EcoTech's C.O.R.E project was scheduled to be finished in a month.

Thirty days.

Four weeks.

Seven hundred and thirty hours.

Forty-three thousand eight hundred minutes.

Two million six hundred twenty-eight thousand two seconds.

That's how much time Kimbra and her team had left to finish. Trying to process it all had been difficult. Years of work and pushing for approval, and now they had only a month left. They were pressured by the administration to finish on time. Harry Breen, the head of administration, liked to mock Kimbra that it was cute her little project made it this far. He didn't think she'd complete it in time. Just wanting any small reason to fire her.

Oh, she was going to prove the bastard wrong.

"Kimbra!" The loud voice of Bud Flud echoed throughout the lab from the corridor.

Kimbra sighed, pulling off her goggles as she approached the door, sticking her head out of the lab where she had been working for the past hour. She looked from the right, to the left, and back to the right again.

"Bud?"

Bud's dorky face poked out from the corner to her right. His facial expression lit up.

"I've been looking for you everywhere!"

Kimbra stepped out of the lab, and they met halfway.

"So you've just been running all around the facility like a lost child?"

Or an annoying pain-in-the ass grown man.

Bud clicked his mouth, and shoved his hands into his pockets. "No, but Ainsley asked me if Timmy fell in the well, and I'm not sure what that even means."

She did her best not to grin at his obliviousness. "It's a Lassie reference."

"A what?"

"You know? Lassie?"

"I don't know who that is."

"The classic TV show?"

Bud only stared back at her before slowly beginning to nod, but then decided to shake his head no. He had no idea what she was talking about and didn't want to risk pretending that he knew.

"Never mind. What did you want?" Kimbra placed her hands on her hips, mildly annoyed that Bud interrupted her work.

"Do you want to go get lunch with me?"

"No." Her response came without hesitation.

"C'mon Kimmie."

"Don't call me that and no." She chided at him with narrowed eyes.

"Please?"

"I'll think about it." The words came out as bland as she could possibly get them.

"Really?"

"No."

He whined. "Can I at least see how the project is coming along?"

"Yeah, c'mon," the scientist let out a little huff and walked by his side to the elevator.

Bud stepped in after her, and watched as she hit the button for the twentieth floor. She frowned as he stood a little too close to her.

"Your cologne smells even tackier today."

His mouth twitched. "I happen to like my cologne."

"A CEO can afford something that smells better than whatever the hell you're wearing."

A sharp sound—some kind of snort. "Hey, I like the way I smell."

She hid a smile.

"Floor twenty." The elevator announced as it came to a halt. The metal doors slid open, and the pair walked out.

Bud continued to defend his choice of cologne. Coming off as incredibly desperate for Kimbra's approval. She didn't know why he insisted on trying to persuade her that it smelled decent.

He has to have mommy issues (not that there was anything with having them. Kimbra had mommy issues herself, well…her mom was dead and that sure was an issue.)

The metal doors to the C.O.R.E room were already open. Kimbra programmed them to stay open for the day, as dozens of scientists had to bustle in and out of it today. It only made sense productively to leave them open.

The large cylinder shaped glass chamber still rested in the middle of the floor. Tubes and wires connected to it from the ceiling. It looked more completed this time around. Central Optical Reactor Entropy. C.O.R.E. They were so very close to finishing it. So close to helping those in need. It used sunlight and neighboring particles to generate energy. Kimbra was certain even moonlight could work.

Here at EcoTech, your choice matters.

The company's motto rang through her ears. She's heard it countless times during the hundreds of project presentations she attended. The countless commercials that Ainsley had made. All the business cards. All the mocking from other scientists who repeated the phrase, to irritate her and press that she was just a laughingstock of St. Canard.

Soon she'd prove them wrong.

She'd create a better tomorrow.

The thing she yearned to make into a reality was within her grasp.

Kimbra stopped a few steps in front of it, throwing her hand up as if she were presenting it to Bud. "There. Happy?"

"You are such a smart-ass."

"I know."

He stood by her side, looking over the project. "Are we still on track to finish this in a month?"

"Aye-aye, captain," Kimbra saluted him. "Should have everything ready to program in a week."

Bud grimaced at her attempt to be funny, and the fact it'd take a week to program the reactor. "Does it really take that long?"

"I have to calibrate everything, and that takes like three days to do."

Not that you'd know about that.

"Maybe you should get faster at it." He muttered so softly that she wasn't sure if she was supposed to hear it.

"Come here." She intended to punch him in the arm for that remark.

He let out a short laugh. "No, I don't trust you."

Good.

"I'll just be glad when this thing is done."

