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He glances at me sideways, pursing his lips as the PowerPoint finally appears on the wall-length screen behind the stage. “I was gonna ask you the same thing, actually.”

“Me?”

“Yeah.” Raising an eyebrow, he turns to face me fully. “If you guys are, like, a thing, that’s cool. I just wish one of you had told me.”

My hands freeze on the keyboard as I whip my head toward him, wide-eyed. “We aren’t a thing. I don’t like Kansas that way, we’re just friends.”

“Kissing friends?”

Well, no. Not really. The kiss was alright, I guess, but I don’t plan on doing it again. There’s only one person I want to kiss.

With a shrug, my eyes find Ryann across the room, studying his speech cards. “In all honesty, we only did it because he said he wanted to make someone jealous.”

Carpenter’s expression grows even more suspicious. “Who?”

“Dunno. He didn’t say.”

Probably you. But I don’t say that. It’s not my business.

Carpenter seems to warm up to me for the rest of the morning, sticking close as we help Liza and Ryann with whatever they need. The auditorium fills quickly, every seat taken, with people even lining the walls just to get a glimpse of CalTek’s latest invention. When the lights dim and dramatic music fills the space, it’s showtime.

Ryann steps onto the stage, commanding the crowd effortlessly. Watching him from the sidelines is mesmerizing. He introduces AVA with the kind of knowledge and passion that makes it impossible not to pay attention.

“As many of you know, CalTek started as a family business,” Ryann begins intently. “Family has always been at the forefront of our core values. Not only does AVA have the most advanced camera features in the industry, but we’ve also integrated an AI-based fire and carbon monoxide detection system that comes standard with every purchase. Your well-being is our top priority, guaranteed.”

A lump rises in my throat as I listen, struck by the weight of his words. His focus on safety, the emphasis on protecting people, shows me how deeply personal this project is to him. No wonder he’s spent the last few months working himself to the bone. After everything that’s happened—the nightmare he had—it’s clear who he’s been doing all of this for. His mom.

The crowd is captivated, and when Ryann opens the floor for questions, hands shoot up instantly. He answers each one with patience and confidence before announcing a seventy-two-hour Hackathon at the end of the week. It’s open to everyone—except CalTek employees—and challenges teams to create new applications for AVA’s software. The winning team not only gets bragging rights but also a cut of the sales if their app is chosen.

It’s an amazing opportunity for aspiring programmers to showcase their skills. I won’t lie, it sucks that I can’t participate, but with all the other competitions happening here, I’ll find something worth entering. So it’s fine.

While our developers manage the demos, Liza and Ryann drag us into another room where they’re both speaking on a panel about cyber-security and AI ethics. Carpenter dozes off halfway through, muttering something about it being boring, but I’m on the edge of my seat, scribbling notes.

The rest of the day flies by, and when it’s time to pack up, Ryann gives everyone the go-ahead to explore before dinner. Unfortunately, I’m too late for the mainframe contest, but I manage to hit a crypto workshop and a Q&A on Automation. Carpenter ropes me into a virtual escape room, accidentally picking the horror-themed one. An hour of him shrieking in my ear later, we finally stumble out, laughing, and meet up with the rest of our group by the shuttle.

Everyone’s there—except Ryann. When I ask Liza where he is, she just shrugs.

“He had some work to do back at the hotel, but he said to have fun.”

Work? What work? Sure, he has a few more panels this week, but the presentation is done. What else could he possibly be working on? As the shuttle takes us to the restaurant, I pull out my phone to text him, but there’s no reply. And without him, it feels…lonely, even with Carpenter babbling nonstop. Seriously, the guy just doesn’t shut up. No wonder KC gets irritated with him.

My mood only worsens as the evening drags on. I barely touch my spaghetti, every bite making me nauseous, while everyone else buzzes about their day at the Con. By the time we make it back to the Four Seasons, I’m overstimulated and on edge. At one point, I even plug my ears when one of the devs starts belting out a show tune in the van.

When I finally reach our room, I’m frickin’ exhausted. My legs ache from walking all day, and I just want to collapse into bed. But the door is locked.

Crap. I don’t have a key. Leaning my forehead against the door, I knock softly, resisting the urge to lie down in the hallway and pass out. No answer.

“Ryann?” I call out, louder this time. Still nothing. What the hell?

With my stomach in knots, I pull out my phone and call his number, but it goes straight to voicemail.

“Ryann? Open up. I forgot my key.” My knocking turns frantic, morphing into desperate pounding and then kicks, a panic swelling in my chest when it gets hard to breathe.

Where is he? Why isn’t he answering? What the hell am I supposed to do?

I’m on the verge of finding Liza when the door suddenly flies open. I stumble forward with a startled yelp, straight into Ryann’s arms.

“Christ, Shilo, why are you out here yelling?”