Page 78 of If You Give a Grump a Christmas Tree Farm
“Truth or dare,” Griz announces.
“Wha’ are we? L’enfants?” Cajun rolls his eyes.
“No one knows what you’re saying,” Griz pretends not to understand him.
“Okay, I’ll do it.” Rebecca leans forward on her elbows like she just entered a poker game.
“Truth or dare?” Griz asks her.
“Truth.”
“Why the hell are you with this one?” He points his fork at me.
“Careful,” I warn him.
“Well…” She shifts uncomfortably, like she’s nervous, and suddenly I’m all ears for this answer, too.
I turn to face her.
“I think we were always both attracted to each other.” She tucks a lock of hair behind her ear. “And then I got to see he’s a lot more than what I’d been told. He’s caring and supportive and fun to be around.”
“Youaretalking about JJ, right?” Hammer snickers.
I flick a piece of potato across the table at him.
“You want to start that?” Hammer loads a large piece of soggy meat onto his fork.
“Absolutely not!” Rebecca uses what can only be described as a teacher voice. “You will not be having a food fight in my house.”
“Sorry. Yes, ma’am.” Hammer sets the fork down but glares at me, putting two fingers to his eyes and then pointing them at me for the universal sign ofI’m watching you.
“Your turn,” Brayden reminds Rebecca.
“Hammer, truth or dare?”
“Dare.”
“Hmmm. My dare is really for all of you.” She frowns.
“Okay, we’ll bite. Everyone agrees to the dare?” I ask, and the table of men all nod.
“I dare you to go Christmas caroling in town.”
Brayden about chokes on his sip of beer, and Cajun gives him a good beating on his back to help him out.
“All right, but you drive. I’ve seen how much of my beer is already missing, thanks to these miscreants.” I pull the keys from my pocket and hand them to her.
“Hell, you drank as much as we did,” Griz argues.
“Hence, the keys are now in her hands.” I lean over and kiss her on the cheek and then whisper. “You sure you want to parade these boys through town?”
“To see you all make fools of yourselves? Absolutely.”
“Let’s go then.” I twirl my finger in the air.
“What about the pie?” Griz complains.
“You can have it when we get back.” Hammer pats him on the shoulder as he carries his bowl to the sink.