Bud's tone changed, catching Kimbra off guard. "Still plan on leaving St. Canard?"

Kimbra was unsure how to respond at first. She didn't think Bud remembered her plan on ditching the city after the project was completed.

"I might stay a few more months," she shrugged. "I still have a few things to take care of."

And Dr. Ainsley really doesn't want me to leave. He downright begged me to stay.

"Yeah because who wouldn't want to leave this dump?" He gestures vaguely around the city with one hand.

His comment caused her to laugh.

Bud looked at her, not believing he was asking this. "But do you really have to go?"

Her mouth opened slightly, and those blue eyes softened. She knew him better than that. He didn't care that much about her.

A beat. And then another. "I think my time here has been long enough."

EcoTech would be fine without her. She wasn't making much of a difference in the world anyway. All she did was get in everyone else's way. Dr. Breen's exact words.

She had nothing to cling to here. No family. Hardly any friends. Just her work. She wasn't happy in St. Canard. The city had taken the best of her.

Bud put his arm around Kimbra's shoulders and gave her a small squeeze. "Well, I, for one, am grateful you've stayed this long."

She couldn't quite figure out if he was joking.

Kimbra felt her face grow uncomfortably warm. She did her best to ignore the weird, warm feeling she got from standing close to him.

What's my problem?

A blush rose to her cheeks, and she looked quickly away. "Thanks…"

She didn't know why she found herself becoming flustered so easily around Bud. Was it because she found herself giving in to his charms? Is it just nervousness about the project coming to an end?

"When you finally get out of this place, please let me know how the outside world is." He laughs and pulls her a smidge nearer, just enough to close some of the distance between them.

Butterflies danced in her stomach. She wondered if she was the only one he talked to like this. If she's the only one he was this intimate and touchy with. She bit her lip on the urge to ask.

Okay, seriously, what is my problem?

"Anyway, see you tomorrow," Bud gave her one last squeeze before departing.

"Bye…." Her skin tingled from where he'd touched her. Goosebumps raised on her skin.

Watching him walk away, her smile began to fade, and realization struck her hard.

She can't stop thinking about him.

She might actually like Bud. A lot. Meeting the water salesman made her realize that there was more to life than EcoTech. More than working extra shifts into the late nights. More than charts, theories, and the ever-growing disrespect from others in the field.

There was life, love, and happiness.

Now alone in the parking deck, Kimbra questioned herself.

Did she have feelings for Bud? No. No, she couldn't have. He's her friend, her sponsor, nothing more than that. He'd never feel such a way for her. Bud was brilliant, funny, charming, and social. He could talk to anyone about anything. People adored him for that. He'd never love someone like her anyway. An introverted weirdo who did nothing but heavily criticize him, their first few months of meeting. Someone who worked herself to death and hardly found time for others.

He'd never want to be with someone like that. The thought ripped a hole in the pit of her stomach.

She loathed herself thinking this way.

"This show sucks so much." Trisha groaned loudly, regretting the decision to come over and have a girl's night with Kimbra.

The canine tossed a piece of popcorn in her mouth. "Hey, I like it."

Amore Estate was peak entertainment. Cheesy, terribly written, predictable entertainment. The daughter (Michelle) of a rich duke, Francis Roswells, was engaged to Adam Canterbury. Owner of a large factory and son of a wealthy couple. Drew was the Roswells's butler, hopelessly in love with Michelle.

Cliché and cheesy. Sometimes hard to watch, but a guilty pleasure nonetheless.

Ring ring.

Kimbra ignored it.

Ring ring.

Again, she tried to ignore it. She knew who was calling.

Trisha took a quick glance at the side table where the phone sat. "Your phone is ringing."

"The answering machine will get it."

"You're sitting right there, just answer it."

"No."

"Kimbra, just answer it."

"I don't feel like talking to anyone right now." One ear twitched irritably. "Just let it go to voicemail."

"I'll do it then." Trisha leaned over to answer it herself, but Kimbra smacked her hand away.

" Hey! " The duck began to scold the scientist, but the messaging machine interrupted.

"Uh hey Kimbra, guess you're out of town or asleep… anyway I wanted to ask if you wanted to drop by and watch the new episode of Amore Estate with me… so uh… call me if you get the chance. Bye."

The two went silent, looking at the machine then each other.

Trisha was the first to say something as she sat back down. "Wasn't that Bud?"

…

Kimbra took a deep breath before saying, "yeah…"

"Thought he was your friend or whatever."

"He is! Just…." The canine trailed off. "Things feel…weird between us."

Silence filled the room as the duck inspected her friend's face, searching for any clue to the strange behavior.

Trisha gasped as she sat up, realizing what was happening. "You like him!"

