“You know you prefer me any day,” Rohan said, eyes narrowed suggestively. Huh. Last week he’d stammered indignantly when she threw anything remotely flirty his way. Seems he finally decided to play along. Kamila giggled and turned back to the platter of food.

“Look how beautiful everything is tonight,” Dad said. “And without Asha’s help! Kamila, you’re a gifted hostess.”

“Yes, she is.” Rohan nodded. “But Kam knows her strengths. If we remind her of them, her head will grow bigger than it already is.”

“My head is not big,” Kamila said, patting her hair. “This volume is thanks to very expensive hair products and my diffuser.” She squeezed Rohan’s arm. He was in a suit again. He always wore a suit to her parties. He said it was because he came straight from work, but Kamila suspected he preferred to look like the most powerful person in the room. And he claimed she had a big head.

Today’s suit was dark charcoal, perfectly tailored, and looked expensive. It went well with the new beard—which had grown in mostly rich black, but with delightful silvery bits near his ears and on his chin.

Kamila smiled. “The facial-hair situation is looking good. Very imposing. I’m glad I was right about it. I have excellent taste.”

He chuckled, rubbing his chin. “See? Kamila doesn’t need us praising her. She does a great job of it herself. Where’d you get that dress, Kam? The costume department for a sixties TV show?”

Kamila frowned at her dress. Another vintage-style, full-skirted floral, this one was deep teal with flowers in fall colors and wide off-the-shoulder straps. “You showing up to parties in a suit is very midcentury, too. I feel like I should be handing you a martini after work.” She headed toward the kitchen, running her hand over Rohan’s beard as she passed him. “I should introduce you to my ukulele teacher—he’s got the most epic red beard I’ve ever seen. He can give you grooming tips.”

Dad laughed, then looked at his watch. “I really should be going. Oh, Rohan, I was meaning to talk to you—I heard you’re volunteering with Anil Malek’s incubator project? He’s contracted Emerald for the nonprofit start-up administration.”

Rohan nodded as he took some jars of chutney out of his bag. “He’s asked me to sit on the board. It’s an excellent cause. I didn’t know he was looking for an accountant.”

Dad and Rohan continued to talk about this project while Kamila uploaded some pictures of Darcy she’d taken earlier. Her attention was pulled back to them, however, once she realized what—or specifically, who—they were talking about.

“…I’m surprised she backed out,” Rohan was saying. “But she says she won’t have the time.”