“I’ll play with you,” I say. “A question for a question.”
She grins. “Deal. The only rule is that if it takes you longer than five seconds, you’re disqualified. You have to answer quickly, so you’ll be honest.”
I lay my hand over my heart. “You think I’d lie?”
“When folks play this game, they tend to try to please people rather than give a truthful answer. So, Emilio’s rule is that if it takes longer than five seconds, it doesn’t count.”
“Sounds fair. When’s your birthday?” I blurt out.
She doesn’t hesitate. “February second. What’s your favorite food?”
“Pizza.” I glance down at her feet. “Favorite type of shoe.”
She flexes her toes, holding her foot in the air. “Flip-flops. What’s your favorite childhood memory?”
“Riding the roller coaster at the amusement park. Which of your sisters is the funniest?”
“Finny.” She’s right. Finny has a mouth like a sailor and a very dry wit. “Were you ever jealous of Ryan?”
“All the time. Still am.” Her eyes narrow. “Have you ever had a dog?” I ask.
“No, but I wouldn’t mind it. When’s your birthday?”
“Tomorrow.” Surprised, she turns her head to look at me but I ask another question. “Are you still in love with Shane?”
She startles for a second but recovers quickly. Well within the five second rule. “No. What’s your favorite mixed drink?”
“Long Island Iced Tea.” She looks at me doubtfully. I chuckle. “Go big or go home. Your favorite food.”
“Mac and cheese. Your favorite color.”
“Whatever you’re wearing.” She rolls her eyes. “Big dog, little dog, or no dog?”
“All of them. Who was your first girlfriend?”
“Janice Malloy. Favorite sport.”
“Duh. Baseball.” She starts to play pat-a-cake with Chase, and Roxy brings me a leaf she found. I tuck it into my pocket. I’ll throw it away later. Anna and Devon are arguing over who can swing higher. “Which of your parents is more stubborn?”
“My mom. How many serious boyfriends have you had?”
She starts to count on her fingers. “Four. How old were you the first time you had sex?”
“Eighteen. How many kids do you want?”
“Three. What kind of fabric softener do you use?”
“I don’t.” I grin at her. “Who was your first kiss?”
She looks down. “My foster father. Before we got adopted.” My jaw drops. She lays her hand on my arm. “It stopped there. I’m okay with it. But you did ask.”
I nod, still trying to catch my breath. She bounces Chase gently when she realizes he’s falling asleep. He grins at her. “Whose turn is it?”
“I’ve lost track. You can go again.”
Questions escape me, because I’m still rolling that last one around in my brain.
“You’re ruining the game, Mick.”