The next morning, Keeley dropped her children off at preschool. Kaleb was excited, while Violet was reluctant, but she didn't fuss thanks to her father's promise. That was one battle won, but the real one hadn't begun.

Aaron was reluctant to part with some cookies, but Keeley persuaded him by promising to bake more later in the week. She had already placed some in two plastic baggies for her research assistants.

Upon arrival, the secretary and Dr. Butler greeted her more warmly than other employees, making her feel even more awkward than the day before. She considered asking them to stop the preferential treatment; it would only worsen Kate's opinion of her.

Keeley was unused to this lab environment. She'd always been friendly with her coworkers. She and Erica were good friends, despite limited time to meet up since working together for years in Dr. Kim's lab.

Kate flatly refused the cookies, claiming they must have been store-bought, asserting that people like Keeley only knew how to buy things. Keeley's forehead twitched. This woman was clueless!

She felt a surge of affection for Shawn, who graciously accepted the cookies, promising to share Kate's portion with his family. His son loved chocolate chip cookies.

Despite her efforts, Keeley couldn't get her female research assistant to be polite for three days. Then, she discovered the reason.

Shawn's wife worked nearby, so they always took lunch breaks together. Keeley found herself sitting alone, desperately texting her husband, Jennica, Valentina, her father—anyone who would respond—to avoid feeling foolish. [Remove the website advertisement]

That day, another scientist, leading a small research team in another lab, sat with her.

"You must be new; I haven't seen you around before this week," he said with a smile. "I'm Mason Graham. I'm researching a new type of blood test for specific autoimmune disorders."

Relieved that he seemed unaware of her less-than-conventional hiring, she shook his hand. "Keeley Hale; I'm researching gene therapy for cystic fibrosis."

"Gene therapy, huh? Only the bravest scientists dare to try that, given its controversial nature. Is that your dissertation topic? I heard Dr. Butler was bringing in rabbits for someone using gene therapy, so you must have already worked with mice."

He was sharp; his deduction was impressive.

"It is," she replied. "I haven't been able to continue for a while because my children needed me at home. I'm eager to get back into it. I love research, even though it can be tedious."

Mason smiled. "Tedious is a great way to put it. But I love it too. It's in my blood; both my parents were college professors. I just preferred the lab to teaching."

Keeley felt the same. She'd initially planned to be a professor, believing it the only way to choose her research. She disliked teaching assistant duties.

Jumping straight into research without becoming a professor wouldn't have been possible without Aaron. She was grateful, even if it meant dealing with judgmental people like Kate.

"I prefer the lab too. I practically lived there during my PhD. I've missed that while caring for my kids. Of course, now that I'm here, I miss them too. My daughter has been fussy about preschool, as she's used to me being around all the time."

Was she rambling? A little. But she was so excited to meet someone new and friendly that her natural talkativeness emerged.

As she spoke, she felt a familiar chill. It wasn't as intense, but it resembled the icy aura Aaron emitted when angry. No one was as intense as he was, though.

Turning, she wasn't surprised to find Kate glaring at her. A puzzle piece clicked into place. Perhaps Kate's animosity wasn't unfounded.

Kate had been transferred from another research team she preferred…was it Mason's? Keeley eyed him appraisingly as he asked polite questions about her children.

Mason seemed to be in his early to mid-thirties, had a slightly receding hairline but plenty of dark brown hair, and wasn't wearing a wedding ring. Her husband was far more handsome, but Mason was good-looking.

If Kate liked Mason and had been transferred because of Keeley, her resentment was understandable. Dr. Butler seemed overly eager to please. Transferring Kate back might be possible.

She preferred a team member who wasn't resentful. But how could she address this without causing problems for Kate?

Asking her husband for advice later would be wise. Aaron lacked interpersonal skills in friendships, but he excelled at office politics.

Feeling reassured, Keeley talked freely about her children, a comfortable topic after years of focused childcare.

"You said they're both in preschool. Are they twins, or just close in age?" Mason asked.

"They're twins. Kaleb is outgoing and loves sports, though he's too young for most leagues. He excelled in toddler soccer. Violet is shyer. Honestly, she reminds me more of her father every day."

"Your husband is shy then?"

Shy wasn't quite right for Aaron; he always seemed aloof. But seeing Violet's resemblance, Keeley admitted he was probably shy, just well-hidden.

Keeley smiled. "Only a little bit. He isn't like that around me."