Page 56 of The Playbook

Grace took hers weakly, and I offered her an encouraging nod.

“You’ll love it,” I whispered, taking the beer Noah offered me.

We carried a couple shot glasses, the vodka, and the fruity drink into the living room. Then we settled around Lana’s TV. I sat next to Grace on the leather love seat. Ryan and Lana took the couch. Garrett sank into the recliner. Noah looked around and laughed before settling on the floor against the couch.

“Rules?” Ryan asked as he cracked open his beer.

“Whenever you laugh, you have to drink,” I said.

“Well, we’ll be fucked twenty minutes in,” Garrett said with a chuckle as he cracked his beer open.

We all called out rules, minus Grace who looked worried. Lana hit play on the movie.

Garrett was right. Twenty minutes in, we were drinking, even Grace, though I suspected she was taking smaller sips.

It didn’t matter. As long as she was enjoying herself, that was all I cared about.

CHAPTER29

Grace

“Let’s play Truth or Dare!” Lana squealed.

I grimaced at her suggestion, but everyone else was tipsy and on board. I’d ended up doing three shots and finishing that gross beer they gave me during the movie, so I swayed where I sat, all blurred vision. Lana explained the rules we normally played by.

Garrett got up and fixed everyone a drink. I groaned. Logan peeked over at me and winked, flashing his quick, perfect smile.

This was childish. We weren’t twelve for God’s sake. Why we had to play a kid game was beyond me. I guessed drunk people did stupid things.

“Who’s going first?” Noah asked.

“You.” Lana giggled. “Truth or Dare.”

“Truth.”

“Is it true you went down on Mercy Peters last spring at Austin Riley’s house?” Lana asked boldly.

“Shit,” Noah groaned, his body shaking with laughter. “What the fuck, Lana?”

“Answer or drink!” Garrett pushed a shot of vodka at Noah.

Sighing heavily, he said, “Truth. I did it.”

“Dude,why?” Logan asked, laughing.

Noah shrugged and grinned. “Everyone has to have a sexual regret. That one is mine.”

“She kept calling you didn’t she?” Ryan piped up. “Stood outside your damn house?”

Logan laughed, a wide grin plastered on his face.

“Yeah. How the hell did you know—” Noah asked, bewildered.

“She’s my regret too, man.” Ryan laughed loudly.

They both snickered and took a drink even though they didn’t have to.

We went around the room. Ryan turned to Lana, who said dare.

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