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“Do you want food?” I ask her, pointing at the pizza.

“No, thank you.” She looks at the pizza as if it personally offended her. “I was just stopping by to see what the place looks like. I had to make sure you own actual furniture.”

“Hey, I even have a bed frame.”

“I’d hope so. You’re pushing thirty, Hayden.”

Mike snorts.

I glare at him. “You’re turning thirty before me.”

He shrugs. “Yes, and I own a bed frame.”

“So do I,” I say, throwing my hands up in the air. “I’ve never not owned one.”

“Okay, I’m leaving,” Darlene says, turning away.

“Wait, no. You don’t have to leave.” I put a hand on her shoulder to stop her.

“Thanks. But I just came by to check on you.” She turns to my girlfriend. “Robin, if you see your old boss, remind him that he still owes me money for the bet he lost.”

Robin frowns at her. “O-kay.”

“What bet?” I look at my great-aunt curiously.

“The bet about you and Robin.”

“What?”

“Well, you know, Tom and I wanted to devise a plan that would get you to come back to town, and that would get Robin out of her comfort zone. So we came up with the idea of the funeral. I bet my money on the fact that you two would get together, but Tom was unsure. He lacks creativity. He’s a man after all.”

I gape at her. “Devised a plan to––”

“Bye, everyone,” she interrupts, waving on her way out.

When I hear the door slam, I face the others in the room.

“I want to be her when I grow up.” Kora sighs.

Epilogue

Robin

A year later

I almost sigh in relief when I wake up and feel Hayden’s arms around me. Two weeks sleeping without him was harder than I thought. Not that I would admit that to anyone, because it sounds kind of pathetic.

I check the alarm clock, and I’m surprised to find it’s already ten in the morning. From Hayden’s heavy breathing behind me, I know he’s still asleep, but it’s rare for him to sleep in this late.

He picked me up late last night from the airport, so we’re both more exhausted than usual. We didn’t get home until one in the morning.

The cruise with my mom was amazing, which surprised me. I didn’t peg myself as a cruise lover, but here we are. I guess I am my mother’s daughter. I definitely don’t want to travel again for a little while though. I missed home too much.

I carefully turn around to face my boyfriend, and to nobody’s surprise, my cat is curled up around his head.

Traitor.

The movement wakes them both up, and Hayden blinks at me slowly. “Why are you staring at me?” He rubs his eyes with one hand.