I shot a quick look at Hayden, then turned to Demi, “You’re just talking crazy ‘cause you’re wiped


    out.”


    “I’m not talking crazy. You two are total workaholics. I feel like I can’t keep up anymore,” Demi


    mumbled, slumping into the car seat.


    “Whether you can or not, you gotta hang in there. We’re almost done,” I said, trying to sound


    reassuring. Earlier today, I scoped out what still needed fixing. At the pace we’re going, we should


    wrap this up in about ten days.


    “How much longer?” Demi whined, like she couldn’t survive even one more day.


    “About ten days,” I said after sneaking another nce at Hayden through the rearview mirror.


    “Ten days…” Demi groaned, her voice dripping with defeat.


    By the time we got to the hotel, Demi was out cold. I called her name a few times, but she was in


    dreand. Finally, I leaned in close and whispered, “If you don’t get up, I’ll make Hayden carry


    you.” “Fine, carry me,” Demi mumbled, holding out her hand.


    I couldn’t help butugh and gave her a gentle tug. “Come on, let’s move it.”


    Demi, barely awake, let me guide her into the elevator and up to our floor. Just as we got to our


    rooms, Hayden, who’d been dead silent the whole ride, finally spoke up. “Keira, I need to talk to


    you.”


    My heart did a weird flip when he used my first name. “Okay.”


    Too exhausted to care, Demi shuffled into her room without a second thought. I turned back to


    Hayden. What’s up?”


    “I talked to thepany. I’m staying to finish the job,” Hayden said, and all I could muster was an


    “Oh.” I wasn’t surprised at all. If he left, I would’ve bailed too.


    Sure, the amusement park’s lighting could technically go on without us, but there was no way they’d


    hit the deadline. And honestly, the quality would probably tank without our touch.


    Besides, I’ve got this sneaky feeling that Jace still didn’t want me quitting. The fact that he hadn’t


    pushed Hayden’spany to send in a recement kinda showed he was scared I might actually


    walk out.


    “Okay,” I replied, keeping it short.


    “You nning to leave RiverwaveCorp after this?” Hayden’s question caught me off guard. I didn’t


    expect him to figure that out.


    “Yeah, I admitted, not even trying to y it cool.


    He nodded. “We can speed things up a bit more.”


    “Huh?” I was confused.


    Speeding up would mean more overtime, and while Hayden and I could probably handle it, I wasn’t


    sure Demi could.


    “No need for extra hours. We’ll stick to our schedule and still finish ahead of time,” Hayden


    exined, making meugh.


    “Are you serious?”


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    “Dead serious,” Hayden said, his face just as serious.


    I pressed my lips together. “There’s no need. Finishing on time is good enough.”


    “You wanna leave, right? Let’s finish early so you can bounce sooner,” Hayden’s words hit me like a


    ton of bricks.


    But I quickly shot back, “No need. Even if we finish early, I’m not leaving until the whole park passes


    inspection and even opens to the public.”


    Hayden’s gaze deepened, but I didn’t offer any more than that.


    Since I didn’t n on getting mixed up with him, there was no point in letting him know what was


    going on in my head.


    The next morning, Demi and I showed up at the amusement park to find Hayden already at it. I


    asked one of the staff, and he said Hayden had started at five in the morning.


    It looked like he really was dead set on finishing early. He wasn’t dragging Demi and me into extra


    hours- he was taking it all on himself.


    “Good morning, Ms. Kay!” a voice called out from behind me.


    “Morning!” I replied out of habit, but something felt off the second I said it.


    I turned around and there was Wayne, standing there in a work uniform, hard hat and all. I froze on


    the spot.