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

Neal and Rick, then Steffie, called again. It dawned on him then that no one had sent a text. Hayden hit dial on the last number while he booted up his laptop in search of news.


The call went to Steffie’s voicemail. “Hey, Steff, it’s me. Call me back.” Hayden hit End and glared at the phone. “You call me at the ass crack of the day and all I get is your voicemail?” He shook his head and scrolled to Neal’s number, preferring to know what was going on before he called his parents back.


Opening a browser first, Hayden went to his favorite news site, then hit Dial on Neal’s number.


“Hayden, are you okay?” Neal answered almost immediately and nearly shouted out his words


The news show finally began playing, and Hayden nearly dropped the phone as he listened.


Chapter 31