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I arrived well before the first round was scheduled to begin, hoping to catch him before Pete started. Melena caught my repeated glances toward the Knit Wits booth and finally called me on it.

“He’s not here yet, Andi. I’ll let you know when I spot him.”

That caught Jimmy’s attention, and he looked up from his menu, eyes narrowing. “Who’s not here?”

“Her archnemesis,” Tamra responded, rushing in to save the day.

“Or more accurately, her heart-emesis,” Melena said.

Tamra frowned. “Heart vomit? I don’t think that means what you think it means, Melena.”

“I thought it was kinda poetic,” Jimmy said in defense of his wife and put an arm on the table, leaning in my direction. “Though, Andi, do you have something to share with the team?”

“My heart is fine,” I groused, shooting an accusatory look Melena’s way. So much for sisterly trust. “The only thing that makes me want to vomit is watching you cozy up to your wife like a sad sack.”

“You’re just jealous,” he grumbled back, relaxing into his seat with a smirk.

Not wrong. He’d hit the truth, without even trying. I’d grown to admire their closeness, maybe resent it a bit. Since their hasty marriage, Jimmy now leaned first on Melena and didn’t come to me for advice as much as he used to. It wasn’t a bad thing, only a natural evolution of adulthood, but I missed him. They were partners. And I was the odd one out.

Chase returned from the bar, sliding a tray of drinks onto our table.

“Everyone ready to rumble tonight?” he asked. “Andi, did you bring the heat?”

Glad of the subject change, I smiled. “You bet.”

Tamra kicked me under the table, and I scowled before she tipped her head to the Knit Wits team.

Ty.

Dressed in jeans and a black T-shirt spread lovingly across his chest and shoulders, a Rainiers ballcap pulled low over his forehead, he nodded at me from across the bar.

A nod. Part of me was disappointed by the subtle acknowledgement but after glancing at Jimmy and the others at my table to check their reactions, maybe he had the right idea.

Pete kicked off the first round, and we huddled over our answer sheet.

“Stadium High School was made famous by what turn of the century film?”

“Ooh, I know this one,” Tamra said.

“Ten Things I Hate About You,” Chase whispered, beating his fiancé to the punch. She mock scowled at him, but he snuck a quick kiss along her jaw, and her expression relaxed.

“Okay, second question. What urban park in Washington is second only in size to New York’s Central Park?” Pete asked.

Jimmy slid a quick grin at Melena. “This one, we know. Point Defiance. Come for the views, leave with a wife.”

Their soft smiles had me glancing at Ty’s table. Did the Knit Wits know the answer? I doubted anyone on his team had the personal connection to the park that Jimmy and Melena did. Their infamous quickie-wedding had taken place at Point Defiance. It had been a beautiful setting for an almost-fake ceremony.

“If you hear the lahar sirens, what should you do?”

“Bend over and kiss your ass goodbye before the volcanic mud washes you away?” Jimmy asked playfully.

I rolled my eyes. “Get to higher ground as soon as possible after the mountain erupts.”

“I knew that,” Jimmy said.

“Sure, you did, slick.”

Jimmy flicked a dismissive hand my way. “The fire department supervises the evacuation drills for the local elementary students.”