Page 3 of Not In The Contract

I sighed and made my way back through the now-empty courtyard and toward the best place on campus.

Even after almost eight years, the campus cafe was still my favorite hideaway.

The heady scent of coffee permeated every corner, laced with freshly baked goods that made my mouth water within seconds of stepping through the pane glass door.

Students milled around the counter, too busy dashing off to their next class to sit around and take in the quaint interior. I ordered my usual from the barista, a second year who’d only recently started working there, and sat in my usual spot.

I’d barely finished stirring sugar into my coffee when my phone buzzed with a call.

I glanced at the Caller ID and answered with a small smile.

“Well, hello Miss Entrepreneur,” I teased, grabbing the chocolate syrup and drizzling it over my mini croissants.

My best friend’s reply was the same as it always was. “How are you not tired of school yet?”

I shrugged and popped another mini croissant into my mouth. Not that Tamera would see it; she was too busy with her startup company to spend valuable time on campus.

“I’ve always loved school,” I reminded her, adjusting my hold on the phone and reaching for my coffee. “Besides, I’m pretty much done anyway. Just a few more months until I’m free.”

Tamera chuckled. “And once you’re done, I bet you’ll find any excuse to go back. You know, Paula is probably too nice to tell you that she’s sick of seeing you.”

“Excuse you,” I muttered around another bite of crumbly croissant. “I happen to know that she loves me.”

“Right, right,” Tamera scoffed, the bustle of corporate life humming in the background. “I forgot, no one can resist your enigmatic charm and sparkling personality. What did you bring as a peace offering today?”

“Ooh, someone’s extra feisty today,” I teased. “And how do you know I was late?”

The silence on the other end was answer enough and I pouted.

“Fine; I was late.”

“And the sky is blue,” she teased. “Did she at least help you out with your research? You sounded stressed out the last time we spoke.”

“I don’t know if help is the right word,” I said evasively. “But I do have a research subject.”

“Why do you sound so put out about it?”

“Paula suggested that I shadow an old friend of hers,” I said, cringing internally as the words left my mouth. “For two months.”

“Two months?!” Tamera cackled. “Does she know you’re socially inept? Oh! Maybe this is punishment for all those classes you missed when we took her class together.”

“That’s not funny, Tamera,” I grouched.

“I think it’s comedic gold,” she retorted. “Who is this friend anyway? Are they an alumnus?”

“She didn’t say how they knew each other,” I explained while I opened my laptop. I opened my browser and typed the name into the search bar. “She just said her name is Alex Bell and she runs an engineering company.”

“Never heard of her,” Tamera mumbled. I guessed she was looking it up as well.

I sifted through the articles in the search results and found a promising link.

“Holy shit,” Tamera breathed.

She could say that again.

I stared at the photo of the most stunning woman I’d ever seen, wearing severity like a Prada purse, standing in front of a massive skyscraper in the city.

She stood in front of a huge sign with the words “Bell Construction” printed in stark black.