Every head turned my way. Sarah burst out cackling while Harry and Rick both fought back smiles. Garrett simply raised an eyebrow, waiting for me to confirm or deny it.
The daggers I shot Layla would have terrified a lesser woman. “I’d taken shots of Everclear, and I was fifteen.”
Rick set his full bowl at the table, patting my back in commiseration as he walked by. Given his lifestyle, he probably had firsthand experience of the mayhem Everclear could create.
He could be a little obnoxious, but overall, I didn’t mind the guy. I gave him a grateful smile, but it fell when tingles shot across the back of my neck. I peered over my shoulder to see two slits of hazel eyes looking at me.
I frowned, wondering what I’d said wrong. Maybe he just didn’t find my story as funny as the rest of his family? I tilted my head in silent question, but he looked away, accompanying his brother into the kitchen.
“Okay, so the game is simple, we each take turns saying something we don’t think anyone has ever done. If you have done it, you take a shot. If no one has done it, the person who asked takes a shot. But don’t ask boring questions…I’m looking at you, Garrett.”
I chewed the inside of my lip, listening to Sarah animatedly list off instructions. I’d played the game many times before, back when I hadn’t been old enough to do so, but not since having Jamie. In fact, I hadn’t played a drinking game at all in years.
I raised my hand, waving it above my head, “I’m going to sit this one out since I happen to be the only one who works in the morning.”
We’d all piled our dishes in the—thanks to Garrett—working dishwasher and were now squeezed in around my table. The men had grabbed a few extra chairs from Garrett’s house while Sarah set up the bottle of whiskey, a liter of soda, and a stack of red plastic cups.
The sight itself sent me back in time. I felt like I was a teenager again, standing in the middle of a wheat field, scooping spiked punch from a cooler while someone blared music from a pickup truck.
Layla nudged my shoulder, “Don’t be such a mom, Mads. You can have fun. It’s allowed.”
“You literally just called me a lightweight earlier, and now you want me drinking Jack and Coke less than twenty-four hours before I have to work.” I smashed my lips together, resting my chin on my palm.
She dipped her head, “Touché. All right, you can have wine then.” She jumped up, and thirty seconds later, I had a glass of white wine set in front of me.
“There. Now let’s play. I’ll go first.” She was practically jumping in her seat as she glanced at me, and I knew no matter what I had in my glass, she’d made it her mission to get my “high-strung ass” drunk.
She tapped her fingertips against her cup rhythmically, each click of her calluses making me more apprehensive of what she’d say.
“Never have I ever shoved a full-fledged human out of my body.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” I snapped, shoving her hard in the shoulder.
She only cackled like a deranged hyena and pointed to my glass. I grabbed it, taking an irritated sip. I was an annoying drunk, and I puked easily, so I had no idea why she thought it’d be good for me.
It wasn’t until I caught her discreet glance at Garrett that I realized what her true game plan was.
This bitch didn’t want me getting drunk just for the hell of it. No, she wanted to get me drunk so I’d want to get laid. Well, she was going to be thoroughly disappointed because that wasn’t happening.
Sitting to her right, Rick was next, and his question was exactly what I’d expected from him. “Never have I ever done shrooms.” No one moved apart from an exaggerated eye roll from Layla, forcing him to take a drink.
Garrett was next, sitting directly across from me. “Never have I ever been pulled over.” Unsurprisingly, everyone at the table picked up their cups. I caught his eye, but he quickly looked away.