Chapter 16 #2
We skip lunch and order pizza for dinner. No one feels like cooking and the dining hall is a bit of a trek from the house.
“I still can’t believe you like pineapple on pizza.” I make a face at Bristol. “Super gross.”
“It’s not gross!” Nova chimes in, defending her. “It makes the flavor a million times better.”
“A million times more gross,” Ashton quips. “I’m with Liam. Nasty.”
Nova rolls her eyes. “Fine, I won’t kiss you with my pineapple pizza lips.”
“Game night?” Harper asks as she packs up the last of the pizza and puts it in the fridge.
“Sure,” Luca says. “Guest picks the game.” Zeke has fallen asleep on the bean bag chair in the living room, and he picks him up and carries him to bed, putting him down for the night. The little guy must have been tuckered out.
Bristol’s eyes widen. “That’s me?”
I nod. “Take your pick, we’ve got all sorts of games in that cabinet.” I gesture to the living room where there are board games stacked at the bottom and video games piled above it.
She saunters over and looks them thoroughly over. “Rapid Fire Questions?” Bristol asks.
“We don’t have that one,” Harper says.
“It’s not an actual—”
“I know. I’m kidding.” Harper plops down on the love seat, and Luca steals the spot next to her before anyone else can take it. “How long is each round? Thirty seconds, or a minute?”
Bristol grabs her spot on the sofa, and I’m right next to her.
“Thirty seconds. Who goes first?” I ask.
“Bristol, obviously, since she came up with the game.” Harper gestures at Bristol. She grabs her phone. “I’ve got a timer we can use.”
Ashton heads for the kitchen. “Where are you going?” I ask.
“This would be better as a drinking game,” he mutters and grabs a bottle of wine from the fridge. He unscrews the lid and brings the whole bottle with him.
“Are you planning on sharing that?” Nova stares at him from the floor. “Where are the cups?”
“I thought we could just drink out of the bottle. At least that’s my plan.” Ashton puts the bottle of wine in front of him and sits on the floor, pulling Nova onto his lap.
“You go first,” I remind Bristol.
“Right. Rapid Fire. Seeing as how there’s liquor, for every question someone chooses not to answer, they have to drink.”
“I thought you had to answer the questions. That’s the whole point of rapid fire.” Luca glances at Ashton. “You really don’t need the whole bottle of wine.”
“I might.” Ashton shrugs. “Besides, I’m willing to share. Bristol, are you ready?”
Harper hits the timer as the questions start flying out.
“Have you and Liam hooked up?” Harper asks.
“No,” Bristol says.
“Do you have a crush on anyone?” Nova asks.
“Yes.”
“Who?” I ask.
She glares at me and reaches for the bottle of wine.
I roll my eyes as she takes a swig.
“Last time you had sex?” Ashton asks.
I glare at him, but I am curious all the same.
“A year, maybe? I don’t remember.”
Well, she didn’t opt to drink and hide that from everyone; that’s something, I guess. “What’s the medical condition you have?” I ask.
Her eyes widen, clearly surprised, and she shouts out a bunch of nonsense to me.
“POTS, EDS, MCAS.”
Fuck if I know what those mean, but at least it’s a starting point.
“That’s time,” Harper announces, and Bristol takes one more swig from the wine bottle. Her cheeks are flushed, and I can’t help but stare at her.
“Your turn,” Bristol says, staring at me.
“Shoot.”
“Let me reset the timer,” Harper says, and when she’s ready, she points at me, for everyone to start firing their questions my way.
“When was the last time you had sex?” Bristol asks.
“Months, before our kiss.” I stare at her. She could have just asked me, and I would have told her. Is that why she wanted to play this game?
“Any STIs?” she asks.
“None. I’m clean.”
“Have you ever touched yourself and thought about me?” I reach for the liquor bottle in her hand. I’m pretty sure my non-committal is answer enough, but I’m not about to say as much in front of everyone.
I take a swig while Ashton fires up a question, getting one in while Bristol just asked three.
“Favorite sex position?” Ashton asks.
I snort, and my eyes widen. “Cowgirl.”
The timer goes off, announcing the end of my turn.
Bristol wrinkles her nose. “That’s too bad, because I’m more of a reverse cowgirl when it comes to sex positions.”
My mouth drops and I take another swig, fighting the silence between us with alcohol.
Nova grins. “My turn. Do me next, but no sex questions. You guys are super pervy.”
Harper starts the timer and rattles off the first question. “Do you work for your father or Luca’s father?”
“No.” The smile disappears from her face. “Why are you asking me that?”
“Spit or swallow?” Ashton asks.
She smacks his arm. “No sex questions, perv.”
He laughs. “Fine. Do you want kids?”
“Yes. Eventually.”
“Your major?” Bristol asks, giving her an easy one.
“Sociology.”
“Your best friend?” I ask.
