“Carter Crawford—an old university friend of mine. He’s making waves with his so-called genius invention and trash-talking me despite everything I’ve done for him.”
That last sentence tugs a frown out of me. “What do you mean by that?” I ask, nudging him to make space on the bench.
With how small the seat is, our shoulders graze, and our legs bump as I settle beside him. I try not to react to the zing of electricity that shoots up my spine at the contact, but it’s a challenge when that kiss keeps replaying in my mind, and he's got that towel around his waist.
Thankfully, Nate quickly continues the story, and it’s enough to distract me.
“Carter and I roomed together during our freshman year at MIT, and we hung out for the rest of our time there. We had all the same classes and even collaborated on a few projects.”
“You guys were close friends?” I ask even though the answer seems obvious.
When he nods, I can’t help but wince.
“I thought our friendship would stick it out until the end, which was crazy because at the time, I’d only ever thought of Grayson that way.”
Betrayal by a loved one always hurts more than betrayal by a stranger. And with how upset he is over this, it’s evident that no part of this story ends well.
“Senior year of college, we got to talking about our futures, and in a lot of ways, our visions aligned. We wanted to work in the industry for a few years and save enough money to start our own firm. I’d gotten excited over the possibility of having not only a lifelong friend but a potential business partner, so one night, I showed him the self-funded project I’d been working on.”
“Did he—?”
The bittersweet curve of his lips speaks for itself. “The next day, I woke up to an empty apartment, but most importantly, my research was stolen. One year later, he launched a start-up based on my idea, and his planes were being flown nationwide.”
Tears sting my eyes at the thought of what he must have gone through. And before thinking about the implications of my actions, I place my hand on top of his, squeezing tightly like he has done so many times for me.
His gaze drops to where our skin meets, and I follow it—suddenly aware of how small I am compared to him.
“It didn’t make much sense, either. Planes take forever to get approved for commercial use. But I guess when you’ve got money and connections, rules move much faster,” he continues.
“What were you working on?” I ask, shifting my eyes back to his.
Those emerald green eyes look vulnerable and soft, yet they don’t make him seem weak.
“I was investigating a new alloy that could be used in plane manufacturing. The overarching goal was to create something that would be significantly more durable, aerodynamic, and cost-effective than the current materials they use. None of it was finalized or tested when he stole it.”
“I’m sorry.” My lips flatten into a thin line.
Nate shrugs. “Ideas come and go. You lose one, then think of something better. That’s sort of what happened with Archer Aviation. By the time we took off, we kept looking for ways to advance the industry, while Carter was failing to innovate. Eventually, he filed for bankruptcy, and at the time, that’d made me happy. Karma bit him in the ass the hardest it could, but I guess it had every intention of coming back for me as well.” Nate lets out a sharp, self-deprecating laugh.
I shake my head.“That’s not true. Just because your reputation is at its worst now doesn’t mean it will stay like that.Think of it like a reaction coordinate diagram—everything that goes up eventually comes back down.”
“I know.” Nate lets out a resigned sigh. “But it’s hard not to get caught up in my head. Most nights, I lie in bed wondering if I’d find myself in this mess if I’d kept that idea to myself. Everything would have been so much easier, and I wouldn’t have this unwanted rivalry.”
Reminiscing and wondering if you could change the outcome of the present—I’ve been there, I’ve done that, and it’s gotten me nowhere.
“Do you think you’d be where you are today if that didn’t happen?” I ask, not waiting for an answer. “Maybe that idea was holding you back, and you had to lose it to think of something better. Everything happens for a reason. You are the person you are today because of your experiences.”
His shoulders slump, and I gently nudge his arm.“Don’t you believe people enter and leave your life for a greater purpose?” I ask.
Nate shrugs. “I could have lived my life without meeting him.”
Hearing him say it out loud makes me question how much I really believe the words. Too many bad things have happened in my life for me to think that way.
Yet I continue.
“This is a small bump in the long road you have ahead of you. It’ll only be a blip in your timeline when you look back at this in ten years.”
“Okay, Ms. Gives Advice But Never Takes It. Where’s all that positivity when it comes to your PhD?”
