Why Now? (10 page)

She grins down at me. “With this game, you won’t have to. It’s not like you have to take shots, you can just keep sipping your Black Friday beer.”

Sounds intriguing.

Heath beats me to it when he asks, “What’s the game?”

She moves around the coffee table and back to her armchair. “Never have I ever.”

Jake, Heath, and I all groan in unison as she sinks back into her seat.

“What?” She snaps. “Any of you have a better idea?”

Um . . .

Jake sits back down. When none of us says anything she lifts her drink and replies, “Thought so.”

It’s my turn to pipe up. “How do you play this again?”

Reilly rolls her eyes. “It’s like the easiest game ever. Someone says never have I ever blah blah blah and if you have blah blah blahed you take a drink. I’ll go first. Never have I ever kissed a member of the same sex.”

Jake, Heath, and I all stare at her as she drinks.

“You’ve kissed a girl?” Jake asked.

She nods, “It was no big deal in college. Katy Perry was singing all over the place about liking it, so I thought what the hell. I tried to talk Kacey into kissing me but she refused.”

Both Jake and Heath’s eyes snap to me.

“So you’ve never kissed a girl?”

Blushing, I reply, “I didn’t drink, did I?”

Reilly frowns at all of us. “We need to rearrange seating. All three of you on the sofa is weird. If Heath leans forward, I can’t see Jake.”

She stands and walks into her bedroom returning a minute later with her camp chair under her arm. She sets it up on the other side of the coffee table.

“Jake, you sit here,” she orders.

He lifts his beer and motions over his body with it. “Really?”

He does look pretty comfortable but Reilly holds firm and nods.

He groans, but like the good big brother he is, he stands and moves to sit in the camp chair.

Reilly moves back to her seat and sits back down. She instantly pops back up and this time walks into my room.

“Kacey, help me.”

“Your sister is nuts,” I sigh, before standing up.

She’s standing next to my polka dotted armchair, moving a small pile of clothes I needed to put away to the top of my dresser.

“Help me carry this.”

I take the back while she grabs the feet and we move it out into the living room.

“Heath, you sit here,” Reilly says, once it’s on the other side of the coffee table. He doesn’t argue but looks at the ceiling for a moment before moving.

“Isn’t this nicer?” She asks once we’re all sitting back down.

Jake is across from me and Heath is across from Reilly.

“This way we can all see each other,” she adds.

“I’ll go next,” Jake says. “Never have I ever considered strangling Reilly Whitmore.”

Heath, Jake, and I laugh, before all taking a drink.

“You guys are so funny,” she huffs after we’ve all taken a drink and we laugh.

She doesn’t seem amused and says, “Okay Kacey, your turn.”

My eyes widen, moving from her face to Jake’s and then to Heath’s.

It’s lame, but after a moment of thinking I reply, “Never have I ever been outside of North America.”

“Trying to get me drunk?” Heath teases.

He’s the only one of us who drinks. After high school, his mom and dad took him to Europe. It’s not like I didn’t know he would be the only one drinking, I just wasn’t sure what else to say. Besides, if I had said outside of the US we all would have needed to drink because we’ve all been to Mexico at least once.

It’s like a rite of passage to go to Tijuana. One time was enough for me. The cab ride from one club to another was the scariest fifteen minutes of my life. That, and Reilly convincing me we were going to be kidnapped and sold into sex slavery or wake up in a hotel room bath tub with our organs removed.

Sure, Wikipedia confirmed that last one was impossible but she had been pretty convincing at the time.

“You’re up next, Mackey,” Reilly says.

He scratches the side of his nose. “Never have I ever watched porn.”

Oh God.

Glancing around, I’m relieved and find it pretty funny that everyone lifts their glasses. We all drink.

“You’ve watched porn?” Heath leans forward, his eyes on me.

“Don’t embarrass her,” Jake snaps and I blush.

Heath leans back, an annoyed expression on his face. “I wasn’t trying to embarrass her, I was just surprised.”

Sofa, please swallow me up whole.

“Moving on,” Reilly mutters and I can kiss her. “Never have I ever skinny dipped.”

Both Heath and Jake lift their drinks. Reilly doesn’t, even though that is something I could see her doing.

“At the same time?” She presses, glancing between them.

