“Ms. Thorne, take a look at this set of test flight data.” Galen slid out of his seat, making room for Elodie.

She walked over, scanning the screen with practiced eyes.

Before long, a stream of voices reporting in drifted from the side.

Elodie turned her head and caught sight of a group approaching from across the

room.

At the front was Watts-impossible to miss, tall and long-legged, towering over a cluster of executives in sharp suits, most of them older than he was. They were running through updates, speaking in clipped, efficient tones.

Watts listened intently, all traces of his usual laid-back demeanor gone, his face now set in a cool, businesslike focus.

Every so often, he’d interject with a question or a brief comment.

Elodie realized it was the first time she’d ever seen him in full-on work mode.

It surprised her.

Just as she was about to look away, Watts seemed to sense her gaze. His eyes found hers with unerring precision, and the instant he recognized her, his expression melted into a smile. He turned to the people beside him and said, “You keep going without me for a minute.”

He strode over, covering the distance in a few long steps.

“Elodie? When did you get back?” he asked.

Her hand paused on the drone controller. She thought for a moment, then replied, “Yesterday.”

“How was the conference?” Watts stopped at her side, looking down at her.

“It was great. Learned a lot,” she answered honestly.

He grinned, a spark of understanding in his eyes. “You must be exceptional, then. Conferences at that level—if I went, I can’t say I’d come away with so much right off the bat. Takes time to digest all that information.”

He remembered, ever since that government seminar, he’d noticed the quality of Elodie’s notes and had been quietly impressed.

Elodie didn’t make a show of her abilities, but her competence was undeniable.

P.n

She couldn’t help thinking that Watts was being modest. Anyone who finished a Cambridge doctorate at his age had no business playing down their talents-he was the very definition of a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

“Working on drone calibration?” Watts nodded at the controller in her hands.

She nodded back, “Just checking how smoothly it runs.”

“Mind if I give it a try?” he asked.

“Go ahead.” She handed him the controller without hesitation.

He took it, lips quirking up. “I’ve played around with all sorts of drones. Even went and got my operator’s license just to really understand them. What do you need to test? I’ll follow your lead.”

Elodie had met people like him before the kind who picked up new skills with almost irritating ease.

“You’ve got a real knack for this,” she said, matter-of-fact.

Watts just shrugged. “It’s nothing, really. I’ve always had a lot of energy-loved trying new things. The only reason I can do all this is because I had more chances and resources than most. My family’s support made a big difference.

He was more genuine than she’d expected. Most people never admitted how much a head start could matter.

Sure enough, Watts handled the drone with impressive skill, following all her test instructions perfectly.

Elodie jotted down a few improvement notes as they worked.

After a while, her legs started to ache. She glanced at the stone steps across the room, thinking she’d sit there to finish her notes.

Watts caught her glance, then looked over at the steps-which, under the icy blast of the indoor AC, would be freezing cold.

Without missing a beat, he strode over, shrugged off his jacket, and spread it on the step. “Here. Sit.”

Elodie stopped in her tracks, lifting

vers

her gaze to meet his-the open, honest look in his eyes made it clear this wasn’t some calculated gesture. It was just genuine, quietly thoughtful, the mark of someone raised with both privilege and decency.

She clicked her pen closed, then met his eyes and spoke, clear and steady: “I’m sorry, but about what you said the other day—I think I need to be clear with you. I’m not looking for a relationship.”