Page 72 of The Plus Ones
I’m falling hard and fast, and for now I don’t even care if I’m heading down that path alone.
“Who is your man’s favorite singer or band?” the resort manager asks.
Tonight, we’re playing the Newlywed Game. When Roxy found out, she widened her eyes at me and whispered that maybe we should sit this one out. I assured her that it will be entertaining and she can just have fun with it if she doesn’t know the answers. The six of us are all seated at the front of the room, guys on one side, ladies on the other, with half a dozen other couples and various resort employees sitting around watching us. We’re all pretty much expecting Don and Debbie to win again, but you never know.
“We begin with an easy one,” he says, winking at the ladies as he plays about ten seconds of some bouncy song from Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass on his phone.
I write down the name of my favorite musical artist on the little dry erase board and hold it so that no one can see it.
“Led Zeppelin!” Bernie yells out, barely even waiting for Matt to write the words down. He turns around his dry erase board, which saysLed.
“One point for Matt and Bernadette!” the manager says and gives them a point on his scoreboard.
I thought Matt’s favorite band was AC/DC, so I guess I’m a bad girlfriend.
Aimee smiles at her husband and says, “Chris Cornell.”
Chase holds up his dry erase board, which has the wordsChris Cornellscribbled on it, along with a vague doodle of a guy with long hair and a little facial scruff, and it basically looks like he did a self-portrait.
“One point for Chase and Aimee!”
That one I did know. I’m a good girlfriend to Chase.
I finally make eye contact with Roxy, who looks very unsure of herself, and I’m expecting her to say something like Shakira or Air Supply, but she kind of hums and then says, “Jay-Z?”
I smile and wink at her, flipping the board around.
She looks so happy that she got it right, it warms my heart.
“And one point for Keaton and Roxy! We are off to a good start tonight, ladies and gentlemen!” This manager guy really needs his own game show. “Second question, also easy. Ladies. What is your man’s favorite alcoholic beverage?”
I write mine down and look up at Roxy, grinning. We haven’t had many drinkswitheach other, but we’ve done a fair amount of drinkingaroundeach other over the years.
Bernie and Aimee easily score another point each with “gross expensive Scotch” and “Redbreast Irish whiskey.”
Roxy declares confidently, “Gin and tonic.”
“Close,” I say as I turn my board around and reveal that an Old Fashioned is in fact my favorite.
“Really?” she says, disbelieving. Like I’d lie about that just to mess with her. She looks over at Aimee and mouths,Did you know that?
Aimee nods and whispers, “He drinks G&T when he needs to cheer up.”
“Ahhh, new love,” the manager says. “Still so much to learn about each other. An exciting time, not to worry. No point for you, though! Next question!”
Roxy blushes and exchanges a look with Aimee, not me. I catch Chase giving me the side-eye and give him an air kiss. My cock will not be blocked, and neither will my heart.
“This is a fun one, ladies! Which Disney princess is your man most attracted to?”
I don’t have to think twice about that one, but Matt and Chase are making a big show of thinking it through.
“First to you, Lady Bernadette.”
Bernie rolls her eyes. “He’ll say it’s Moana, but it’s really Ariel.”
Matt flips his board around to reveal that he did, in fact, write downMoana. “It’s Moana, and you can’t prove otherwise.”
“Oh yes, I can,” she mutters. “But not here.”
