"Yeah, we were awesome today," Ethan says. "I'd say better luck next year you two but who knows if Sebastian will still be with us." He turns his head and gives Olivia a kiss on her temple while she slips the bracelet onto her wrist, examining it with a critical eye.
"It's lovely. Though silver isn't really my metal."
Bash leans close to my ear. "If second place was determined by how many times we stopped to make out, we'd have won by a landslide."
I burst out laughing, unable to contain myself. Olivia's head snaps up, her perfectly sculpted face attempting to form a disapproving expression.
"Uh-oh. Don't look now," I whisper back to him, "but Botox Barbie is trying to frown."
He snorts into his hot chocolate, and we both dissolve into barely suppressed giggles. Ethan glances at us suspiciously, but I innocently take a sip of my drink.
"Well," my mother announces, clapping her hands, "we have another surprise for tonight. Sarah, shall we show them?"
Sarah, who's been talking with Emily near the fireplace, breaks into a wide grin. "Absolutely. Margaret, Patricia, and I have been plotting all day."
Mom leads us into the den, and I stop short in the doorway. The room has been transformed into what looks like a legitimate game show set. Two tables face each other, each with three chairs and buzzers. A whiteboard displays categories, and fairy lights are strung across the ceiling. There's even a small podium where someone can stand as the host.
"This is incredible," I say, turning to Sarah and my mom. "How did you pull this off so quickly?"
Sarah grins. "Your mom had most of the supplies already, and I may have gone a little overboard with the decorating. I used to run pub quizzes back in Denver."
"We figured after all that running around town, you might enjoy a little friendly competition in the comfort of home," my mom adds.
"More competition?" Olivia sighs, but Ethan perks up.
"Trivia? I'm in," he says. "I was captain of the quiz bowl team in college."
Of course he was.
"We'll need teams of three," Mrs. Harper explains, reading from a sheet of paper. "And we've already assigned them to mix things up a bit."
My stomach drops. Please don't put me with Ethan. Please don't put me with Ethan.
"Team one will be Charlie, Bash, and Sarah," she announces.
I exhale in relief.
"Team two is Ethan, Olivia, and Emily."
"What?" Emily squawks. "Why am I with them?"
"To make it fair, dear," my mom says sweetly. "You're too competitive with your sister."
Emily shoots me a look of pure betrayal as she trudges over to join Ethan and Olivia. I mouth "sorry" at her, but inside I'm thrilled with our team lineup.
"The adults will judge and keep score," Dad explains, gesturing to himself, my mom, and the Harpers.
"What about me?" Addie pipes up from the couch where she's been scrolling on her phone.
"You can be our technical assistant," Sarah tells her. "Help with the projector and sound effects."
Addie sighs dramatically but moves to the laptop connected to the projector.
Our team settles at the blue table, and I find myself sandwiched between Bash and Sarah. There's something strangely comforting about being flanked by the Montgomery siblings, as if I've known them much longer than just a few days.
"Strategy time," Sarah whispers. "What are everyone's strengths?"
"Charlie knows art and literature," Bash offers immediately. "And she's weirdly good at remembering lyrics."
