“Anyway,” she continued, “it’s not all sunshine and popsicles. I didn’t get two potential big clients this past week. Maybe if I had, Dad would agree to reduce his hours.” She told him about the old doctor and the white hippie lady, and how she didn’t seem to have the experience, or the penis, they wanted in an accountant.

“Ah, I’m sorry.” He looked at her with an expression that Kamila couldn’t decipher. “You know…you’re always welcome to come work at HNS, if big-financial-institution experience is something you want.”

She raised a brow. “Really? You’re offering me a job?”

“Sure. You’re a CPA, and your father started the firm—his name is still on the door.”

She shook her head. “Well, I don’t want mine there. I tried working at HNS, remember?” Rohan hadn’t been working there at the time, but he knew why she left. “I have no interest in going back to that sterile, emotion-sucking pit of mundaneness. I mean, did you see my new desk at Emerald? Why would I give that up? Plus”—she dipped her chin and batted her lashes—“don’t you think I’d be too much of a distraction in your corporate jungle?”

He laughed, shaking his head. “True. You’d fit in like an arctic penguin in that jungle.”

“Who are you calling a penguin? My legs are longer than average for a South Asian woman.” She lifted one high to prove her point, then rubbed her foot briefly on his on the coffee table.

He chuckled. “Kam, there is no way I’d ever forget about your positive traits since you’re always reminding me of them. By the way, it still stinks of melted plastic toaster in here.”

Kamila rolled her eyes and got up to light a scented candle. Then she sat next to him on the sofa.

“That’ll work,” Rohan said. “Fire to mask the smell of fire. Anyway, I’m sure your father is fine. He seems to be making clearheaded decisions right now.”

“Why’d you say it like that? Has he been making other big decisions lately?” She wouldn’t put it past Dad to tell Rohan things he didn’t tell her. Dad still felt the need to protect his precious daughters from big issues.

Rohan shrugged. “He’s been talking about planning for the future—that’s all.”

Ah. Estate planning. Since Rohan was the executor of Dad’s estate, it was good he wanted to make sure Dad was of a clear mind and all that if he was working on his will. She wished Dad would talk to her about it, but he probably thought talking about his death would upset her. Which it would.