Hayden Owens is just a typical graduate student working his way through school as a barista for the Owens Coffee Company -- no relation. But he keeps the "no relation" part to himself when he meets dashing, older Neal Kirchner, a successful architect from an old-money family. Hayden doesn't exactly lie, but he figures it can't hurt for Neal to believe he's a rich kid. After all, Hayden doesn't want Neal thinking he's a gold digger.<br><br>Neal Kirchner is Asian Indian and British decent. His parents became Christians, shoving their heritage to the side. Neal has returned to the customs and religion his grandmother cherished. On top of being a very successful architect he's heir to the Indian Rose Tea Company, a business that's been in his family for generations.<br><br>Neal's passion is high performance cars and he meets Hayden at a fundraiser for the automotive engineering department of Clemson University. They are immediately smitten with each other. The closer they become, the harder it gets for Hayden to come clean. Something always seems to get in the way. When a company bankruptcy and a jilted, vindictive woman threaten to expose his charade, Hayden thinks it's all gone down the drain. Luckily Neal is ready with some innocent trickery of his own, but will their relationship survive?

High Test

“I’m also right. The more attached to you he is, the more likely he’ll accept all this as an innocent misunderstanding. It’s really nothing more, and you haven’t tried to take advantage of him.”


“Is that how you’d feel if it was a girl you met?” Hayden asked.


“Honestly? Yeah, I’d be pissed at first, but if it was a woman I was really into, then I’d calm down, see no harm was done, and work it out,” Rick said. “Not everyone who doesn’t divulge everything about themselves is a gold digger.”


“Yeah?” Hayden put his own clothes on. “I tried to tell him. This guy, he’s special, and I’d think that no matter what. Money doesn’t matter to me. Not like that.”


“Yeah, I know. Neal will see that as well. But don’t let it go beyond this weekend or it will seem like you aretrying to take advantage of his money. And as for work, call off.”


Chapter 30