Truth or Dare - Danielle Allen Page 0,24

a little intense earlier. It didn’t have anything to do with you, per se. You know I love you. And I’m not a bridezilla.”

I laughed, pulling her into a hug. “I love you, too, Chloe.”

She pulled out of my hug and then hugged Tisha. “I love you, Tisha.”

“I love you, too, Bridezilla!”

Chloe giggled as she walked backward toward Dominick’s aunt. “Don’t forget we meet at ten forty-five in my room!”

We waved at her before she skipped away.

“Okay now that we’re alone, we need to talk,” Latisha whispered, looking around conspiratorially. “What the hell was—”

“Hey, where are you two headed?” Maria asked, popping up from seemingly nowhere.

“To the room,” I answered quickly. “Where are you headed?”

“I was trying to go to the bar, but I feel like if I do, Chloe will appear and throw that itinerary in my face,” she joked, falling into step with us.

“I think as long as we’re on time tomorrow, we’ll be fine,” I stated. “She’s preoccupied with other things anyway.”

Like playing matchmaker.

“Yeah, it’s just ten o’clock,” Tisha agreed. “If we’re in our rooms, in bed, by midnight, we will have more than enough sleep to look bright eyed and bushy tailed for the photos.”

“I was thinking the same thing, but the way she made us go to our rooms last night, I wasn’t going to risk it,” Maria laughed.

“This is no different than the night before graduation and she kept trying to get everyone to get a good night’s rest,” Tisha pointed out. “Chloe is keeping it consistent!”

My head fell back, and I let out a chuckle. The memory of a drunk Chloe cutting off all the lights in the campus apartment we shared and demanding the four of us go to our rooms was hilarious.

“Remember when she got mad and demanded that everyone go to sleep, but Kingston, Tyler, Kenny, and that other guy…what was his name? Kenny’s friend? Vernon, I think?” I wondered before shaking my head. “I don’t know. But it was the four of them sitting in the dark in the living room because she had cut the lights off and taken their keys so they couldn’t drive.”

The three of us were laughing so hard we could barely stand. We made our way to the bar and ordered a round of daiquiris. I picked up my phone to check the time and saw I had a text message.

Kingston Wright: Call me and say it’s an emergency.

I laughed out loud.

“What’s so funny?” Maria wondered, leaning over in an attempt to see my phone.

I shielded it from her. “A friend wants an emergency call to get out of a date,” I replied.

“I’ve been there,” she empathized with a dry laugh.

Tisha lifted her glass. “Haven’t we all.”

After clinking glasses with my friends, I responded to the message.

Simone Jefferies: We are in paradise, in a different country. What kind of emergency is going to get you out of your date?

Kingston Wright: Date? I’m not on a date. I’m with Chloe, Corrine, and Mrs. Park giving a TED Talk about Atlanta.

Simone Jefferies: You’re with all three Park women right now?

Kingston Wright: Yes. And they’re acting like I work for the Atlanta board of tourism.

Simone Jefferies: I’m laughing my ass off!

Kingston Wright: Instead of laughing, help me!

Simone Jefferies: I’m not able to intervene. I’m supposed to stay away.

Kingston Wright: What does that mean?

I didn’t want to throw Chloe under the bus and out her matchmaking scheme. But I also didn’t know how to answer his question and I didn’t want to lie. So, I didn’t say anything at all. Putting my phone back in my bag, I jumped back into the conversation with Tisha and Maria.

We continued reminiscing and laughing until the bar closed at midnight. On the other side of the resort there was a little mall, a casino, and a nightclub. The bar on that side stayed open until four o’clock in the morning.

“We could keep the party going,” Maria suggested as we tipped the bartender.

“If we’re asleep by two, we will be able to get eight hours of sleep and still have time to shower and meet at Chloe’s room on time,” Tisha reasoned.

I laughed. “I’m tired, but you guys should go have fun. Just don’t be late in the morning and don’t get caught,” I warned them as we approached the elevators.

“Should we call the guys?” Maria wondered. “Because if they’re with Dominick, they’ll tell him, and he’ll tell Chloe.”

“It’s the wedding night. They aren’t seeing each other tonight,” I reminded them. “By