"No!" Kimbra snapped a response as a delicate pink hue adorned her cheeks.

But there was some truth to it.

"Yes!"

"No, I don't like him!"

You're in denial.

"Your face is red!"

Kimbra covered her face with a couch cushion. "Shut up, I am not talking about this with you. I just have high blood pressure."

"Little Kimmie has a crush on that water salesman!"

" Don't call me that, and no, I don't!" She looked up and hurled the pillow at Trisha, narrowly missing her.

"God, your aim sucks."

"You suck."

"Least I'm not in love with a sleazy businessman."

"No! Why do people assume we're into each other?"

"You two spend way too much time with each other."

"Because he's my sponsor!"

"What about outside of work?"

"We just went to a baseball game together. Occasionally we have coffee or something, he's just a friend."

Nothing more. Nothing less.

Kimbra didn't have romantic feelings for Bud. That was ridiculous. Bud is her friend. Nothing more. Her having feelings for him was out of the question. She never felt that way towards him. All she wanted to do the last several weeks was be around him all the time. Hold his hand and hear about his day and—

Oh. That's bad. That's really bad.

Trish was right. Kimbra didn't know how long she felt this way, but realizing it made her even more flustered. She felt it every time she heard his voice. Every time he smiled. She couldn't help but to fall in love with him. Something she hadn't felt in a long time.

"Oh, god, I can't keep working with him," she said upon realization of her feelings for him. She sat up, fully trying to process it all.

Oh heavens, her mind was an utter mess.

Trisha gave her a long, amused look. "You can't avoid him forever."

"I can try!"

"All you have to do is hold it together for another month." The brunette leaned back onto the couch, getting comfortable before the next episode of Amore Estate. "Or tell him how you feel."

The Alaskan native stiffened in response. "I rather jump off a cliff than tell Bud my feelings."

And she was more than okay with that.

"Then power through the rest of the project without making a fool of yourself."

If only that was possible.

I think I'll be fine.

It already felt like he'd broken her heart. She tried hard to curb any feelings she had for him. But god, it was hard. Just looking at him or seeing one of his eyesore billboards made the warm sensations rush through her again.

Which made it even more awful.

It was real and there's no denying it. Kimbra Wulfe had feelings for Bud Flud.

She felt it when she walked into the doors of EcoTech that morning. When she looked around for the hound. When she saw that he wasn't there. A wave of relief crashed into her. Bud wasn't here today. He must have had a big meeting. She didn't have to be confronted about missing his call and—

Never mind. He just walked right through the lobby door. Dammit.

Bud's face broke out into a wide smile once he saw her. "I tried calling you last night." He said, once he met her in the middle of the room.

A flush of embarrassment crept up her throat, "oh, uh… you did?"

"Yeah."

"My phone must be broken."

Oh, that's such a bad lie.

She wasn't being completely honest, and he knew it.

"I had to watch Amore Estate all by myself." Bud faked a pitiful tone, breaking it by grinning. She could see the gentle mischief in his eyes as he teased her.

She gave a light, pleasant laugh. "I thought you hated that show."

"I do." A nonchalant shrug. "I just like watching it with you."

"Really?"

"It's just funnier with you."

"Uh… thanks." she said, nervously fidgeting with her ID badge.

"You always seem so hopeful that Michelle will pick Drew."

Her head snapped up and she frowned. "He's a good choice!"

"Drew is the Roswells's pitiful butler, and she's engaged to Adam. Someone much closer to her league."

Kimbra scoffed. "Drew understands her. They have so much more in common."

"He'd ruin her reputation."

"He loves her!"

"He can't offer her anything."

"He loves her."

And isn't that enough?

"You sure are set on the topic of love." The CEO looked at her before briefly checking his watch. "I didn't think you were the romantic type."

She flushed and felt her heart skip. Each time he looked her way or touched her, it would happen. She didn't like how her heart started to pound when he stood close to her.

She hated it. It had been a long time since someone made her feel this way.

No words. Kimbra had absolutely no words for the way he made her feel. He deserved a punch in the face for doing this to her.

He noticed her lack of response, and gestured over to the café from across the street. "Do you want to go get some coffee?"

"Coffee?" She repeated, like she'd never heard the word before.

He smiled. "Coffee? The kind you drink?"

"Um…yeah sure." There was a crack in her voice. She prayed he didn't notice.

Oh. They were doing this, then. They were getting coffee together.

It's just as friends. Stop overthinking everything.

As they stepped out of the tech building, Kimbra was comforted by the sweet smells wafting from the bakery. Any other day, she'd be tempted to drop in and buy the largest cinnamon roll. Currently, not so much. The way her stomach was turning, anything Kimbra ate would come right back up.

