24. Stella

Chapter Twenty-Four

STELLA

I tilted my head to the side as I studied the picture on Tiffany’s phone. “It looks like another Butter.” She tapped the screen to zoom in. “I’m sure they’ll love each other to pieces.”

I laughed as I glanced over at Tiffany. “They might. Let me just ask Paisley. She’s coming this way,” I commented. Paisley was the friend who rented the apartment to me.

We were having a night out at Wildlands. So far, it was Tiffany, Tish, me, Paisley, Maisie, Phoebe, Alice, and Piper.

“Ask Paisley, what?” Paisley asked as she shrugged out of her jacket.

“About a cat. Tiffany is trying to convince me I should adopt a cat. I’m all for a cat, but I need to check with you because you’re my landlord. I also need to make sure any cat gets along with Butter,” I explained.

Paisley rolled her eyes. “Please don’t call me a landlord. It sounds like I might be controlling.”

“Um, theperson who rents me a duplex? That seems like a lot of words,” I pointed out.

Piper giggled from across the table where she sat beside Alice. “It does seem like a lot of words. You’re a landlord. I’m a veterinarian, and I support this plan.”

“Which plan?” Paisley prompted.

“The adopt-a-cat plan,” Piper replied.

I snorted. “I support it too, but we have to make sure any new cat gets along with Butter.”

“If they don’t like each other, they’ll sort it out,” Alice offered.

“You can have another cat, pets are in the lease,” Paisley added.

“Okay, can I cometo meet the cat, and does she have a name?” I turned my attention to Tiffany again.

“Biscuit,” Tiffany said.

“Was that on purpose?” I asked.

Tiffany shrugged. “I honestly don’t know. They are the same color and so are biscuits and butter. Let me know when you can go meet her.”

Alice waved at someone, saying, “It’s the guys.”

I could feel Hudson’s presence before I even saw him. My skin tingled with awareness, and my pulse began to race. It felt as if my mind and my hormones were in a battle for dominance. For the most part, my mind won that war. My mind had learned its lesson. I knew the mistake of letting my hormones, much less my heart, take precedence. Even as a little girl, I promised myself I would never be as careless and desperate as my mother. Yet, in my young adult years, instead of getting wiser, I’d had a few years of stupid mistakes, thinking some guys had my best interests at heart when really all they wanted was a little fun.

It’s a little benefit with Hudson. That’s it, I told myself.

My hormones cheered, while my heart did a cartwheel, trying to show off. Meanwhile, Alice’s husband Jonah was leaning down to give her a kiss and Tiffany was introducing me to Wes, saying, “I’ve convinced Stella to come meet Biscuit. I think they’ll be a perfect match.”

Wes chuckled. I managed to carry on something like a polite conversation while Hudson was talking with Nate.

“I think Biscuit is perfect because Hudson has Butter,” Tiffany said, her smile satisfied.

Hudson glanced over, his brows hitching up in question. “What about Butter?”

“Tiffany wants me to adopt a cat named Biscuit. I told her we have to make sure Biscuit and Butter get along,” I explained.

I glanced up toward Hudson, heat blazed through me. “What do you think?” I sounded breathless.

“Butter’s pretty easygoing. I’m sure he’d like a friend,” Hudson replied.

“I told Tiffany I could meet Biscuit tomorrow. Will that work?” I glanced up toward Wes.

I objectively noted he was seriously good looking with his shaggy dark blond hair and cognac eyes that crinkled at the corners with his grin. “Of course,” he said easily, oblivious to my train of thought as I wondered why so many hotshot firefighters were handsome.

I had no reaction to any of them. Except Hudson. Anytime he was nearby, my pulse took off and anticipation buzzed through me. I felt like a foolish girl with a crush. I told myself it would pass. We were just having a little fun together.