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The trivia game goes pretty well. Caroline is fucking amazing. She knows as much shit as Asher does. The two bounce off each other, scoring us nines and tens for every round. Leilani knows her fair share as well, and I sit there like a useless lump until the Entertainment round. Finally, I have something to share, even though they only need my help on two questions.
“Who released an album called Swordfishtrombones in 1983?”
“Tom Waits.” I get three surprised blinks at the speed of my answer, but my grandpa loved that album.
Leilani dubiously writes it down, and I whoop in her face when the answers are revealed.
The second question I had to think about for a second, but I got it in the end. “What’s the name of the group responsible for the ‘Macarena’?”
“Los something,” I muttered for a minute. I kept landing on Los Lobos, but that was the band who made “La Bamba” a hit. “Los… Los Del Rio. Yeah, I think that’s it.” I started pointing at the iPad the way Asher had been doing all night, and Leilani agreed with me, typing the answer in the nick of time.
We won that round, too, and ended up winning the quiz night.
I didn’t realize our team name was Brainiac Bandits until they announced the winner and Caroline and Leilani threw their hands in the air with loud cheers.
“Brainiac Bandits? Seriously?”
“Yes!” Caroline laughs, kissing me before taking our prizes, which are food and drinks vouchers for this place.
Looks like we’ll be coming back here again.
I share a quick look with Asher, who is shaking his head and fighting a grin as he watches Leilani kiss the vouchers in triumph. There goes her smile again.
I think he’s noticing how pretty it is, but the second she senses him watching her, she snaps back into the Dragon Queen scowl and gets up from the table.
“Let’s go, Cinn.”
“Sin?” I get up, pulling her chair back for her.
Caroline gives her friend a little side-eye before cringing at me. “My family calls me Cinnamon. It’s just a pet name. Lani thought it was cute and adopted it without my say-so.”
“Cinnamon.” I grin, gliding my hand down the back of her hair. “I like it.”
“Don’t you dare,” she grumbles. “My boyfriend is not calling me the same name as my dad. Seriously. Come up with anything else.”
“Lil’ Red?”
“She’s not a stick of gum.” Leilani tuts.
“That’s Big Red,” Asher corrects her.
“I know that, jackass, but Lil’ Red sounds gum-ish.”
“It is cinnamon flavored,” he continues to argue as he follows her out the door, obviously getting some kind of satisfaction over riling her up.
“Those two.” Caroline shakes her head as we follow them.
“I know, right? Leave them unattended and they’ll probably kill each other.”
“It’s such a bummer.” Her lips turn down in a pout. “I was really hoping our friends would get along so we could hang out like this more. Tonight was really fun.” She beams up at me.
I plant a kiss on her lips, wrapping my arm around her shoulders as we amble out of the bookstore.
It was kinda fun.
Sure, I didn’t know hardly any of the answers, but watching Caroline rattle them off was fun. Asher was in his element, and even Miss Grumpy Pants showed off a couple of great smiles.
All in all, a good night.
