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She sits up straighter now, her gaze focused on me. “You think he would?” she asks doubtfully.

“No.” I feel guilty at the sliver of hope I saw in her eyes. “My dad is greedy and couldn’t care less about messing with people’s lives. He also hates my guts. But it’s worth a try, and I might have some leverage.”

Robin stays silent for a beat, watching me intensely, and I can see the indecisiveness behind her eyes. “No,” she finally says. “It’s not worth it, especially since there’s a zero percent chance anything will change.”

“Yes, the chances are slim to none. But what’s the harm in trying?”

“Besides you having to go to an event that you clearly don’t want to go to? And talking to your family that you clearly do not want to have a relationship with?”

“It’s just one evening.” I shrug, pretending it’s not a big deal.

She’s right though. The thought of being in the same room as my father makes my skin crawl. I haven’t seen him since I was eighteen and left home for good. What Robin doesn’t know is that I do, in fact, have something on him that might get him to cave. Might.

“When is it?” She still sounds skeptical.

“This Saturday. At the Weatherford.”

“Fancy,” she says, biting her lip. “And you’re not just doing it because you feel guilty about something that isn’t your fault?”

Yes.

“No.”

She gives me a long look before she finally gives in. “Fine, if you’re comfortable with it, then I guess it doesn’t hurt to try.”

A mix of emotions sweeps over me. Relief that she’s letting me help her, that I might be able to right one of my father’s wrongs, but dread at the thought of having to go to this gala where I’ll see my entire family for the first time in years. I push down my anxiety, not wanting Robin to change her mind on my behalf.

“That’s settled then,” I say, trying to sound casual. “It might also be the perfect opportunity to talk to the mayor. I’m positive he’ll be in attendance.”

Robin looks excited about that. “Perfect, kill two birds with one stone.” Then her face falls. “I hate that expression, actually.”

“It’s a pretty awful expression.”

“How about …” She hesitates for a moment. “How about … set two birds free with one key?”

I stare at her for a moment before I double over with laughter. “That makes absolutely no sense.”

“Yes, it does.”

I shake my head, “It really doesn’t, but it’s cute.”

“Whatever, it makes sense to me.”

I grin at her, my gaze sweeping over her body for what seems to be the millionth time tonight. She looks so pretty this evening. She looks pretty all the time, but today she’s downright beautiful. All the air left my lungs when she opened the door earlier. She’s wearing this, well, I don’t even know what to call it. A corset? A crop top? Whatever it is, it looks absolutely stunning on her, and I’ve been trying not to gawk at her all night.

Focus, I tell myself. If I keep thinking this way, I’ll be tempted to kiss her again, and that can’t happen. I try to remind myself of all the reasons it’s a bad idea: I’m only in town temporarily, we’re working together, my father is the reason she’s about to be homeless. Yes, I’d say those are plenty of reasons.

“Can you think of anything else we should cross off our funeral agenda tonight?” Robin asks, pulling me out of my thoughts.

“I think we should ask Mike to be in charge of the bar. And over the next few days we’ll confirm with the florist, the bakery, and such. I’ll call that event space over in Clarkswood for the furniture rental.”

“I’ll talk to Mike. I’m going over there tomorrow night for trivia anyway.”

“You’re into trivia?”

“Not really.” She laughs, playing with the hair tie around her wrist. “Kora is really into it. I’m not good at it.”

“You don’t have to be good at it for it to be fun.”