Mirabe stepped out of the elevator before Mike could even get his question out. Mike scratched his head, curiosity bubbling under the surface, but he pushed it down and hurried to catch up with her. Once he led her to the meeting room, he stationed himself outside to guard the door.


    "Grady," Mirabe greeted, settling into the chair across from him with a polite smile.


    Grady returned her greeting with a warm, kind smile. "Mira, did your professor have anything to say about youing here?"


    "No, nothing at all," Mirabe replied, her smile unfaltering. After a bit of small talk, she feigned innocence and asked, "So what brings you to campus today, Grady?"


    "Oh, just handling some minor business," Grady said smoothly, as if he were really here for work and not causing a stir at the research building.


    Mirabe tapped her nose thoughtfully. When it came to the art of conversation, she always considered herself pretty skilled, but Grady was clearly in a league all his own. She had to admit, he was a master!


    "By the way, Mira, have you figured out when you''re heading back home?" Grady changed the subject.


    "Our flight''s the day after tomorrow," Mirabe thought aloud. "Tomorrow''s a free day for us. I haven''t seen Chester yet, and I''m not sure how busy he is. It''d be great to finally catch up with him."


    Grady''s eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Wait a minute, you haven''t met Keir yet? Didn''t hee to see you a few days ago? Didn''t he mention he''s your Chester?"


    Mirabe blinked, taken aback. "Chester came to see me a few days ago? But I didn''t see him..."


    The gears in her mind started turning, and she remembered James mentioning someone hade looking for her but left in a hurry. Could that have been Chester?


    Grady''s voice broke into her thoughts. "That''s odd. Keir called mest night and said he''d met with you," he remarked, almost to himself.


    But then he remembered Keir''s quirky nature, and nced at Mirabe''s puzzled expression. It clicked Keir hadn''t actually met her. No wonder Keir was stumbling over his words when he mentioned Miss Mira on the phonest night. He was probably trying to keep up appearances.


    After piecing it together, Grady cleared his throat and quickly backtracked, "Maybe


    the signal was bad on our call, and I heard wrong."


    Well, he thought, gotta help Keir save face somehow.


    Mirabe watched Grady''s clumsy attempt to cover up, fighting back a chuckle, and decided not to call him


    out''ll shoot Chester a messageter, see if he''s free."


    "Don''t worry, he''ll definitely make time," Grady said confidently, vouching for his boss.


    If it were one of Miss Mira''s other brothers, they might genuinely be too busy.


    Mirabe nodded, taking the chance to ask Grady about Chester''s likes and dislikes. Grady, without much hesitation, spilled all of Keir''s quirks and preferences.


    "Oh, and Grady, why hasn''t Chester settled down yet?" Mirabe asked, remembering something Nick had casually mentioned before.


    Grady''s easygoing demeanor shifted a bit at the question, a flicker of seriousness crossing his face.