"How are you doing lately?" Bud asked, fully aware of the ridiculousness of the question. They walked across the street, side by side. His arm hovering around her as if someone would jump out and attack her.

She almost didn't realize it because they were so close, and her senses flooded with the scent of his tacky cologne and the warmth of his body.

He cut her off as she started to reply. "And if you say 'I'm fine', I'm gonna lose it because you always say that just to make people leave you alone."

"I see someone has finally figured me out," she said, not looking at him.

"I had to if I wanted to survive your wrath."

She didn't say anything at that. Mostly because she couldn't think of a snappy reply, and because he was right.

"I'm just stressed about the project. The deadline is coming up fast, and it feels like I can't breathe."

Bud stopped in front of the café, lightly placing his hand on hers. Giving her the warmest, most genuine smile she had ever seen from him.

"You're going to do great. Don't worry so much, you're brilliant. I can't think of anyone else who can pull this off but you."

She blinked. This, precisely, was her problem. His gentleness towards her. The soft kind words and light touches.

It made her want him even more. And she hated that.

They stepped into the busy café. Kimbra focused on the drink menu, pondering over what to order this time. She managed to figure it out once they were next in line.

"Good morning," the young female deer at the counter smiled warmly. "What will you two have today?"

Kimbra ordered first, an iced coffee with milk. Bud ordered just a regular black coffee. He tried to pay for hers, but she refused. He backed off with a chuckle and a small comment about her independence. Kimbra gave a snarky reply that not all women need to be bought, which made him laugh. They sat at a small table by the large window that looked out into the main street of St. Canard. Cars drove by, people on their way to work hurried down the street.

A busy morning as ever.

The two canines chatted for a bit as they waited for their orders. Mostly about last night's episode of Amore Estate. Bud defended his reasoning on why Michelle should marry Adam. And Kimbra would pick it apart, counteracting it with her own reasons. It almost looked like he was enjoying it. That he was fond of her company. Maybe he felt something for her too.

Nah, impossible.

"Flud?" The barista called out, holding up two cups.

"I'll go get it." Bud stood up from his chair, brushed past Kimbra, gently placing a hand against her back. It was out of habit, just him moving around her.

Kimbra felt a wave of heat wash over her. The brief contact made her heart skip. With the touch of his hand, her stomach exploded into a million butterflies. She wanted to grab his face between her hands and yank him forward to press her lips to his. She wanted him desperately.

Never in a million years would Kimbra have ever considered doing such a thing to Bud Flud of all people.

Until today.

"Hey Bud?" She spoke up when he returned to their table and handed over her coffee.

"Hm?"

"I have to tell you something…" She could feel her chest throbbing. Hopefully he didn't notice her hands shaking.

Ring ring.

Dammit.

"Oh, hold that thought," Bud pulled a cell phone out of his back pocket and gave her a quick smile. "Ainsley is calling."

Not the best time, in other words.

She watched him walk out the door with the phone against his ear. Wondering if what she wanted to say was too much.

Never mind. Telling him how she felt was a stupid idea. He'd probably laugh right in her face. She wasn't even that pretty or interesting. There's no reason why Bud would return the feelings she had for him. Dr. Spector sure didn't. There's no reason why she'd just have to endure another heartbreak.

It was a bad idea.

But if she didn't do it, she'd never forgive herself.

Kimbra's eyes followed Bud as he turned around and walked back into the café. Bidding goodbye to her boss before hanging up. He noticed her watching him, and gave her a smile.

Things were different. They were different.

It could never be the same.

She didn't utterly despise him anymore. She didn't want to smack his face as much every time he said something idiotic. Kimbra wanted to listen to him talk for hours on end. She wanted to hold his hand. Kiss his smug face and have him kiss her back. Be held in his arms and told she was the only person for him. All that romance junk she saw in the movies, she wanted.

Kimbra loved the sleazy capitalist that she swore she'd never work with in a million years.

Imagine that.

"Ainsley said if we don't get back over there, he'll start looking for a new sponsor and project director." Bud stopped in front of her, placing the cellphone in his inner suit coat pocket. "He needs to be updated on the project, apparently."

Okay, it's a bad time. Maybe he's better off not knowing.

Kimbra let out a huff. "We better get back to EcoTech, huh?"

"Yeah," Bud cracks a slight smile. "Come on."

Kimbra wanted to say more. She wanted to admit her feelings for him right then and there. To just tell him that she loved him, that she has for over a month. But she couldn't make herself say those three little words. Those small words that held a big meaning. She should have told him.

But she didn't.

It wouldn't have mattered anyway.