Milo: She’s a shark at trivia. Just sit back and prepare to not answer a thing.
Slater: I wish you had told me that sooner.
Milo: LOL! Have fun!
“Final question of the night!” Maisie said. “In Up, where does Carl Fredricksen want to move his house?”
Evie nearly knocked her chair over in her haste to get to her feet. “Paradise Falls! Paradise Falls!”
There were several groans and disgruntled murmurs as Maisie told her she was correct. “And tonight’s trivia winners are Team Bean! Congratulations!”
“Yes! That’s awesome!” Turning to him, Evie’s smile was beyond bright. Her entire face lit up like she’d just won a million dollars instead of a couple of insulated travel mugs.
Her enthusiasm was infectious, and he stood to congratulate her, but she jumped into his arms, catching him completely off guard. Her laughter burst against his ear, warm and unguarded, and her body pressed fully against his in a way it had never been before. For a split second, his hands hovered, uncertain. Then they settled at her waist, solid and sure.
Too sure.
She fit there almost too easily, like this was a place she’d always belonged.
The room blurred at the edges. The noise faded. All he could feel was her—her weight, her warmth, the way her fingers curled into the back of his sweatshirt as if she trusted him completely not to let her fall.
She pulled back slightly and placed a quick and loud kiss right on his lips. It was over in less than a second, but he swore he felt it all the way down to his soul.
“Best night ever!” she said before hugging him close again.
And just like that, something shifted.
This wasn’t Evie-the-friend, or Evie-who-needed-consoling, or Evie-who-sat-beside-him-on-planes-and-porches.
This was a woman in his arms, laughing, alive, and brilliant.
She pulled back just enough to look at him again, her cheeks flushed, her eyes still sparkling. “I told you,” she said. “I told you I kick butt at trivia.”
He swallowed hard, his mouth suddenly dry. “Yeah,” he managed. “I’m… seeing that.”
Her smile softened, and she finally slid down his body and back onto her feet.
But Slater stayed exactly where he was, his heart pounding, his world completely tilting on its axis, and his hands remembering the shape of her long after she was gone.
Because he knew—absolutely, undeniably—that he’d crossed some invisible line.
And there was no going back.
But before he knew it, Evie was taking him by the hand and leading him up to the podium where Maisie had their prize. He wasn’t focused on that part; all he could think about was how small her hand was, how smooth her skin was, and how comically large his own hand was in comparison.
“Congratulations, Team Bean,” Maisie said with a big smile. “But I need to ask how you came up with that name!” She held the mic out to Evie.
“Well, I am a coffee fanatic,” she explained. “I take it very seriously. Whenever Slater came to Seattle, we would talk about it because…you know…it’s the birthplace of Starbucks. For the last two years, we’ve had many conversations about the pros and cons of different coffees, and he gave me the nickname Evie Beanie because of it. How cute is that?”
Maisie gave him a knowing smirk. “Extremely cute,” she agreed. “And congratulations, you two! Thanks for playing!”
She turned her attention to the rest of the crowd as Evie picked up their mugs. “How about we get some decaf and then head down to the fire pit and make s’mores again?”
“Um…” He wasn’t sure if spending more time together right now was the best idea, but she was looking up at him with those big brown eyes, and he couldn’t seem to make himself say no. “Sure. That sounds great. I’ve actually got a stash of ingredients at my cabin, so…”
“Yay!”
They walked out the main entrance and Evie was going on and on about all the questions and how she knew the answers and how much she loved trivia, and yet all Slater could think about was how her body felt pressed against his and that she’d kissed him.