Jake’s eyebrows come together. “No, I have not skinny dipped with Heath.”

Reilly shrugs. “No reason to get all defensive about it. I was only being curious. Your turn, Kace.”

This is hard. The last time I went, I picked a safe one that I already knew the answer to. There are things that I’m curious about but I’m not really sure I want to know.

“Hmmmm, never have I ever stolen something.”

All three of them drink while my jaw drops. “What did you guys steal?”

Reilly answers first. “I stole a pack of grape bubbacrazy gum from Bob’s gas station when I was eight years old. Grams hated bubble gum so she never bought me any. Anywho, to conceal the evidence I tried to chew the whole pack on my walk home. I barfed grape gum into Mrs. Heyward’s daffodils and have never liked grape flavored anything since. Oh, and I stole your silvery top. The one you were looking for a couple of months ago.”

“You did what?” I gasp.

She purses her lips squinting one eye before replying. “Well, technically I borrowed it without you knowing and then forgot I had it. When you were looking for it, I forgot where I put it. Then I found it again and I’ve been waiting for the right time to tell you.”

Standing I ask. “Where is it?”

“It’s in my sock drawer,” she replies.

I go retrieve my shirt. As I walk back into the room, I point at her. “You suck. I love this shirt.”

She grimaces. “I’m sorry. If it makes you feel any better your tits looked way better in it than mine did.”

Both Heath and Jake look over at the shirt in my hand with curiosity. Pressing it to my chest, I hurry to put it away.

Jake is telling everyone what he stole when I walk back in.

“ . . . I didn’t even know how to drive, other than the ride on lawn mower and the times Gramps would let me drive his cart for him when he went golfing.”

Interrupting, I ask, “What’d you steal?”

Jake grins. “Mr. Carlson’s mail truck.”

My eyes widen. “You did not.”

“I sure did.”

“How old were you?” I ask.

“I was ten.”

Then I glance at Reilly. She looks just as shocked. “How did we not know this?”

Jake laughs, “Gramps whooped my ass so badly I never bragged about it.”

Reilly gasps, “Gramps spanked you?”

He nods. “I couldn’t sit down for a week. See, messing with mail is a federal offence and the only reason Mr. Carlson didn’t turn me in was he and Gramps knew I did it. Gramps wanted him to be sure I’d never do it again.”

“Did you crash?” I ask, sitting back down.

“Nope. He wouldn’t admit it until he took me to get my learner’s permit, but Gramps said I was a natural.”

“That is so much cooler than my gum story,” Reilly breathes.

Then we all look at Heath.

“What’d you steal?” Reilly asks.

He frowns. “Nothing cool. A case of beer from my neighbor’s garage for a party when we were in high school.”

He’s right; Jake’s story was way cooler.

“Your turn, Jake,” Reilly says.

“Speaking of high school, never have I ever gotten drunk at a high school party.”

We all drink. Neither Jake nor Heath seems shocked that Reilly does, but they both give me looks.

“Come on, Killer,” Jake presses. “Spill.”

“Like the whole thing?” I ask, laughing and they nod.

I cover my face with my hand and mumble, “God, this is so embarrassing.”

Reilly says, “Ahh, I remember. You thought you were going to die.”

Dropping my hand, I nod.

“What?” Jake growls, his expression hardening.

“I was nowhere near actually dying,” I quickly explain and he relaxes.

“I mixed liquors and the last thing I drank was this red mixed drink. It ended up being the first thing to come back up and I was so drunk that when I started throwing up I thought it was blood and I was going to die.”

Reilly nods. “Between bouts of hugging the toilet she came back to the party to say goodbye to everyone. She wanted them to know she’d miss them after she died.”

Her eyes widen and she smacks her leg before continuing, “I almost forgot. You even made me write a farewell letter to Jake. Oh God, it was hysterical.”

Blushing, I cut her off. “Yeah, well, it’s also the reason I don’t like mixed drinks. Whose turn is it?”

“I’ll go,” Heath says, coming to my rescue. “Never have I ever had a fake ID.”

Reilly is the only one who drinks, and Jake asks, “Where did you get a fake ID from?”

It’s funny how he can still be an over protective brother eight years after the fact.

Reilly seems amused by his annoyance and his question. “There was a boy who lived in our dorm with an older sister who looked like me. It was her driver’s license and it was ages ago.”

