Keeley accepted the glass of milk Aaron offered, murmuring a quiet "thank you." She was still lost in thought, unsure of this new development. She'd been too upset to fully listen the day she confronted him, but hadn't he said something about not knowing how to love properly because of his upbringing?

She knew little about his childhood beyond his distant parents and limited social interaction outside of tutors. That would make any child lonely. If he never learned to process his emotions, those feelings might be expressed strangely.

Her hands tightened around the glass as she watched him happily devour a cupcake. What was going on in his head?

Needing a distraction, Keeley asked, "How did your trip go?"

Aaron looked up in surprise, crumbs and frosting clinging to his lips. For a moment, he looked like a normal human being, rather than the icy ruler of a business empire.

"As well as could be expected. I negotiated a land deal for a Monaco branch without much difficulty. Construction begins this summer."

Unsure how to respond—she knew little about business—she mumbled, "That's cool," before awkwardly changing the subject.

He steered the conversation. "You're finishing your research this summer, right?"

"Yeah. I've completed four trial batches, but I need ten. I still have a way to go."

Keeley realized her schedule would be drastically different—a 9-to-5 lab job, half research, half assisting Dr. Kim.

"Hey, before I forget, you don't need to send me food anymore. I'll be getting off early enough to make my own dinner."

"That'll be a nice change," Aaron commented. "What will you do with all that free time?"

It was the question she'd been asking herself. Based on recent weeks, the answer was: not much.

Maybe she could visit the public library. She used to love mystery novels, but hadn't had time since starting her PhD.

Keeley wasn't a fast reader; a 300-page book took her ten hours. She didn't have that much free time in a week. She preferred spreading reading out over a few days to avoid forgetting details. Stretching it over weeks removed the enjoyment.

"Not a clue. I'd hang out with my friends, but they're all busy now. At least I'll have time to plan Jennica's bachelorette party."

Aaron grimaced. "Don't remind me; I'm in charge of Cameron's, and I'm clueless."

She almost laughed. As best man, it was his duty, but she couldn't imagine him attending, let alone planning, a bachelor party.

"What does he like?" she asked.

"Gambling, but he does that for work, so it wouldn't be fun."

Keeley raised an eyebrow. So his World Series of Poker wins were on Aaron's orders… Was that why Jennica complained about his constant business trips?

"You pay him to gamble for you?"

He shrugged. "I had to make money outside of my father's business somehow. Cameron's amazing—I found him in college; he consistently beat everyone in dorm card tournaments. He never lost."

Huh. Aaron only seemed close to useful people; this explained his friendship with someone so different from him.

"Interesting. What does he do to relax?"

"How should I know? We don't hang out outside of work or business trips."

Yet Cameron considered Aaron his best friend?! What kind of bizarre relationship was that?

"I have nothing for you," Keeley sighed. "Go talk to Aiden."

She knew he was back; she'd seen him coming home from work a few days earlier. He seemed relaxed—Sweden, or more specifically, his Swedish girlfriend, must have treated him well.

He nodded, unwrapping another cupcake. "These are delicious, by the way. Thank you."

She was relieved; it was her first time using this recipe. "You're welcome."

It felt odd that he was thanking her, considering the cupcakes were her way of thanking him. An endless cycle of "thank yous."

Keeley realized this might be one of their last meetings. Jennica's wedding was a month away; she'd only see him at the rehearsal and the wedding.

She planned to move to Pennsylvania or New Jersey after graduation. They wouldn't move on if they saw each other constantly. It was best to remove herself from the equation.

Aaron couldn't always be her rescuer. It wasn't fair to use him, even if it was easy. She shouldn't exploit his guilt.

"I should go," she said, standing. "Do you have another container for the remaining cupcakes? I'll take mine home."

Something flickered in his usually empty eyes before he nodded. "I'll get one."

He returned with a container and transferred the cupcakes. "Let me drive you back."

"Really, it's fi—"

"I insist. You came all this way; it's the least I can do."

Aaron left no room for argument. The ride back was awkward and heavy. He'd likely realized she didn't want him using the cupcakes as an excuse to see her again.

What else could she do? They weren't meant to be. Frequent meetings would only make things harder for him.

Keeley doubted he truly loved her, but he clearly had complicated feelings that wouldn't disappear if they continued seeing each other. He needed to let her go.

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