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

Going home for Thanksgiving, or any holiday, wasn’t something Hayden had been able to do. This year, Hayden was thrilled to share Thanksgiving dinner with Neal. Since Hayden worked the dinner shift that night, they decided on a late meal and watched old movies in the suite.


The start of December signaled a return to their normal routine. “So, do you remember the one guy I told you about who sits and argues every detail with the professors, no matter what the class?”


Neal nodded. They were sharing dinner in the suite, and Neal’s mouth was full of his favorite shrimp and pasta dish.


“Well, he was in prime form and outdid himself today. He decided an entire new source of fuel, one that wouldn’t work no matter what, was worth taking up half the lecture time.” Hayden rolled his eyes, grinned, and leaned forward. He reached out and used a napkin to wipe Alfredo sauce from Neal’s chin.


Chapter 49