His gaze turns to me. “I’m surprise she didn’t find one for you as well.”

“Oh God, even if I had, Kace never would have accepted it,” she jokes.

“Only proves how much smarter she is than you,” he grumbles.

“Thanks
,
Jake, that’s super nice of you to say,” she snaps, setting her drink onto the coffee table with a bang.

Jake folds his arms across his chest, unmoved by her actions. “You’ve grown up a lot since then but you’re still too impulsive. I swear, if I go prematurely gray it will be because of you.”

She lifts her chin. “And it’d probably look good on you because men turn into silver foxes and women age. Being a girl fucking sucks.”

Jake cracks a smile. “Sorry I’m so sexy, and shut up about aging, you’re still a baby.”

“Am not,” she replies, but does it smiling then looks at me. “Your turn.”

Shit, I should have been thinking of one while it was someone else’s turn.

What have I always wanted to know about the people in this room? Reilly’s an open book so there isn’t anything I should direct her way.

That leaves Jake and Heath.

Clearing my throat, I say, “Never have I ever had a one night stand.”

Everyone, save for myself, takes a drink. Jake’s annoyed look is back as he watches Reilly drink. Then he looks at me and his expression turns . . . curious.

He looks back at Reilly. “I’m not sure if I want to know, but was the guy anyone I’d know?”

She shakes her head. “It was during college and it was me who decided it’d only be one night, not him.”

She covers her mouth to smother a giggle and lifts her pinkie up as explanation.

“Reilly, too much information,” Jake grumbles while Heath bursts out laughing.

Reilly goes on, “Then I probably shouldn’t tell you that if it’s looking like sex is on the menu I always make them order a hand job first to be safe.”

“Reilly, I do not need to know that!” Jake snaps making all of us laugh.

“Whatever, it’s common sense,” she replies. “So, what about the two of you? Would Kacey or I know any of your hookups?”

Jake looks relieved that Reilly is no longer sharing. “You knew the few girls I dated in high school. Once I got to college I was focused on football until my knee went, so if I hooked up with anyone it was only a one night thing.”

“What about now,” she presses. “With living on the rig it has to be hard to date.”

He snorts. “Date? It’s impossible. The first couple of years I’d hook up here and there when I was off the rig.”

For some reason, her eyes land on me before looking back at him. “But not recently?”

He shrugs. “I’ve been in a committed relationship,” I stop breathing, “with my hand the last couple of years.”

Air reenters my system and I start cough choking while Reilly mutters, “And you said I told you too much information. Seriously, Jake, gross.”

He just smiles and I take a sip of my beer to wet my throat.

Reilly looks at Heath, “Well?”

“In college there were a few,” he replies noncommittally.

“And after college?” Reilly asks.

He shrugs, looking down. “Yes.”

Her eyes light up. “When you moved back? Is it someone we know?”

He avoids her question. “Who’s next?”

Reilly leans back in her seat, “I am.”

She doesn’t say anything else right away, though. Instead, her gaze slowly moves from Jake, to Heath, to me, back to Jake, and then skipping Heath, back to me. The look in her eyes can only be described as up to no good.

“Never have I ever made out with Jake Whitmore.”

No. Oh God. She didn’t.

Both Heath and Jake stare at her in confusion while my cheeks burn and I look away. The weight of her gaze stays pinned to me.

Shame washes over me as I slowly lift my glass and drink.

Jake is the first to break the silence. “We’ve never made out.”

Reilly suppresses a grin while Heath stares at me before saying, “Ace, why did you drink?”

My hands start shaking so I quickly set my drink down and keep my eyes on my lap. “Do I have to talk about it?”

Jake stands; I can sense his shadow fall over me from across the table. “Yes, you do.”

“God,” I moan, lifting my hands to my face. “It’s so embarrassing.”

“Kacey,” he warns.

Avoiding his eyes, I look up enough so that his legs are in my view and hug myself. “It was years ago. You were so drunk you didn’t even know. I . . . I . . . God, I’m so sorry Jake. I had wanted to kiss you for so long and you were right there so I did it, and then you started kissing me back so I thought you were into it and kept going, but then you passed out mid kiss. I . . . I . . . took advantage of you by kissing you when I knew you were that drunk. I’m so sorry, Jake.”