“Pictionary,” Chase answered. “High stakes. Losers have to do dishes for a week.”
“We literally just got home, and you’re already trying to assign chores.” Jase groaned.
“Then win,” Dad replied simply.
Faye slid a conspiratorial look at Cammie. “Think we can take them?”
My stepsister nodded. “Absolutely.”
We’d dragged the coffee table out of the way and set the big Pictionary pad on an easel near the TV.
“Ground rules,” Dad said. “No writing letters, no talking while drawing, and no psychic stepbrother nonsense.”
He aimed that last part at me and Jase.
“That’s called teamwork,” Jase stated.
“You guys can keep talking, but Faye and I are going to clean the floor with you.” My stepsister smirked.
I leaned close to Jase and dropped my voice. “We can’t lose to them, or we’ll never hear the end of it."
He nodded. “Then get your psychic powers ready, bro.”
The game started with my dad and Chase. Chase drew something that looked vaguely like a potato with sticks coming out of it. Dad shouted, “Octopus! Car! Explosion! Tyler’s haircut sophomore year!”
I snorted. “It really was that bad.”
“Christmas!” Dad continued to yell. “Christmas tree. Holiday. Ornament. Hallmark movie where she falls for the small-town guy?—”
“Time,” Cammie sing-songed.
“It was ‘forest,’” Chase sighed, flipping the pad around.
“It looked more like broccoli.” Jase laughed
Faye pressed a hand to her mouth to hide her smile.
They didn’t get the point. Cammie and Faye went next. Cammie barely had time to draw a lopsided stick figure before Faye said, “Baseball pitcher.”
Jase and I groaned in unison.
“See?” my stepsister announced. “I knew we’d kick butt.”
“You probably cheated,” I muttered under my breath.
“You’re just jealous,” Faye teased.
Jase took the card and stepped up to the pad for our turn. He glanced at the word and grinned.
The timer flipped.
He drew one line. Just a quick, curved swoop.
“Wave,” I guessed.
“Yes!” We high-fived.
Everyone else stared between us and the single line.
