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“No.” His jaw ticks. “I didn’t agree to spend the summer in this awful place to simply green-light the plans. I could do that from New Mexico.”

“Yes, that’s perfect.” I smile at him and the perfect solution he just gave me. “You don’t have to uproot your life for this. You can go back home and help from there.”

Please, please, please.

He’s silent for a second as he studies my face. “Nice try, but no. I’m helping with the actual planning of this weird event. You know, like Darlene asked?”

“Hayden, I’m trying to be nice and considerate here. This is a great compromise. We both do what we’re good at, we don’t have to be in each other’s way––”

“And what am I good at? Answering an email? Quite frankly, you don’t know anything about me. So could you please stop making this so complicated so we can get on with it?”

Before I can retort, Tom comes back wearing a big, goofy grin on his face.

“You two ready for this FUN-eral?” He looks at us as if he just invited us to go on a roller coaster with him.

And I guess that’s what this experience will be. One big, annoying roller coaster of emotions.

“Yeah, we were just exchanging numbers. Robin, your phone?” Hayden holds out his hand, and with Tom next to us, I have no choice but give it to him.

Asshole.

He types in his number and hands it back to me without giving me a second glance. “Well, this was wonderful everyone,” he says dryly. “I’ll give Darlene a ride home before she starts picking out an urn.” And with that he steps away, Tom following them to the lobby, no doubt wanting to see Darlene off himself.

I wait until I’m alone to look down at my phone, and I blow out a deep breath when I read how he saved his contact information. I recognize the acronym immediately.

“Handsome Asshole You Don’t Even Need.”

Yup, a roller coaster indeed.

Chapter 7

Hayden

I’m fuming in the car. I’m aware I was too harsh with Robin, and I regretted it the second I left, but something about the way she talked to me about me made all my old insecurities bubble up.

Am I supersensitive because a dark cloud seems to follow me wherever I go in this town? I can’t seem to catch a break around here. I already had my guard up, expecting hostility, but I didn’t think it would come from Robin.

I don’t get it. I thought we were on good terms after the night we met. Hell, I even thought we had some sort of connection. Or did I just imagine that? I revisit the time we sat on her car and talked about our fears.

I was surprised to see her at the meeting today, but I can’t lie and say that I wasn’t at least a tiny bit excited to see her again. But clearly that sentiment was one-sided, because for some reason, she seems to think I’m incapable, uninterested, and lazy.

My mind replays the part of our conversation that has me on the verge of shouting. “I’m sure you’d rather let me do it for you anyway.” What the actual fuck gave her that impression?

Is it because I was quiet during the meeting? It wouldn’t be the first time that someone confused my silence with disinterest. I planned on contributing, but once we started discussing Darlene’s funeral … well, I had to focus on not losing my shit.

“My steering wheel is not a stress ball.” Darlene’s voice next to me brings me back to reality.

I flash her an apologetic smile and soften my grip. I don’t want her to know about the tension between me and Robin. I’m worried she’ll try to fix it, or worse, take Robin’s side and let her plan it alone. No fucking chance.

“Sorry. Are you happy with how it went?”

“Thrilled,” she says, and when I look over, she really looks content. “I always wanted to go out with a bang!”

Her words bring a knot to my stomach. She still hasn’t told me what is going on with her health. All she told me was that she wanted this big, fun funeral, and that I was to plan it with “the sweet woman who works at the funeral home.” At the time, I imagined an older, gray-haired woman closer to Darlene’s own age. I did not expect someone like Robin. What the hell is someone like her doing working a morbid job like that? It explains why she was outside the funeral home my first night back in town. I assumed she was there to visit a grave, but I now realize she must’ve just ended her shift when I ran into her.

“Darlene, are you okay? Is your health okay? Did your doctor give you any bad news, or is this to, I don’t know …”

“To get attention?” She chuckles at the horrified look on my face. “Do not fret about me. It’s all fine. You worry about making the arrangements and enjoy your time back here.”