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

“When I’m home, you are welcome to live in this suite. When I’m away, I’d like it if you’d stay at my house, keep an eye on things and take care of the boys.”


Neal held up one hand. “Let me finish, please.” He took more papers from the folder. “Here is an agreement saying I will cover the remainder of your tuition costs. As with your student loans, six months after you graduate, you’ll begin paying me back at a cost of ten percent of what your student loan payments are. We can reevaluate that after you get a job. In your chosen profession, you have the potential to make a very good living.”


Hayden stared down at the papers and slowly began reading through them. “Why are you doing this after what I did to you?”


Chapter 46