Close Second

Chapter 8

CLOSE SECOND

Chapter 8 — First Encounter

Everest's POV

By five fifty-eight, I was already regretting agreeing to the project meeting.

Not because of the project.

Because of who I had to work with.

I pushed open the library doors and stepped inside.

Westbridge's main library was one of my favorite places on campus. It was quiet, modern, and large enough that I could disappear whenever I wanted.

Tonight, however, disappearing wasn't an option.

Kaelan Voss was already there.

Of course he was.

He sat at one of the tables near the windows, his laptop open in front of him.

He wore a black shirt with the sleeves rolled slightly up his forearms.

No suit.

No tie.

No intimidating billionaire-heir appearance.

Just Kaelan.

He looked up as I approached.

"You're early."

I glanced at the clock.

"It's six."

"Exactly."

"Then I'm not early."

A faint smile appeared on his face.

"You're punctual."

"So are you."

"I try."

I put my laptop on the table and sat opposite him.

For a moment, neither of us spoke.

The silence wasn't uncomfortable.

It was just...strange.

I'd spent the entire day trying not to notice him.

Now I was sitting across from him with nowhere else to look.

He opened the project brief.

"Have you read this?"

"Twice."

"Good."

He pushed a copy toward me.

"I think we should focus on developing a predictive information system."

I looked over the proposal.

"That's too broad."

His eyebrows lifted.

"Why?"

"Because everyone will do something similar."

"And?"

"We need something different."

He leaned back.

"Go on."

I turned my laptop toward him.

"What if we design a system that predicts user behavior based on real-time data?"

His expression changed.

Interested.

"That could work."

"It would combine behavioral analytics with adaptive decision-making."

"Which means we'd need a strong machine-learning model."

"Exactly."

He studied me for a moment.

"What?"

"You actually know what you're talking about."

I stared at him.

"Excuse me?"

"I didn't mean—"

"You absolutely meant it."

A smile tugged at his mouth.

"I did."

I crossed my arms.

"And what exactly did you think I knew?"

"You're a Calloway."

I frowned.

"So?"

"People assume people like us don't have to work for anything."

That stopped me.

He wasn't wrong.

I'd heard versions of that my entire life.

But hearing it from him irritated me anyway.

"Do you think I don't work?"

"No."

"Then don't make assumptions about me."

His expression softened.

"I wasn't."

"You were."

"I was saying people make assumptions."

"Which includes you."

He looked at me for several seconds.

Then nodded.

"Fair."

That surprised me.

I expected an argument.

Instead, he simply accepted it.

I looked back at my screen.

"Fine."

"Fine."

We continued working.

---

Seven Thirty

Two hours passed faster than I expected.

Our project was beginning to take shape.

And annoyingly...

We worked well together.

Very well.

Kaelan would suggest an idea.

I'd improve it.

I'd find a weakness.

He'd solve it.

Neither of us had to explain much.

We simply understood where the other was going.

At one point, I looked up.

He was already watching me.

"What?"

"You do that."

"Do what?"

"Tap your finger when you're thinking."

I glanced down.

My index finger was tapping against the table.

I immediately stopped.

"You've been watching me?"

He shrugged.

"I notice things."

"Apparently."

His gaze remained on mine.

"You're competitive."

I smiled slightly.

"Is that a problem?"

"No."

"Good."

"I think it's interesting."

I looked away.

Something about his voice had changed.

It wasn't teasing anymore.

It was quieter.

More sincere.

I wasn't sure what to do with that.

So I returned to the project.

"Let's finish the database structure."

He smiled.

"Yes, boss."

I looked at him.

"Don't call me that."

"Why?"

"Because I don't like it."

"Noted."

---

The Question

We eventually took a break.

Kaelan closed his laptop.

"You want coffee?"

"I'm fine."

"Tea?"

"No."

"Food?"

"No."

He stared at me.

"You reject everything."

"I don't need anything."

"You've been working for two hours."

"I'm aware."

"You haven't eaten."

I paused.

"How do you know?"

"You've been here since six."

"And?"

"And you haven't moved from that chair."

I blinked.

He had noticed.

"You're observant."

"I told you."

I smiled faintly.

"Fine. Coffee."

"What kind?"

I hesitated.

"Black."

"No sugar?"

"No."

He stood.

"I'll be back."

I watched him walk away.

There was something strange about him.

Kaelan was supposed to be arrogant.

Cold.

Impossible.

Yet here he was, remembering that I liked black coffee after I'd only mentioned it once.

I shook my head.

I was overthinking it.

When he returned, he placed the coffee in front of me.

I took a sip.

Perfect.

I looked at him.

"You got it right."

"I listened."

I stared at him for a second longer than necessary.

Then looked away.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."

---

8:15 p.m.

The library had become quieter.

Most students had left.

Only a few remained scattered around the room.

Kaelan leaned back in his chair.

"Why MIS?"

I looked up.

"What?"

"Why did you choose this course?"

I considered the question.

"Because I like technology."

"That's it?"

"No."

I closed my laptop.

"I like understanding how things work."

"Things?"

"Systems. People. Businesses. Games."

His eyes sharpened slightly.

"Games?"

I nodded.

"I've always liked strategy games."

"What kind?"

"Competitive ones."

He smiled.

"You're competitive."

"I've been told."

"What game?"

I hesitated.

"Ashfall."

For a fraction of a second, something changed in his expression.

Then it disappeared.

"You play?"

"Sometimes."

"How good are you?"

I narrowed my eyes.

"Why?"

"Curious."

"I'm decent."

"What's your ranking?"

"Why are you interrogating me?"

He smiled.

"I'm making conversation."

"You're bad at it."

"Maybe."

I looked at him.

"How about you?"

"What?"

"Do you play?"

He paused.

Then—

"Sometimes."

I laughed.

"You hesitated."

"No, I didn't."

"You did."

"I was thinking."

"About what?"

"Whether you'd believe me."

I smiled.

"I don't."

He laughed quietly.

It was the first time I'd heard him laugh.

And it caught me completely off guard.

For someone who seemed so controlled, his laugh was unexpectedly warm.

I looked down quickly.

"Anyway."

"Anyway," he echoed.

---

Outside

By the time we left the library, the sky was dark.

Campus looked different at night.

The lights along the pathways glowed against the pavement, and the noise of the daytime had disappeared.

We walked toward the parking area together.

"You have a driver?" Kaelan asked.

"Yes."

"Of course."

I looked at him.

"What does that mean?"

"Nothing."

"You keep saying things and then pretending they mean nothing."

He smiled.

"Maybe I like annoying you."

"Then you're succeeding."

He stopped beside his car.

"Goodnight, Everest."

"Goodnight."

I took a few steps away.

Then he called my name.

I turned.

He looked at me.

"Tomorrow?"

"The project?"

"Yes."

I smiled.

"Tomorrow."

He nodded.

I walked away.

Neither of us said anything else.

But something had changed.

I couldn't explain it.

The man I'd expected to dislike was becoming harder to dislike.

And that was dangerous.

Because tomorrow night, I had another match.

Against Kai.

The man I desperately wanted to defeat.

I had no idea that the two men were the same person.

And somewhere behind me, Kaelan watched me disappear into the night before getting into his car.

His phone lit up.

ASHFALL

ASHEN: ONLINE

Kaelan stared at the notification.

A slow smile appeared.

He had just spent two hours sitting across from Everest Calloway.

And now he was about to spend another hour battling Ashen.

He had no idea they were the same woman.

Yet somehow, both versions of her were beginning to fascinate him.