The moment the lecture ended, Christy shot up from her seat, shoving her notebook into her bag with practiced speed. If she moved quickly, she could slip out of the hall before…
"Whoa, slow down, Christy."
She barely had time to react before Nathan Carter stepped in front of her, blocking her path with that ever-present smirk of his.
His eyes gleamed with amusement, as if he had been waiting for this exact moment.
"Why the rush?" he drawled.
Christy groaned inwardly. Of course. She should have known he wouldn't just let her escape in peace.
"Move, Nathan."
"Not so fast," he said, leaning casually against the desk beside them. "We need to talk about our project."
Christy huffed, adjusting the strap of her bag. "I have work later. I don't have time to sit around and…"
"Work, work, work." Nathan shook his head, clicking his tongue in mock disapproval.
"You know, you really should take a break sometimes. It's unhealthy to be so serious all the time."
She shot him a glare, already irritated. "Not all of us have billionaire fathers funding our lives, Carter. Some of us actually have responsibilities."
For a split second, his smirk faltered. A flicker of something, annoyance? crossed his face, but it was gone as quickly as it had appeared. Nathan didn't like when people brought up his father.
His hands slid into his pockets as he tilted his head, studying her. "Fine. Since you're so busy, when do you have time? Or are you planning to flake on me?"
"As much as I'd love to ignore you for the rest of the semester," she shot back, "I don't flake on responsibilities. We can meet tomorrow afternoon."
Nathan grinned, clearly pleased. "See? That wasn't so hard, was it?"
Christy rolled her eyes and turned to leave, but before she could take more than two steps, Kate appeared at her side, arms crossed.
"So, have you already figured out how you're going to survive working with him?" Kate asked, glancing at Nathan like he was some kind of contagious disease.
Nathan sighed dramatically. "Why does everyone act like working with me is a death sentence?"
"Because it is," Kate quipped, before turning back to Christy. "We both know he's just going to slack off and make you do all the work."
Nathan clutched his chest in mock offense. "Ouch. Again, Katie. You wound me. And here I was, ready to be a dedicated, hardworking partner."
"Yeah, I'll believe that when I see it," Kate shot back.
Christy rubbed her temples, already exhausted from the conversation. "I don't have time for this. I need to get to my shift."
Nathan raised an eyebrow. "Where do you work, anyway?"
"Why do you care?"
He shrugged. "Just curious. I figured someone as serious as you probably has a boring job."
Kate snorted. "She works at that little café downtown, The Cozy Bean. Ever heard of it, rich boy?"
Nathan's expression turned thoughtful. "Hmm… sounds very familiar."
"Well, don't bother stopping by," Christy said quickly. "I don't need you making my job harder."
Nathan smirked. "Now you're making me want to come by just to mess with you."
Christy groaned. "I swear, if you do"
"Alright, alright, I won't come," he said, laughing. "For now."
She turned to Kate. "Please remind me why I have to deal with him?"
Kate patted her shoulder sympathetically. "Because he is unfortunately your partner, my friend."
Nathan chuckled. "You two are so dramatic. Anyway, see you tomorrow, partner."
Christy clenched her jaw as she watched him saunter away. She was already regretting this partnership.
Later That Evening at The Cozy Bean Café
The scent of freshly brewed coffee and warm pastries filled the air as Christy rushed behind the counter, tying her apron around her waist.
She exhaled, trying to shake off the lingering frustration from her earlier encounter with Nathan.
The Cozy Bean was a small, family-owned café, and Christy had been working there for over a year now. It wasn't glamorous, but it helped pay the bills.
The soft hum of chatter, the clinking of cups, and the hiss of the espresso machine were all familiar comforts, her temporary escape from school stress.
Her boss, Madam Maggy, a stout woman with sharp eyes but a kind heart, gave her an approving nod as she stepped behind the register.
"Good, you're here," Maggy said. "It's been a busy evening, so be ready to move fast."
"Got it," Christy said, rolling up her sleeves.
She spent the next hour taking orders, making drinks, and wiping down tables.
The exhaustion from the day was starting to weigh on her, but she pushed through, determined to make it through her shift without any more annoyances.
And then, just as she thought the night couldn't get any worse, the last person she wanted to see walked through the door.
Nathan Carter.
Christy froze, gripping the edge of the counter as he strolled in like he owned the place, scanning the café with his usual cocky confidence.
"Oh, you have got to be kidding me," she muttered under her breath.
Kate, who had stopped by to keep her company, followed Christy's gaze and nearly choked on her drink. "No way. He actually showed up?"
Nathan's eyes landed on her, and his smirk widened. He made his way for the counter.
Christy immediately turned away, pretending to be busy with the espresso machine.
"Christiana," Nathan said in an exaggeratedly polite tone. "Fancy seeing you here."
She turned slowly, giving him a deadpan look. "Nathan. What are you doing here?"
He leaned on the counter, clearly enjoying himself. "I was curious. Plus, I thought I'd grab a coffee."
"You don't drink cheap coffee," she pointed out.
He grinned. "Maybe I'm expanding my horizons."
Christy exhaled sharply. "What do you want?"
"Just a coffee. Black, no sugar."
"Figures," she muttered, turning to prepare his drink.
As she worked, Kate nudged her. "He's so doing this just to mess with you."
"No kidding," Christy mumbled.
She handed Nathan his coffee, hoping he'd take it and leave. But instead, he took a slow sip and made a face.
"Hmm. It's… different," he said, clearly unimpressed.
"Then go back to your overpriced cafés," she snapped.
Nathan laughed. "Relax, Christy. I was just joking."
She glared. "Pay for your coffee and go, Carter."
Nathan pulled out his wallet, and Christy's eyes briefly flickered to the thick stack of bills inside.
"Keep the change," he said smoothly, dropping way more than necessary on the counter.
Before Christy could protest, he winked and walked off.
Kate snatched up the money and grinned. "Okay, maybe he's annoying, but at least he tips well."
Christy groaned. "I hate him."
Kate smirked. "Uh-huh. Sure you do."
Christy didn't bother arguing. But as she watched Nathan leave the café, she had a sinking feeling that this was only the beginning of her problems.