Chapter 19

Krista

I walk into the math and science lab the next morning, feeling a little sore between my leg.

Is having to waddle like a damn duck worth it today? Abso-fucking-lutely.

I know that my decision to date three guys at once is a little unconventional.

Did I say unconventional?

Oh, sorry about that. I mean bat shit crazy, of course.

I just can’t help myself. I mean, you only live once right? Why can’t I have my cake and eat it, too?

I walk into the faculty lounge, but I might as well be bouncing from the clouds. My merriment couldn’t be stunted, and I had to admit that receiving positive attention by not one but three guys was swelling my head a little.

Yes, the birds are singing, and the sky is blue. I’m happy and having the time of my life here in New York.

Oh shit!

I dodge a smashed grape on the floor before I slip on it and bust my ass. I retrieve the wannabe wine grape and toss it into a nearby sink.

Well, let me rephrase. Besides my being a klutz, I’m enjoying every moment. Besides, I’m not the best person at hiding my feelings—or suppressing them for that matter.

I believe that if you have a gut instinct about something, then you might as well follow it before you lose an opportunity.

You know, hindsight is twenty-twenty and shit.

Not to mention, the guys and I are together every day. I mean, it would just be awkward to say no to their proposal and denounce my attraction.

Grabbing my coffee, I check my watch, and my heart drops. I need to high-tail it out of here and to my first class before I’m late.

See, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows, but for the most part, I’m pretty fucking joyous and ready to conquer the world.

After my first couple of classes, I feel a hungry grumble in my stomach. Walking to the faculty room, I open up the communal fridge and peer in absentmindedly.

There are several other teachers and staff members having lunch at the tables, and there is a soft hum of chatter extending through the room.

“Lunch delivery for Krista?”

I glance up from my space cadet state-of-mind.

“I’m Krista,” I say and point to myself. “I didn’t order lunch though.”

The delivery man hands me the bag of food. “Well somebody did.” He gives me a wink.

My cheeks flush, and I look down at the bag, trying to distract myself from all the eyes on me.

I feel like the spotlight is on me, and I’m the freak show paid attraction that everyone gets to enjoy.

“Looks like somebody has a secret admirer,” Bob Nelson, head of the archeology department, teases as his friends croon.

“Oh, please,” I say, waving a dismissive hand. I do my best to laugh off his assumptions.

If I do have a secret admirer, I want diamonds. Just kidding! Well, not really.

All jokes aside, I haven’t felt this good in the entire year I had been with Brandon. Thank goodness he’s out of the picture, even if he continues to annoy the hell out of me with his unwanted calls and texts.

I find an empty table at the back of the room and notice that there is a little note attached to it. I peel it off the side of the bag and open it carefully, wondering with perplexity what might be going on here.

Enjoy your lunch.

Hopefully it’s as savory as you are.

S.

I smile, and butterflies flutter in my stomach when I recognize the initial.

I glance around the room, trying to scope out Simon, but at first, I don’t see him. I’m a little disappointed until I hear someone clear their throat.

Looking to my left, I grin from ear to ear like a giddy cheerleader with a crush. Sure enough, Mr. Sly Devil himself is staring at me with a subtle smile. He flashes me a wink with his electric blue eyes.

I cast him a nod in gratitude and acknowledgement of his kind gesture. Then, I dig right in to the chicken salad sandwich.

I’ve never tasted anything so fucking delicious in my life.

***

Later that night, things go swimmingly in the research lab with the guys. We’re making leaps and bounds, and I honestly know I can’t make progress at this pace without them or their stellar help.

Their reputation for being top renowned researchers is just the icing on the cake that I need right now.

King stands up and holds a finger in the air. We all glance at him quizzically. For one, I feel like my eyes might blur over with fatigue and exhaustion, but I press forward, knowing that the harder I work now, the better it will pay off for me in the end.

“What do you have there buddy?” Simon chuckles, acknowledging King’s strange behavior.

In King’s defense, he’s just a strange guy, but in a quirky, fun-loving sort of way.

“This note,” King says, showing us a piece of paper that, up until that moment, had been folded in half and shoved inside a notebook.

“What about it?” Dylan asks with a shrug.

“Krista made it,” King proclaims.

“I did?” I lean over to study the piece of paper and the jottings on it.

“Oh...right, I did!” I say with laughter. “I remember, it has to do with the original formula I tried to piece together for the clean coal.”

“Exactly.” King nods as if he’s really on to something now.

“Care to enlighten us, or are you just going to stand there looking like a weirdo staring off into space?” Simon teases him.

King ignores him and cuts to the chase. “We should try to test this formula.” He points to the scribblings I made and taps the paper.

I give him a funny look. “Those were just theories—I didn’t really think—”

“Some of the best theories proven in today’s history came from random notes made on post-its,” King counters, interrupting me before I can sabotage myself or apparently his failsafe plan.

“I guess that’s true.” I shrug and look at the other guys. “I suppose it can be worth a shot.”

“It’s totally worth it!” King cheers as if he’s holding the formula to cure cancer.

I’m hardly that seasoned as a researcher.

“If we do this test, we could be that much closer to your hope for cleaner coal, Krista,” King continues, really animated now and talking excitedly with his hands.

“Okay, let’s do it!” I shout and join him on his mountain of eagerness.

As an extra flare and effect, we high-five each other. Then, like any train wreck, I have a mental breakdown, and self-doubt takes over.

“Wait.” I say with a shake of my head.

“What is it?” Dylan asks with concern.

“This is just one little note here.” I shake it in front of him.

The pieces in my mind are fragmented. “I wrote this note a long time ago, guys. I’m not sure I can remember everything...” I trail off as disappointment floods me.

“It’s okay, we can help you. Right, guys?” Simon chimes in.

“Hell yes, absolutely,” Dylan agrees.

“I took so many notes back then.” I shake my head and riffle through all my papers.

I’m trying to process everything, but I’m getting a little dose of stage fright. The guys begin discussing where I could’ve begun the trail, and eventually it all starts to ripple back into my memory.

We continue to brainstorm late into the night until we come up with the possible solution to the formula.

In my head, I’m still reeling as the numbers, letters, and equations fly through my brain, but I’m closer than I was before and that’s a great sign.

Once we have enough to test the hypothesis, we make a plan to put it all in place.

“I have an idea,” Dylan states with bright interest.

“What is it?” I turn to look at him.

“We should go on a trip this weekend.”

“A trip?” Simon asks.

“Yeah, think about it,” Dylan proposes. “If we get all the necessary things we need, we’ll be able to flesh out the experiment better.”

“Not a bad idea,” King agrees.

“Does that mean we’re finished for tonight?” I laugh. “If I agree, does that mean we can all go home now?”

Dylan looks at his watch and yawns with a stretch. “It is getting pretty late. We can pick up where we left off tomorrow.”

“That sounds great to me,” King adds.

We leave the research lab that night, and I shut off the lights behind me. I file out after the guys.

“Thanks for your help,” I tell them gratefully. “If it weren’t for you, I never would have remembered these calculations and formula structures.”

“That’s what we’re here for.” King gives me a genuine grin and squeezes my shoulder. “We’ll be here for you whenever you need us.”

I go home that night, knowing in my heart he’s telling me the truth.