Page 556 of End Game

“It is in bartender years.”

Ronan looks up from the book open across his lap. “That phrase has no measurable meaning.”

“It means I've eaten significantly worse things after significantly longer periods of time and survived.”

“That explains more about you than you intended.”

Cami laughs.

The sound carries through the living room.

Warm.

Normal.

I finish the second knot and stand. “I'm going to my parents'.”

Nobody pays much attention at first.

Cami closes the refrigerator. “Okay.”

I pick up my keys. “I'm telling them.”

Dex's head snaps toward me. “Telling them what?”

“Everything.”

His face goes blank.

Cami's brows pull together.

Griffin steps out of the kitchen.

Even Ronan's book closes.

I should have told them sooner.

Not my parents.

Them.

Maybe that would make this next part easier to say.

It doesn't matter now.

There isn’t a persuasion check high enough to fix people who have already decided what the right answer is.

“They don't know I'm queer.”

Dex stares at me. “Wait. What?”

“They think I'm straight.”

“How?”

A laugh almost comes out of me.

It doesn't quite make it.