Chapter 97

Chapter 97
Jordan's POV

By the time I walk out of our accounting final, I feel like my brain has been wrung dry.

I glance at Kaelen as we make our way across campus, and judging by the way he is rubbing his forehead, he isn't doing much better. We have spent the last two hours staring at numbers, calculations, and questions that seemed determined to make us question every decision that led us to business school in the first place.

"I thought first year was supposed to be easy," I say.

Kaelen lets out a tired laugh. "It seems like your brain lied. Mine did too."

I laugh, slipping my hands into my jacket pockets. "I don't even want to think about the next paper. Not without food first."

"Agreed."

"Pizza?" I ask.

Kaelen glances at me. "Definitely."

"Hawaiian?"

"Not the pineapples!" he groans. "You know that's a crime, right?"

I laugh. "You can pick something else."

"No. I'll suffer with you, pretty boy."

"This is why I keep you around."

"Only because I approve your pizza choices?"

"Among other things." I hold his gaze. "Like your smile, your hugs, and the fact that you are ridiculously good at kissing me."

His expression softens immediately, and I grin because I know exactly what I've done. "That was cheap," he says.

"It worked, didn't it?"

"Come here," he says, pulling me closer by my waist as we round the corner toward our dorm room hallway.

Before I can say anything, his lips find mine. I laugh softly against his mouth, my hands settling around his waist as the kiss deepens for a moment. The hallway, the exams, and everything waiting for us disappear, leaving only the warmth of him against me.

When I pull back, I smile up at him still caught in the warmth of the kiss, when movement at the far end of the hallway catches my attention. I glance over instinctively and my smile disappears.

My eyes land on a familiar figure outside our room, watching us. Harper Ashford stands there, a tailored coat sitting perfectly over a simple blouse and trousers. Her hair is styled with the same careful precision I remember, and even from this distance, her gaze still has the same impact it always does whenever she is looking at me— that quiet scrutiny that makes me straighten right away.

Kaelen follows my gaze, and the moment he sees her, his entire expression changes. His hand slips from my waist. "Mom?" he whispers

He looks like he has just seen a ghost.

"Are you okay?"

For several seconds, he doesn't answer. Then he swallows and gives a small nod. "I think so."

We start walking slowly toward her. She doesn't move as we approach. There is no sign of anyone else with her, not even a driver but still, it doesn't make me feel any less tense.

When we get close enough, her eyes settle on me first. "Jordan."

"Mrs Ashford."

The exchange is polite, but there is too much history underneath it to make it comfortable. I remember the last time I stood in front of her and everything I told her without holding anything back. I don't regret a word of it, but seeing her here makes me wonder if the consequences of that day have been following us all this time.

She turns her attention to Kaelen. "Hi, Kaelen."

He doesn't return the greeting. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to see you. I hoped we could talk."

"About what?" His voice is guarded. "I have nothing else left to say to you or to Dad."

He reaches for my hand, ready to move past her, but she speaks again.

"I'm not here because of your father, Kaelen. He didn't send me."

The urgency in her voice makes him stop. She looks almost desperate as she says it, and I see Kaelen notice too.

"What do you want then?"

She hesitates, glancing over at me. Whatever she has come here to say, I don't think I should be standing in the middle of it.

"I'll go get the pizza," I tell Kaelen. "Let me know if you need anything."

He nods. I put my bag down inside the room and step back into the hallway. Kaelen's mother walks inside, and I pause at the door for a moment, wondering if I should really be leaving him alone. He gives me another small affirming nod and I leave.

The walk to the cafe is almost on autopilot. My mind keeps circling back to the dorm room, asking myself the same question. Why is she here?

I make the pizza order then walk over to the slushie machine, fill a cup with a passion-fruit flavor and take it to an empty table to wait for my order. I sip my drink slowly, staring at nothing in particular as my thoughts turn.

She said his father didn't send her. Okay but that doesn't explain anything. If anything, it gives me more questions, more what ifs.

I don't know how long I've been sitting there when someone drops into the chair across from me. I jump slightly, blinking back to the present. Elise.

"Whoa. Were you just now stuck in the world of musical lyrics preparing another romantic banger?"

I chuckle. "I wish. With my crazy finals schedule and other stuff, my musical brain is fried."

She smiles. "How are you holding up?"

"Honestly? I'm tired."

"Same." She sits back comfortably. "Although I think I made the right choice with English literature. I'm actually doing great."

"I'm jealous."

Elise laughs, but I barely acknowledge it. My eyes drift toward the entrance again before I catch myself and look down at my slushie. I take another sip, more out of habit than because I want it.

"Okay," she says slowly. "What is going on with you?"

I look at her. "What do you mean?"

"You keep looking at the door, you are barely drinking that thing, and you've checked your phone about five times since I sat down."

I glance at my phone lying beside me. I hadn't even realized I'd been doing it.

She studies me for a moment. "Are you really okay?"

"Yeah. I'm okay," I manage, keeping my voice even but I don't think she is convinced.

She tilts her head. "Where is your other half, anyway? You two have been inseparable since all the crazy died."

"Yeah, well." I sigh. "I don't think the crazy really died. It just took a break, and now I feel like it's starting to claw its way back."

Her expression changes immediately. "What do you mean?"

"Kaelen's mother is here." Her eyebrows rise. "She just showed up at the dorm and said she wants to talk to him. I'm worried because I have no idea what's going on."

"Hey." She reaches across the table and takes my hand. "Kaelen can handle himself, especially with his mom. Don't worry too much."

I give her a nervous laugh. "Easy for you to say. You didn't grow up with a toxic mother."

"True." She squeezes my hand before letting go. "But I've known Harper Ashford for years. She isn't really a bad mother. She just doesn't always make the right choices when it comes to the whole Ashford dynamic."

I look at her.

"But she is trying," she adds.

My frown deepens. "Do you know something? Like why exactly she is here?"

"I'd be lying if I said I knew." She pauses. "But I did know she might show up."

"How? Why didn't you say anything?"

"Um..." She looks away briefly. "Let's talk about that later?" Before I can question her again, she pulls out her phone and starts scrolling. "I actually came here to ask you something." She looks up. "What do you want for Christmas?"

"Christmas?"

"Yes. You know. That season that comes once a year with all the most beautiful things converging— snow, carols, presents, beautiful shiny decorations, and the general excuse to spend an unreasonable amount of money on people you love? Remember that Christmas?"

I laugh, mostly because of how she says it. "I mean... I wasn't expecting that question. You just caught me off guard."

"Well?"

"Elise, you don't need to get me anything. I'm all good."

"Every year, I write down a list of people who have impacted my life in one way or another and ask them the same question. And you of course get on this list."

"I don't really know..." She gives me a sharp look that makes me immediately stop. "Can I at least think about it?"

"Sure. Just give me an answer before we break for the holidays or I'm buying you the ugliest Christmas sweater I can find and making sure you wear it all season."

"You wouldn't."

"Try me," she says it too seriously then, "Catch you later, besboo."

"Okay," I say shaking my head. For some reason, I feel a little more at ease.