm up?”

Malcolm waits while I swallow the last of my cone.

“For sure!” My voice is a little too loud and a few people turn to look.

Malcolm chuckles and tilts his head towards the hall where the party will be.

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