Page 37 of The Triple Play

“C’mon.” I grin. “Where’s your sense of adventure? Truth or dare.”

Olivia groans, tipping her head back. “Absolutely not. I haven’t played that since I was a teenager.” She lifts her head back up. “Actually, I’m not sure I played it even then.”

“Well, that’s a travesty,” I counter, placing my hand on my chest. “And one we must rectify immediately.”

Olivia laughs, just a little, but it’s enough.

“I’ll even go first,” I offer, winking at her. “You can ask me.”

She lets out a small huff, but she’s smiling when she says, “Truth or dare?”

“Truth.”

“If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be?”

“Norway,” I answer immediately. “I want to experience a polar night, see the aurora borealis, walk on a glacier, and go dogsledding.”

“That sounds amazing,” she says softly. I quirk my lips up in a small grin, then turn to Griff.

“Your turn, bud, truth or dare?”

He lets out a mock groan. “I’m going to regret this, but truth.”

I tap my chin, pretending to think about the question carefully. “What was your first impression of Olivia when you saw her in Cedar Creek?”

The glare he shoots me is no joke, but I’m not backing down. And from the soft intake of breath I hear from Olivia, she’s paying attention carefully.

I hold his stare for several long seconds. I know he wants this just as much as I do. He just has to let himself have it. I can tell the moment he decides to give in. Tension leaches from his shoulders, and he casts his gaze on Olivia.

“I thought she was even more beautiful than I remembered.”

The silence that lingers after his answer is heavy, but not in a bad way. More contemplative. As if we’re all feeling this out at last.

Griff clears his throat, then asks, “Liv, truth or dare?”

“Truth,” she says quickly.

He nods. “What’s something you’ve always wanted to do but haven’t?”

She thinks for a second. “Book a one-way plane ticket to somewhere warm and just explore. No schedule, no itinerary, no return date.”

“How irresponsible of you,” I quip. “I’m impressed.” Clapping my hands, I continue. “Alright, my turn.”

Olivia lifts her gaze to mine, and there’s something burning behind the cool blue that wasn’t there before. Something that intrigues me.

“Truth or dare?”

I waggle my eyebrows with a wide grin. “Dare.”

Griff answers before Olivia can. “Drink the whiskey.”

I frown. “It’s not your turn to give me a dare. Besides, that’s boring.”

He simply arches one eyebrow at me. “Drink it.”

I do and immediately regret it, coughing as it burns all the way down. “Damn. That stuff is nasty. Does whiskey go bad? Because I’m pretty sure that has turned into rotgut.”

Olivia and Griff both laugh at my expense, so I play it up a little more, gasping as I drink some water. “Alright,” I say eventually, leaning forward. “Pixie. Truth or dare?”