Met Jake at Irby’s
    for beer and catch-up—

Mari napped through the pregame. (veteran move)

When she woke,
     I tossed the invite—
     Cards game & pizza.

     She said yes.

She arrived
    five seconds after Jake left—
                  perfect timing,
         like a well-placed bunt,
     dropped right down the line.

Cardinals over the Rockies,
          a new Ga Tech buddy in the mix
                     (Patrick? I think?),
                                and then—
                       two-for-one pizza,
                          back to my BNB,
         and the only stat that mattered:

   hours of good old-fashioned snuggling.

Her “back to Coal” alarm
    rang at one a.m.,
    and she exited like she does—

    no frills, just gone.

Tonight—
        actual date night, (yes, unusual)
        speakeasy Italian.

Oh, and fun fact:
    Rangers and Cardinals—
    both chasing playoffs,
    same record right now, 61–59.

    What are the odds?

Still, the biggest win last night
was not lit up on any scoreboard.