Chapter 219 Academic Exchange Conference
Donovan's eyes deepened, hinting at unspoken words lingering on his lips.
Suddenly, the oppressive silence was rent asunder by the jarring ringtone of a phone.
Riley glanced at her phone, seeing "Adam" on the screen.
She sighed in relief; this call was a perfect escape.
She nodded at Donovan and answered, heading to her car.
This time, Donovan didn't stop her.
As she walked past him, Riley's heart finally calmed.
Donovan watched her leave, thinking about the name on her screen.
If he remembered right, Adam had had dinner with Riley last time, and they seemed pretty close.
He hadn't expected her to have such an affectionate name for him.
Their relationship seemed tighter than he thought.
Realizing this, Donovan's face darkened even more.
"Adam, what's up?"
After answering, they exchanged small talk until Riley got into her car and brought up the reason for the call.
Adam chuckled. "You're making it sound so formal. Can't I call just to chat?"
Without Donovan around, Riley relaxed and smiled. "Sure, but most people don't call just to chat this early."
Adam knew her routine well enough to know she was either dropping off her kids or heading to work.
There was no reason to call her now.
Hearing her, Adam got serious. "I wanted to set up a time to meet. I have something for you. Are you free today? How about noon?"
Riley thought for a moment. "Noon works. Let's meet near the research institute."
Adam quickly agreed.
After hanging up, Riley wondered what Adam had for her.
Later, she saw a message from Adam with the location of a nearby restaurant.
She tidied up and headed over.
When she arrived, Adam was already at a table.
Riley sat down. "Sorry, have you been waiting long?"
Adam smiled. "I'm used to it. I figured you must be hungry, so I ordered. Hope you like it."
He signaled the waiter to serve the dishes.
As they ate, they talked business.
"So, what did you want to give me?" Riley asked after a while.
Adam smiled and handed her an invitation. "There's an academic conference in North City with some big names. I thought you'd be interested, so I got an extra invite."
Riley's eyes lit up. Anyone Adam considered important was likely someone like her mentor, Chandler.
The chance to discuss academics with them was too good to pass up!
