The groom looked like someone had just offered him the biggest present under the Christmas tree.
“We are absolutely doing that!” he said with enthusiasm.
Before I could object, he had signed us up. Or attempted to. My name was misspelled to read Brackston.
I wrangled the men to an empty table, ordered drinks for the group, and immediately realized I was in charge.
The pub filled quickly with teams. Locals eyed us with interest. One groomsman knocked his chair over and laughed like it was the greatest moment of his life. Another insisted on buying a round he didn't know how to pay for.
William picked up a dart and weighed it in his hand. “These are not regulation.”
Dex stared at him. “You know darts?”
William shrugged. “Your mother and I used to play. There was a league.”
That explained more than I was prepared to process.
“Welcome to trivia and darts!” A man had climbed onto a table and was shouting over the din. “Each team will take turns at darts and also be in the trivia round. Whoever scores best at both will win. It’s a hundred dollars cash entry fee due at the bar right now so if you haven’t paid, get over here.”
He stepped down from the table, heading to the bar.
“I have a twenty,” one of the groomsmen ponied up the cash.
“I only have credit cards,” Dex stated and it was shortly realized the rest of our group only had credit cards as well.
Pulling out the remaining eighty dollars from my wallet, I brought it with the twenty to the bar, making sure our team was paid for.
Our turn at the dart board was first. William stepped up to the line and threw with calm precision, landing solid scores without comment. Dex followed, clearly new to the game, but somehow possessed a natural talent that made the locals mutter darkly into their drinks.
Then it was the groom’s turn.
He threw without looking and the dart embedded itself in the wall.
“I am so sorry,” the groom said immediately.
“Eyes on the board,” I said gently, steering him back.
His next throw skimmed past a man’s ear.
“Maybe aim at the board,” Dex suggested.
The groom nodded solemnly. “Right. Aim.”
He closed his eyes and threw again.
The dart struck the bullseye dead center.
The pub exploded with cheers and laughter. Someone clapped him on the back.
William stared at the board.
“Did you see that,” the groom whispered.
“Yes,” I said. “Everyone did.”
Round after round, the pattern continued. William was excellent. Dex was irritatingly good. The groom was pure chaos and impossible luck.
In the meanwhile, questions were projected onto the pub’s wall with the announcer yelling the questions. Most were about history, geography, and math. Those Dex and I excelled at.
