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I snorted. “No, Jimmy. Our trivia team is safe.” I shook my head. “You and Chase, with your high school hang-ups. You and Ty used to play for the same team. He’s not the enemy.”

“Oh, so now he’snotthe enemy? You sure have changed your tune. Who are you, and what have you done with my sister?”

Melena and Tamra giggled, and I couldn’t help but smile too. They had me there.

“I’m just saying, Ty isn’t out to get you. You don’t have to be all competitive when we were just talking. You either,” I said, letting my exasperation show.

Sometimes Chase made me feel like I had two brothers, not just one.

“What makes me competitive? My fabulous gaming skills?” Chase’s playful question and dancing eyes made it an invitation for a burn, like he could guess what was coming.

“Punching above your weight with a beauty like Tamra,” Jimmy said.

Chase shoved him in the shoulder, though his expression was more playful than annoyed.

“At least she’s marrying me because shewantsto,” Chase taunted back.

Melena, the veteran of two brothers, wouldn’t let his dig stand. “Oh, Iwanthim all right.”

The accompanying wink and squeeze of my brother’s thigh was more affection than I really needed.

“Melena, that’s still my brother you’re talking about.”

My protest lacked heat. The change of subject had gotten me out of talking about Ty. It was too new to share. Too tenuous. And Jimmy had too many darn opinions. Old habits, like keeping my crushes secret, died hard.

Pete announced the victors for the first round, and our team groaned theatrically when we tied the Knit Wits with fourteen points. I guessed neither of us go the city question right. Luckily, we emerged victorious from the second round, beating them by one, and keeping us neck and neck with the Knit Wits for the overall Haven score. The perpetual trophy in our honor was so close, I could taste it. Ty tipped his hat in my direction as he accompanied some of his teammates out, and I tried not to feel disappointed when he didn’t stop to talk.

We’d have the time we needed to establish our footing on our date.

Jimmy caught my secret smile, his eyes narrowing.

“You have that look,” he accused.

I shrugged, going for nonchalant. “What?”

“Like you’re planning something.”

“Brother dear, I’m always planning something. Have you met me?”

“You’re not planning to wear black to Chase and Tamra’s wedding or diss her at the ceremony, are you?”

I snorted gently. “No. IlikeTamra.” I shift a glance to Melena. “No offense, but I didn’t know you then.” My attention lasered to Jimmy. “And neither didyou. I think my response was proportionate.”

He hooted, a grin taking over his face. I noticed Melena smiling indulgently. “Proportionate? To what?”

“You harshing on my dating prospects growing up, interfering in my love life.”

“Who, moi? I didn’t interfere.” Jimmy’s feigned pearl-clutching and open-mouthed horror at the suggestion that he was overprotective made my lips twitch.

“Liar,” Chase coughed out next to him, smiling innocently up at Tamra as she slid into the booth next to him.

“What did I miss?” she asked.

“Jimmy is full of shit,” Chase said.

“Nothing new there.” Her calm response made my lips twitch. Chase had been lucky to find Tamra. Melena and Jimmy were holding hands under the table, and the sweetness of the gesture made me all gooey inside. They’d both been lucky.

That night, when I got home to my lonely apartment, I struggled to focus on my book. Not one of Chase’s romances, but a court thriller. Maybe a little too real after my recent brush with jury duty. Inaccuracies kept taking me out of the story, and I put it down to try another day. In a better frame of mind, I’d chalk it up to fiction reasons and keep reading. Translating the sometimes boring and alternately confusing and awkward experience to the page isn’t something I’d wish on anyone.