The Road to the Cup ~ Wattys 2015

Truth or Dare

I drove separately from everyone else to Ian's house. It was just after two AM once we actually got to Ian's, and he was the last one there because he stopped to get more beer. We were lounging on our car hoods when he pulled up, "Well, aren't you all impatient," Ian muttered.

"Shut up and let us in, Cole," Sutter said, proving Ian's point.

"Carry some of the beer then, why don't you?" Ian shot back. I grabbed two cases from him and some of the guys followed my lead. "Honestly, you're going to let a girl carry your beer?" Ian challenged the lazy ones. Perron and Bennett came and attempted to take the beer from me.

"No, no, I don't think so, boys. Should've come up in the first place," I shook my head at them.

"Sorry," Beau blushed.

"You're lucky this is Ian's place or I wouldn't let you have any," I teased.

"Sounds like a good idea, Erin," Ian called.

"Awww, Ian, come on, man!" David said.

"I knew I liked Robert better," Beau muttered.

"I heard that, Sunshine!" Ian yelled, which made Beau turn a darker shade of red. Sutter came over and elbowed the two of them, handing off his cases and then hung his arm off of Beau's shoulders, "It's okay, buddy, we all miss him."

"Thanks, Suttsy," Beau replied.

I smiled at Sutter, "So he does have a soft side."

"Shut up."

"Mhm."

"I know things-"

"Whoa, Sutter actually knows things? Like, he has a brain inside that pretty head of his?" Sidney joked, shutting Sutter up before he could spill the beans.

"Yeah, Suttsy, I swear you preen more than Neal ever did," Marc replied.

"Not as much as you," Geno said.

"Come on, Tanger cares more about his looks than I do!" Marc defended.

"What?" Kris chuckled.

"At least my hair is easy to deal with," Comeau said and the guys snorted with laughter.

They started passing around the beer and I resisted the temptation to sing "99 Bottles of Beer". I reached for my own can, but Ian stopped me, "Nope, I got you something special."

"What? Why? I'm not picky, I can drink beer with the rest of you," I protested.

"Well, I sure as hell won't drink it so it's yours," he handed me a colorful bottle; it was a Shirley Temple made with rum.

I laughed, "Thanks, Ian."

"You're welcome, I know it's your favorite."

"Why didn't I think of that?" Sidney muttered from behind me.

"You did, every time we went out," I replied quietly. Sidney nodded, but he was frowning. I popped the top and the guys made a toast to our success. It seemed early in the postseason to be making toasts, but I wasn't about to rain on their parade. We started clinking glasses, but we gave up after hitting half of them because there were too many people to do it with everyone.

After a few drinks, Bennett had the brilliant idea to play truth or dare and despite several protests, we started the game. "Erin, truth... or dare?" Beau wiggled his eyebrows at me.

"Truth," I didn't want to know what they had in mind for dares.

"What's.... your favorite color?"