Chapter 761

“Alright, today, I’m all yours.” Lena stretched up on her toes and left a quick kiss on Nate’s chin. But Nate wasn’t about that half-hearted action. He pulled her in, kissing her slow and deep, making sure she felt it. Neither of them noticed the black sedan parked nearby, idling for a second before quietly rolling away.

With his phone on silent, Nate was all in for their day together. They hit up a movie, stuffed themselves with amazing food, and cruised on bikes as the sunset painted the sky. For once, it was just about her. No interruptions. No distractions. And honestly, it felt perfect—everything Lena had secretly wished for.

But while Nate’s phone stayed quiet, Lena’s buzzed unexpectedly. A message from Retta popped up:

[Lena, if you don’t want Nate’s career to crash and burn, make him call me back.]

Yikes. Retta wasn’t just mad—she was nuclear. Apparently, Nate had been dodging her calls all day.

Later, as the sun dipped low, they flopped onto the grass, sitting back-to-back under the warm, golden light. Lena hesitated but finally handed Nate her phone. “You should call her back.”

Nate caught the way her eyes dimmed. He knew exactly what was on her mind. After all the miles, the sleepless nights, and the endless waiting to be together again, she was scared to lose him. Truth was, he felt the same.

“It’s nothing urgent,” he said softly. “And even if it were, it’s too late now. Today’s about you. I promised.”

Her chest tightened. He wasn’t just saying it; he meant it. She could feel it in the way he looked at her, like nothing else mattered, even his work.

“You’re amazing,” Lena whispered, pressing her lips to his.

The setting sun bathed them in a warm glow. A few passersby glanced over, some with smirks, but they were in their own bubble, too wrapped up in the moment to care.

The spell broke when Lena’s phone buzzed again. This time, it wasn’t a text. It was Retta, calling directly.

Chapter 201

“You should answer,” Lena said, shoving the phone at Nate. “Might be something big.”

Nate took the call and slapped it on speaker. He didn’t even bother saying hello—just waited.

“Why didn’t you let Nate call me back, Lena?” Retta’s voice came in sharp. “Do you even understand—”

“Why are you yelling?” Nate cut her off, his tone cool but carrying enough weight to shut anyone up. “If I didn’t answer, it’s because nothing urgent should be interrupting me.”

Cue awkward silence. Then Retta regrouped. “Prof. Hemington called about someone with a heart condition—been waiting for you all day.” Prof. Hemington was their mentor.

Lena caught the way Nate’s jaw tightened. Oh yeah, he was not amused. The mentor card? Yeah, that was a power play, and Nate wasn’t here for it.

“I’m busy today,” he shot back, zero hesitation. “Tell them to wait until after the conference. If they can’t, they can find someone else.”

“Nate!” Retta’s voice rose. “Is hanging out with your girlfriend seriously more important than a request from our mentor?”

“Yes. Mentors are great. My girlfriend’s better. Pass that along, and if they’re in such a hurry, they know where to look for someone else.” He hung up, no fanfare.

Lena looked at him. “Sure you don’t wanna go? Handle it and meet up later?”

“Nope,” Nate said, dead serious. “People who lean on connections without thinking about anyone else? Yeah, that entitlement needs a reality check. If they want my help, they’ll wait.”

His resolute attitude made Lena laugh. She grabbed his face. “My Prof. Neumann, serving cool points today. Speaking of connections, though… I’ve got a favor to ask too.”

“And what’s our connection, hmm?” Nate teased, his smirk softening as he leaned in to listen.

Lena slipped her arms around his neck and whispered in his ear. Whatever she said had Nate flushing like a total newbie. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed, voice dropping to a shaky murmur. “Lena…”