Page 74 of Turn

I laughed. “Beg your pardon?”

“It represents the depth of your passionate instincts.” He massaged the area and looked up, meeting my eye. I saw the heat in his gaze and slowly withdrew my hand.

“Parker, um-“

“You’re so damn gorgeous,” he said. “There’s not a girl in this room who can compete with you, Cassie. And I know there’s not a guy in here who doesn’t wish he was sitting where I’m sitting. I keep thinking about you. I’ve thought about you for so long, you have no idea. All I want is a chance. Will you give me one?”

Luckily our drinks were delivered at that moment so I had a few seconds to breathe and compose the news that nothing romantic would ever happen between us. I didn’t hate Parker anymore and maybe he really had turned a complete one eighty since high school. Maybe he had really even become a new man worth knowing.

I just didn’t want him. I didn’t want him at all.

Parker saw it in my face before I said the words. “The answer’s no,” he said flatly.

“The answer’s no,” I confirmed. “Sorry. I like you, Parker. You seem like you’ve changed a lot and that’s something to be proud of. But I really don’t see anything happening between us.”

He listened and then nodded. “My loss,” he said with a sad smile. “One hundred percent my loss.”

The conversation shifted to other less awkward topics. Parker wanted to hear about my job at Scratch but he was vague when I asked him what he was doing aside from taking evening classes.

“Working for a contractor,” he said and shrugged. “It’s not very interesting.”

“What are you planning to get a degree in?” I asked, sipping my second soda. Parker was still nursing his first beer.

“Haven’t decided yet,” he said and shifted his eyes in the direction of the bar as if he didn’t want to talk about it anymore.

“So I guess you and Alex are still close friends,” I said. “Oh, and I heard that his sister works at the college but you probably knew that.”

His eyes snapped back to my face. “Why do you bring that up?” There was inexplicable tension in his voice.

“No reason.” And there wasn’t a reason. I was just making conversation. “Just something I heard.”

Parker relaxed. “Yeah, I guess Amanda’s there. I haven’t seen her though.”

I checked my watch. When I got here I told myself I’d hang in there and stay for an hour. Forty-five minutes had already passed. My bladder was demanding some relief from the two sodas so I stood up.

“Bathrooms back that way?” I guessed, gesturing to a hallway to the left of the bar.

Parker looked. “Yeah, I think so. You want another soda? Or a real drink? My treat.”

“No thanks. I’ve got to get going soon.”

Parker’s eyes dimmed and for a second there was an alarming flash of anger there. But then it was gone and he was smiling once more so I had to wonder if the lighting was playing tricks on me.

“I’ll just hang out here and order another beer,” he said, which was weird because he hadn’t even finished his first beer.

Baca’s was growing more crowded and there was a little bit of a wait for the bathroom. By the time I was washing my hands at the sink I wondered if Parker would even still be sitting at the table. I wasn’t sorry I’d turned him down. He’d find someone else.

Parker was indeed still sitting in the same place where I’d left him. He greeted me with the happiest smile and I felt slightly sorry for him.

“Now I know you said you didn’t want a drink, but I ordered you something I know you’ll like. Hardly has any alcohol in it, I swear.” He nudged a glass of brown liquid in my direction. “Trust me.”

I hesitated. I’d already made up my mind not to drink tonight. But I figured a couple of sips wouldn’t have much of an effect and Parker looked so eager to have me try it.

“It’s really sweet,” he said. “Called a rum cobbler. You’ll like it. And it only has trace amounts of rum. I swear I can drink ten of these and still pass a sobriety check.”

I took a sip. The drink was indeed sweet. “It’s good,” I said.

He winked. “I figured you’d like it. Hey, I forgot to ask you how your sister was doing. Cami was always so smart, I’m sure she’s taking the world by storm.”

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