cushions.
“We’re going to need more to drink for this,” Tyler Stevens joked as he started refilling glasses.
“Leave it to the best man to know what we need and provide,” Maria thanked Tyler, causing the rest of us to hoot and holler as our glasses were all refilled.
“Okay, now we’re ready to do this,” Tyler announced as he took his seat on the deck floor.
“Before we start, no one can dare anyone to jump into the water and no one can do anything that would get us arrested,” I stated. “Agreed?”
“Agreed,” others said in unison.
“And no recording anything that happens during the game. Any other rules?” Chloe asked, looking around the group.
I shook my head because I couldn’t think of anything else.
“Okay, let’s start,” Omar cheered, clapping his hands together loudly.
Eli pointed at Dominick and Chloe. “It’s your wedding weekend, so one of you should start,” he suggested.
Dominick looked at his bride-to-be. “You want to go first, don’t you?” he asked her.
She grinned, bouncing in her seat. “Yes!” she squealed. “And I know just who I want to ask.” She cast her gaze around the group. “Eli… truth or dare?”
“Shit,” Eli swore, causing us all to laugh. “I’ll go with… truth.”
Chloe rubbed her hands together. “Eli Washington… why did you pick a fight and break up with your girlfriend so you would be single on this trip?”
The entire group erupted in laughter. My head fell back, and I grabbed my stomach.
“If this is how we’re starting off, I’m shook,” I told Latisha who was sitting right next to me.
“You?!” She gave me a look.
I nodded because I knew she was thinking what I was thinking.
Eli broke up with his girlfriend so he would be single when he saw Tisha again.
“Are you going to answer or are you stalling?” Omar called out.
Eli shook his head. “Okay, okay, okay. This is a hard question because it insinuates that I picked a fight. I didn’t pick the fight! She couldn’t take Thursday off, so she didn’t want me to come if she couldn’t.” He shrugged. “She made me choose between coming to the wedding without her or ending things.” He lifted his glass. “I’m here.”
“You kind of glossed over why she didn’t want you to come,” Chloe pointed out, not letting him off the hook.
He chuckled to himself. “She didn’t want me to come because of”—he looked over at my best friend— “Tisha.”
Everyone oohed and then laughed.
“Okay, okay, okay,” Eli shushed, waving his arms around. “It’s my turn and I choose Maria Davies.”
“Truth!” Maria cheered with glassy eyes.
Eli tapped his chin dramatically. “What has been the wildest thing you’ve done this year?”
“I had a threesome,” she answered definitively. “Hands down the wildest thing I’ve done this year. My turn—”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Dom exclaimed.
“Wait, you can’t just skim past that,” Kingston rationalized.
“You need to elaborate,” Eli clarified.
Omar looked around the couches. “Why don’t y’all have a reaction?”
“I told them after it happened in our group text,” Maria explained with a shrug. “It was me and a couple I know. They live downtown, near the bar where we were celebrating. I spent the night at their place after a night of drinking. One thing led to another and another.”
The men continued having their reaction.
“Oh, calm down,” Maria groaned. “My turn! And I choose… Omar of Simone and Omar.”
Omar shook his head. “I guess I’ll keep the streak alive—truth.”
Maria giggled before asking, “Does it bother you that you will forever be Omar of Simone and Omar?”
He chuckled, seemingly relieved. “It’s annoying as hell, but it’s funny. I mean, women I’ve dated haven’t thought it was funny. But that was so long ago.”
“He got off easy with that question,” Dom whispered loudly, causing us to laugh.
“Okay, Dominick Love,” Omar started, turning toward the groom-to-be. “Truth or dare?”
“I’m not scared.” Dom puffed out his chest. “Truth.”
“Have you finished writing your vows?” Omar asked.
Dom’s face crumpled. “Uh…”
“Dom!” Chloe cried out, slapping his arm.
“They will be completely done by Saturday, Chloe baby,” Dom pacified his fiancée, pulling her into his lap. “I love you, so the words are going to flow.” As he hugged her he glared at Omar over her shoulder and mouthed, “I will get you back.”
We laughed.
“What’s so funny?” Chloe asked, getting back in her seat.
“It’s my turn and I’m out for blood. Since I can’t choose the person who just chose me, I’ll go with…” His smile grew. “Latisha Marshall.”
“Out for blood? Because of something Omar did? Nah,” Tisha scoffed, shaking her head. “I feel like dare