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I gasp in fake outrage, and Kora looks at me smugly.
“So, what did you want to talk about?” Mike looks at me expectantly.
“Right.” I try to get my tipsy brain to cooperate. “I’m sure you know about Darlene’s funeral. We want to hire you to run the bar. There’s basically no budget. I know it’s a lot to ask, and it’s soon, and we only have an estimated guest list so far, and I’m sure you have plenty of other things––”
“I’ll do it,” Mike interrupts.
“Really?” I give him a big smile.
“Of course. It won’t be that hard. I’ll order the alcohol for the party with my usual bar order, and I’ll schedule myself and maybe two other bartenders for the event. I’ll bill you only for the alcohol we use, and I’ll use the rest for the bar. We can talk more details when I’m off the clock.”
“Thank you.” I lean over to give him a hug, and he pats me on the back awkwardly. While the bar for the event wasn’t my biggest concern, I’m relieved to have one more thing figured out.
“Anything for Darlene.” He smiles at me when I pull away. “And Hayden is my best friend, so it’s part of the friendship duty.”
“Speaking of Hayden,” Kora’s voice chimes in from across the table. I throw her a warning glance, but she completely ignores me, addressing Mike. “Did you know that Hayden is taking Robin to a gala?” She’s slightly tipsy and has no filter.
“Riiiight,” Mike says.
“No, really. They’re going to his family’s gala next weekend. Together.”
“Kora,” I warn, shooting her a nasty look.
Mike turns when he hears the annoyance in my voice, and he scrunches up his face when he sees my expression. “Wait, is this true?”
“Yes,” I reluctantly confirm. “But it’s not a big deal. We’re only going so we can talk to his father about not evicting me.”
Mike stares at me with his mouth wide open, and Kora giggles from across the table.
Mike clears his throat. “Let me get this straight. You and Hayden are going to his family’s gala? And Hayden is planning to talk to his father? And wait, what do you mean his father is evicting you?”
“Yep, his dad is my landlord, unfortunately.” I shrug. I don’t need them to turn this into such a big deal. We’re just going to an event, and it’s only a means to an end. We’re not eloping for goodness’ sake.
“Hayden is going to talk to his father?” Mike repeats, dumbfounded. One of his employees comes to our table and puts a plate of tacos in front of him, but he doesn’t even acknowledge it. “You’re not kidding,” he finally says.
“She is not,” Kora answers for me. “Don’t you think that means he has a crush on her?”
I groan and put my head in my hands. I cannot look at either one of them. I feel like I’m being transported back to middle school with this conversation, and while I’m tipsy, I’m not drunk enough to not care.
“That’s one way to put it,” Mike says, his tone full of wonder. “Hayden hasn’t talked to his dad in a decade.”
My head whips up at that. “What?”
“Yes, he hasn’t talked to or contacted him since he left when he was eighteen,” Mike says, finally pulling the plate of tacos toward him.
“I didn’t know that,” I whisper, my emotions all over the place. I’m tempted to reach for my phone and call Hayden to cancel this whole thing. I knew things between him and his family weren’t great, but a decade with no communication? Whatever happened, it’s not worth bringing it up for a one percent likelihood of convincing his dad to let me stay in my house.
Mike glances at me intently. He has a serious but calm demeanor about him. He’s the type of person who’s always steady, always in control. I have a feeling not too much ruffles his feathers.
“Hayden doesn’t really let people in,” he says slowly.
“O-kay.”
“It’s just … when he does, he tends to do everything for those people. Too much sometimes. It’s as if he thinks always putting others first is what he has to do to be worthy of love. You’re great, so I know you wouldn’t take advantage of him, but I just wanted to tell you that.”
“He offered to go,” I say weakly.
“And you should go. I just wanted you to be aware of his tendencies. Don’t accept more than what he should offer.”
