As if summoned by the mention of his name, Buttons came scampering over. Lucy tossed a couple of pieces of lettuce into a bowl in the corner, and the hamster made a beeline for it.
“Anyway, we got him home, and we kept finding things with missing buttons, off shirts, coats. Took us forever to realize he was the thief. He’d been collecting them.”
She gestured toward his cage—though “cage” wasn’t really accurate. It looked like a hamster luxury condo, multi-leveled and full of toys. “And, there they all are.” In the corner of his little hamster condo was a stash of buttons.
A laugh sputtered out of me as I sat down beside Casey. “Buttons is so cute. I’ve never known anyone to have a hamster just running loose.”
“Levi insists on it,” Lucy said with a sigh. “I’m constantly worried I’m going to step on him. But Ham was happy that way, and Buttons seems to be doing just great.” She cast a bemused smile toward Buttons.
We settled around the table, occasionally noshing off the tray of nachos Lucy had set out. “These are amazing,” I commented between bites.
Amelia snorted and rolled her eyes. “Lucy definitely did not make these.”
Lucy shrugged nonchalantly. “I don’t cook. But Levi does.”
As the evening wore on, the crowd expanded. By the time we had settled into a card game, there were nine women there, most of whom I’d grown up with, except for a few newcomers. Lucy, Amelia, Maisie, Holly, Tish, Casey, Luna, and Jasmine.
Maisie turned out to be the most serious of the card players. She won hand after hand, and she didn’t even blink while she was at it.
I smiled over at Casey, who was seated beside me. “Thanks for encouraging me to finally come.”
She grinned and wrapped an arm around my shoulders, giving me a quick squeeze before leaning back in her chair. “You were due. I even come to these. Elsa moved back, and she’s been coming when she can. So it’s important.”
“What’s going on with you and Kincaid?” Maisie’s question came out of nowhere.
When I glanced over, her eyes were still locked on her cards. Her question threw me off. I hadn’t expected anyone to bring Kincaid up.
“What do you mean?” I hedged.
“Well, you were his date for the fundraiser,” she said casually, playing her next card before finally lifting her gaze to mine. “I like Kincaid. He takes care of his mom.”
“I know,” I said, nodding.
“Beck keeps me up to speed,” Maisie added.
“He’s going to ask you about him soon enough,” Casey said. “He was already giving Kincaid relationship advice at the station.”
“Beck?” I blinked.
“Beck is the office gossip,” Amelia chimed in, her tone dry. “Or at least, that’s what the guys call him.”
I laughed, genuinely startled. “Are you serious?”
“Completely,” Tish piped up from the far side of the table. “He means well, though. The man went from competing with Levi for the biggest flirt in high school to being a dedicated family man.”
Maisie’s gaze sobered when she glanced up. “He really is. Now, he’s convinced everyone will just be happier if they settle down. He says kids aren’t required—because there are plenty to babysit.”
Lucy rolled her eyes. “Beck can babysit for me whenever he wants.”
“We don’t need to babysit anyone,” Maisie said hurriedly. “Two is enough.”
“Anyway,” Amelia cut in, leaning forward, “back to Tori. How are you and Kincaid? I mean, it could have just been a date...”
My mind immediately flashed back to that night after the fundraiser.
“Oh, it was more than a date,” Casey teased.
“How do you… Why are you saying that?” I sputtered.
