I turned my head and met his eyes, feeling unexpectedly guilty for a moment.


    I looked away and took a step forward, “It’s not that. I just don’t want others to overthink it.”


    “Oh.” His response left me unsure of his feelings.


    I didn’t push it. We were adults, after all. We should understand boundaries and propriety. Plus, he


    didn’t seem like the type to gossip


    The silence between Hayden and me grew awkward. Finally, I broke the ice again. “How long will it


    take to finish adjusting these lights?”


    “Hard to say,” Hayden replied.


    I felt exasperated. “We have twenty days,” I reminded him, thinking about the promise I made to


    Jace.


    Hayden nced at me, and I half–expected him to say something, but all I got was a low “Mm.”


    ‘Does that mean he agrees?‘ I wondered.


    With that topic wrapped up, there wasn’t much left to say. I could’ve brought up Macy, but that’d


    only make things more awkward.


    The rest of the walk was painfully silent. Each minute dragged, and I even started sweating a bit.


    Ugh, I felt so pathetic.


    It confused me. ‘Why can I face Jace, my ex–fiancé, without breaking a sweat, but feel so uneasy


    around Hayden, who wasn’t even a sessful blind date?’


    Finally, we made it to the power distribution room. The electrician was already there, waiting. After a


    quick intro, he led Hayden to check out the amusement park’s electrical diagrams


    Once they were done, I asked, “So, any problems?”


    “No,” he replied.


    That left me feeling a bit deted. We’d spent all this time checking things. If Hayden wanted to


    inspect the power supply, it meant he’d noticed something affecting the lighting.


    I was getting confused. Hayden turned to the electrician. “Let’s check the power distribution room.”


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    The electrician didn’t hesitate and led the way. Hayden followed closely, inspecting everything


    quietly, while I tagged along, understanding nothing.


    At times, I even doubted if Hayden knew what he was doing. But remembering his expertise as a


    lighting engineer, I brushed it off.


    Is this line not 220V? Which equipment is it powering? Hayden asked.


    The electrician nced at the generator’sbel. “It’s for the amusement park’srge equipment.”


    “I need the names of the devices this power is supplying, their locations, and the lighting setup,”


    Hayden said, looking at me.


    I nodded. “I’ll have Demi bring it over.”


    I quickly made a call. As I hung up, Hayden was deep in discussion with the electrician about


    another power supply issue. His clear eyes and rugged features gave him that tough, cool vibe,


    especially in his work gear.


    I was so lost in thought that I didn’t even notice Hayden calling me. “Come here.”


    Not sure what he wanted, I rushed over.


    Of course, I didn’t see a piece of equipment sticking out and mmed right into it. Pain shot


    through me, and I lost my bnce, stumbling forward.


    The electrician closest to me tried to catch me, but Hayden was faster. He blocked the electrician


    and caught me around the waist.


    His grip was strong and firm, making my waist feel even smaller in his hold.


    Just then, footsteps approached the door. “Keira, I brought-“Demi began, then stopped mid–


    sentence, her eyes wide as she took in the scene.