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“I knew you had a presentation for a coffee shop rebrand. I knew you hated mornings, worked too late, forgot to eat lunch, and pretended not to like Biscuit.”

Julia reached for a fried pickle. “I knew about you before I ever met Noah.”

Claire stared at all three of them. “How?”

“Cole would come home with updates about Noah’s neighbor.” Julia began counting on her fingers. “‘Claire has a presentation tomorrow.’ ‘Claire spilled coffee again.’ ‘Claire says she doesn’t like dogs, but Biscuit has decided otherwise.’”

Claire turned back toward Noah. “You gave them Claire updates?”

He lifted one shoulder. “You were eventful.”

“I went to work and drank coffee.”

“Exactly. Riveting.”

A man stepped up to the microphone at the front of the restaurant and announced that trivia would begin in five minutes. Answer sheets and pencils were passed from table to table.

Claire reached for theirs immediately. “We need a strategy.”

Noah looked at Cole. “This is about to become intense.”

“I am not intense,” Claire said.

Julia handed her the pencil. “You look like the person most qualified to keep Cole from writing down whatever answer feels right.”

“That happened one time,” Cole protested.

“It happens every week.”

“That’s how Noah measures everything,” Claire told Julia. “Whatever feels right.”

“First, we need a team name,” Cole said.

“Noah’s Neighbor,” Julia suggested.

Claire objected. “I am more than his neighbor.”

Noah smiled. “You are now.”

Before Claire could object again, Cole took the pencil and the answer sheet and wrote NOAH’S NEIGHBOR across the top.

“I already regret coming,” she said.

Noah draped an arm along the back of the booth behind her. “No, you don’t.”

She looked at the fried pickles, then at Julia. “No, I don’t.”

Claire snatched the answer sheet back from Cole. “I should have this.”

Cole reached for it. “I should write.”

“Why?”

“Leadership.”

Julia took the pencil from him and handed it to Claire. “He cannot spell ‘renaissance.’”

“That has never come up.”