[Eight]

Miles stared at the small chipboard tile in his hand, frowning in concentration as he tried to determine what Eva's next move would be. He was already twenty points behind her, with only one meeple left to use in play and a large unfinished city taking up the majority of his turns. This piece didn't fit where he needed it to, but it might just help him set up a future play that would allow him to jump in on her road…

Eva blew a raspberry in the air while reaching for a handful of popcorn, "You make this game too cerebral. I can practically see your mental gymnastics."

"You always beat me," he muttered, carefully laying the tile down and setting out his last meeple.

Demonstrating her superior strategic mind, Eva hissed out a crisp, "Shit", having already guessed what he was aiming to do.

"You're still going to beat me," he whined, reaching for a hand of popcorn himself.

"Probably…" she chewed thoughtfully selecting a tile for her turn, "Yeah. I am."

Frank entered the small break room, reaching for the coffee as he looked over at what they were doing, comically titling his head as he tried to read the title on the box, "You guys got any other games? Any one's I can pronounce? Is that German?"

Miles looked away from Eva's determined features and at the box, "Carcassonne? Yeah, it's German. A friend in Bonn sent it to me as a get-well present; I had to get Natalie to translate the rules."

"She speaks German?"

"And French, and Spanish…" Eva answered, laying out a tile that would make it certain that Miles would never finish his city. He pulled at his hair in agony; she stuck her tongue out at him.

"Wonder. Woman." Frank sat with his coffee, "Does this play three? I've got some time to kill, and I could honestly play something that isn't monopoly for a change."

"Boo, monopoly," Miles deadpanned while Eva tried to surreptitiously indicate to Frank that getting Miles on the topic of monopoly was not a good idea. To be fair to her, he could go on a solid 45 minute rant about why it was a terrible game that should never ever be played again. By anyone. Ever. Instead, he smiled wanly at Frank and answered the man's question.

"It plays three just fine. The rules are simple too."

They settled in in companionable silence as the game came to an end, only speaking to hammer out the rules for Frank. They were waiting for Natalie to finish up a meeting with Teams 2 and 4 before heading out together for their monthly happy hour. Since the bulk of their paperwork had been squared away, they were left to their own devices. Given it was a Friday, that meant playing board games in the break room instead of digging up more work. She'd forgive them. In fact, it was highly probable that she'd join in, if she caught them.

Miles found the difference in the team dynamic…relieving. To be fair, they had made time for poker and drinks between cases while Stephen was in charge, but those moments always came with pangs of fatigue and even wariness (especially wariness, if Stephen was joining them). Now they could enjoy a card game or two together, even after a relatively mild day of work, without the specter of disappointment floating over their heads or the threat of another case file waiting for them at home. He honestly couldn't remember the last time they'd worked two weekends in a row, such were Natalie's skills of delegation.

"See Tiffany again?" Frank asked, as they were entering their third game.

Miles made a face, laughing only when he saw Eva mimic it back at him, "No. I mean. She's a nice woman. Brilliant. The first couple of dates went well, but…uh…I think she works too much."

Eva was the first to laugh and was quickly joined by Franks chuckling.

"I know, it's weird that I'm saying that," Miles smile turned wry, "and it's not even a criticism. We still work a lot, but she's on a whole other level."

"Eighty hours?" Frank teased.

"More," Miles mouthed.

"Jesus…"

"Died so Tiffany could work a hundred hours a week, Frank," the fluttering of Eva's eyelashes rounded out her delivery, drawing all three into more laughter.

"That's what I like to hear," Natalie's voice, tired but friendly, floated through the open break-room door. Her head and shoulders followed, "When you three are together, all I have to do is follow the raucous laughter."

"Wanna play? We can pull up another seat."

Natalie flashed him a pretty smile before withdrawing back into the hall, "No. I want a drink!"

A moment later, she stuck her head in again, "But bring the game."