With the exception of Shelley and Margaret, everyone was sitting around the living room eating nachos and watching the Jazz play the Portland Trail Blazers. They had all gotten an early start on drinking, and empty beer cans littered the coffee table that three of them had their feet on. Cathy was the first to notice us. “Elise. Nicholas,” she said. “You made it.”

Everyone looked over.

“Hi, everyone,” I said.

Nicholas looked as unsure of himself as he had when he first approached me in the food court.

“Hey,” Mark said. “Help yourself to a beer. Got Bud in the fridge.”

“Thank you,” Nicholas said, making no movement to act on the offer.

“Come watch the game,” Zoey said.

“Go ahead, sit,” I said to Nicholas. “I’ll get us some food.”

Nicholas sat down on a chair next to the others. Zoey was holding an open beer. She already looked a little buzzed. She almost immediately leaned toward Nicholas, drawn like steel to a magnet. I walked to the kitchen table and began making ham and cheese sandwiches.

“Thanks for all the gifts you’ve been sending,” Zoey said to him. “Especially the cheesecake. It was dreamy.”

“I’m glad you liked it,” Nicholas said casually, politely glancing at her before looking back at the television. “What quarter are we in?” he asked.

“Just started the third,” Mark said. “You ever watch the Jazz play?”

“Sometimes. We’ve got box seats,” he said. “At the firm.”

“And you’re a partner, right?” Zoey asked rhetorically.

“Yes.”

Zoey’s date just stared ahead at the screen, sucking on a beer, completely oblivious to her obvious interest in my date.

I walked back over with our food. “Here you go,” I said, handing Nicholas a plate with some of my salad and a sandwich. I sat down between Nicholas and Zoey.

“Thank you,” Nicholas said, turning all his attention to me. For the next hour we just watched the game, which the Jazz ended up losing by four points.

“They never lose when I wear this shirt,” Zoey’s date said angrily.

“Are you ready to go?” I asked Nicholas.

“Whatever you want,” he said.

“I’m ready.”

“Okay,” he said. “I’ll get the coats.” He walked out of the room.

Zoey stood and walked out after him. I also stood up and walked out, stopping in the hall just outside the living room. I could hear Zoey talking. “So where did you and Elise meet?”

“We just bumped into each other. In the building.”

“I’m in the building,” she said. There was a short pause, then she added, “I’m sorry we never bumped into each other. I mean, before you two.” There was another pause. “Is it serious? You and Elise.”

“You mean, would I be interested in exploring other romantic possibilities?”

“You’re so smart,” she said. “Yes. I mean, hypo”—she struggled with the word—”hypo, hypothetically.”

“That’s a big word,” Nicholas said.