Nova glances between Ashton, Luca, and Harper. She grabs the alcohol bottle. “Don’t make me choose.”
The timer goes off. “Your turn.” She points at Harper.
I get the distinct impression that Harper is Nova’s best friend, but she values her relationship with both Ashton and Luca to not say as much. She doesn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. That’s Nova, always putting others first.
Harper starts the timer. “Go!”
“Have you ever shot a gun?” Ashton asks.
“No.”
“Ever buried a body?” I joke.
She gives me a peculiar look. “No. You’re just wasting your questions.”
“Are you keeping any secrets from me?” Luca asks, and runs his fingers through Harper’s hair.
There have been a lot of secrets between them in the past, but she doesn’t so much as hesitate. “No.” She stares him in the eyes, and I know she wants to ask him the same question.
“Is Luca the biological father—”
“No,” Harper answers before Bristol can finish the question.
“Did you two ever hook up during your study sessions?” I ask.
“No, we studied.” Harper laughs and shakes her head.
“Have you ever had to fake it with that guy?” Ashton asks, pointing at Luca.
Luca growls at Ashton, and Harper rests a hand on his thigh. “No.”
“I think you’re lying,” Ashton smirks. “You are always so loud, there’s no way it’s real.”
“Oh, it’s real. One hundred percent.”
The timer buzzes, and Harper glances at Luca. “Your turn, babe.” She starts the timer on her phone and starts off the questions. “Have you ever faked it with me?” Harper jokes with Luca.
“Never.” He smirks proudly, and we continue rattling off questions.
“Longest the two of you have gone without sex?” Ashton asks.
Luca snorts. “There was that time I was sick, and she slept in the other room, and we weren’t talking. But you should be asking questions about me, not us.”
“Do you still hate your father?” I ask. It was no secret that he despised Dante, but now that he’s been working for him nearly a year, I’m curious if it’s changed.
“Absolutely. But I understand him.”
Bristol purses her lips. “Have you ever cheated in hockey?”
“No.” His brow pinches.
I can’t help but wonder why Bristol would even ask that question. He’s the best on the team, why would she think that he’d even need to cheat? And how would that even be possible?
“Cheated on a girl?” Ashton asks.
“Never.”
“Are you keeping any secrets from me?” Harper asks.
Luca reaches for the wine bottle and takes a sip.
“What?” her eyes widen. “Seriously, Luca?” She yanks the wine bottle from his grasp, steaming.
He forces a smile, glancing at Bristol. She’s watching and he has to be careful not to give too much away. She has no idea of his father’s business dealings, that his family is mafia.
“Nothing that matters.” He shrugs it off.
“Then tell me what those secrets are.” Harper stands, hands on hips, demanding to know what he’s keeping from her. “Do you know?” She glares at Ashton and then at me.
I hold my hands up in surrender. “I don’t know anything.”
Even if I did, it wouldn’t be my place to tell Harper.
“You’re sleeping in Zeke’s room tonight.” Harper grumbles and stalks over to the sofa, sitting next to me. She’s clearly pissed at her husband.
“Harper.” Luca emits a heavy sigh and stands. He strides across the room, holding out a hand for her. “Let’s go talk.”
“No.” She folds her arms across her chest. “We swore there’d be no more secrets.” Glaring up at him, she gestures for him to move. “Ashton, it’s your turn.”
“Are you sure you still want to play?” he asks, glancing from Harper to Luca.
“Yes.” Harper purses her lips, and I’m just glad it’s not my turn next.
“Fine. Hit me with it.” Ashton gestures for her to bring it on.
She starts the timer and the questions start flying out, Harper the first one, and I knew it was coming before she asked it.
“Did you know Luca was keeping secrets from me?”
Ashton nods. “Yes.”
Her mouth drops.
I decide it’s best steering this game away from destroying Luca and Harper’s marriage. I actually like the two of them together.
“How many girls have you knocked up?” I ask.
“Zero. As far as I know.”
“How many girls have you slept with?” Bristol asks.
“Don’t remember an exact number,” Ashton says. “But ballpark, over one hundred and, yes, I’m clean. I’ve been tested.”
“Pet peeve?” I ask, trying to keep things from derailing and turning into a second bloodbath.
“Hockey players not wearing deodorant.”
Everyone groans.
“Gross!” Nova glances over her shoulder at Ashton. “When did you first start having feelings for me?”
“The minute your brother told me you were off-limits.” Ashton chuckles and holds her tighter against him. “I really started liking you the night of your birthday party. I think I began to see you in a different light. Not just the little sister of my best friend anymore.”
The timer buzzes, and I realize we all made it through one round. The tension between Luca and Harper is already terse. Can we survive another round of this game?
“Your turn again,” Bristol says cheekily, staring right at me.
“Actually, you went first. If we’re playing another round, we rapid fire at you.”