17. SMELLs GOOD

Alina stepped into the sleek, modern building that housed the Publishing department. The place had always intimidated her—the high ceilings, the polished marble floors, the bustling professionals who moved with purpose. But today, her nerves were particularly frayed. She hadn’t expected to find herself here so soon, and she certainly hadn’t prepared for the whirlwind of emotions that swirled within her as she approached the front desk.

The receptionist barely glanced up from her computer screen as Alina approached. Her fingers clicked rapidly against the keyboard, the sound sharp and dismissive.

"Name?" the receptionist asked, her tone clipped.

"Alina Martin," she replied, trying to keep her voice steady.

The receptionist typed something into her computer, her expression one of practiced indifference. After a few moments, she looked up, her eyes scanning Alina with a hint of disdain.

"He’s busy right now. You’ll have to wait," she said curtly, before returning her attention to the screen, clearly uninterested in offering any further assistance.

Alina nodded, though the rudeness stung. She took a seat in the waiting area, trying to ignore the receptionist’s cold demeanor. The room was stark and minimalist, with white walls and modern art that felt more pretentious than inspiring. She adjusted her brown sweater, the fabric soft and comforting against her skin, but it did little to ease her anxiety.

As she waited, she couldn’t help but fidget with her hair. It was down today, a rare choice for her. Normally, she would tie it up to keep it out of the way, especially when she was nervous. But something about today had made her want to feel different, maybe even a little more confident.

She glanced around, her thoughts drifting back to the meeting she’d just had with the club. Everything hinged on this conversation with Caelan. If he couldn’t help them find a suitable author, their event might not live up to its full potential.

Minutes ticked by, each one feeling longer than the last. The receptionist never looked up again, as if Alina had become invisible the moment she sat down. Her nerves started to get the better of her, her mind racing with doubts. What if Caelan was annoyed that she’d come to him again? What if he didn’t want to be bothered with something as trivial as a college event?

Just as her anxiety reached its peak, she heard the soft ding of an elevator. Her head snapped up, and her heart skipped a beat as she saw Caelan stepping out.

He was as composed and unflappable as ever, his grey eyes surveying the room with that same intense focus she had come to associate with him. But there was something different today. As his gaze fell on her, a fleeting expression crossed his face—something almost like surprise, but tinged with a deeper, more complex emotion.

Alina couldn’t tell if it was the way the sunlight streamed through the windows, casting a warm glow on her hair, or the way her brown sweater seemed to remind him of something. But whatever it was, it struck Caelan deeply. Memories, long buried but never forgotten, stirred within him. He hadn’t expected to be reminded of the past in such an ordinary moment, and the ache that accompanied those memories caught him off guard.

His mind flickered back to a different time, a different person who used to wear her hair just like that, who had a similar sense of quiet determination. The image was so vivid it almost stopped him in his tracks. But Caelan had learned long ago how to control his emotions, how to bury them deep so they wouldn’t interfere with the present. He pushed the memories aside, locking them away as he had done so many times before.

As he approached her, Alina, lost in her thoughts, hadn’t noticed him coming closer. When she finally looked up and saw him standing just a few feet away, she startled, her body reacting before her mind could catch up. She jumped to her feet too quickly, her nerves making her movements clumsy.

She collided with him, her head bumping directly into his chest with a soft thud. For a moment, she froze, mortified by the sudden and unintentional contact. The firm warmth of his chest against her forehead sent a jolt through her, and she could feel the steady rise and fall of his breathing.

The world seemed to slow down, just for a second, as she took in his scent—a subtle mix of something clean and earthy, like pine needles after a rainstorm. It was comforting and unexpectedly familiar, something that spoke of strength and stability. Before she could stop herself, she muttered under her breath, "At least he smells good."

The words slipped out before she realized what she’d said, and the moment they left her lips, her eyes widened in horror. She stepped back immediately, her face flushed with embarrassment.

Caelan, however, had heard her clearly. He arched an eyebrow, a trace of amusement flickering in his eyes, but he remained composed. "I’m glad you approve," he husked a breath, his voice carrying that same calm, almost teasing tone that she had heard once before.

Alina’s face burned even hotter, and she struggled to find her voice. "I—I’m so sorry," she stammered, desperately trying to regain her composure. "I didn’t mean to—"

"It’s fine," Caelan interrupted, his voice softening just a touch. He had seen her flustered before, but something about her current state—her wide eyes, her open hair, the way she tried to shrink into herself—made him feel an unexpected twinge of protectiveness. "You’re here to see me, I assume?"

Alina nodded, still feeling the embarrassment prickling at her skin. "Yes, I wanted to ask you about something important for the event we’re planning."

He gestured for her to follow him. "Let’s talk in my office."

As they walked side by side towards the elevator, Alina couldn’t help but glance at him out of the corner of her eye. There was something about him today that felt different, something she couldn’t quite place. The Caelan she knew—or rather, thought she knew—was always so composed, so impenetrable. But there was a subtle change in him, a faint shadow in his eyes that hinted at something deeper, something she was only beginning to glimpse.

She didn’t know what it was, but as they stepped into the elevator together, she felt a strange connection, an unspoken understanding that lingered in the air between them. And for the first time, Alina wondered if there was more to Caelan than the mysterious figure she had known from afar.