Page 36 of Game Changer

“Whatever it is, thank you.” She bows her chin slightly. “This was an incredibly thoughtful thing to do for me.”

I want to tell her it was the right thing to do, but it wasn’t. It was the selfish thing to do. I sought out what’s in that box because I knew it would mean something to her. I don’t expect it to touch her the same way the special edition Turquoise Crown game touched me, but I’m hoping she’ll treasure what’s in that box and think of me whenever she glances at it.

I keep my gaze on her face as she opens the box, and a small gasp escapes from between her lips.

21

Opal

I can’t believewhat I’m holding in my hands. It’s a vintage pill box, but it’s not just any ordinary pill box.

This one is exquisite.

It’s round, crafted from porcelain, and the lid has a vibrant flower pattern on it in rich tones of blue and pink. It’s striking.

I look up at the man who just handed it to me. “William.”

He smiles at the sound of his name. “Do you like it?”

“I love it,” I blurt out, and without considering the consequences, I launch myself at him.

I wrap both arms around his shoulders, and to accommodate our height difference, I push up to my tiptoes.

His arms are around my back before he can say a thing.

“It’s so thoughtful,” I whisper. “And so beautiful. How did you know I collect them?”

I want to push back to look into his eyes as he answers, but being this close to him is a gift in itself, so I cling to him.

“Your personal Instagram profile is linked…”

“Oh, shoot,” I interrupt him. “I noticed that. I meant to set one up for the bar, but it slipped my mind.”

I move back a touch to gain solid footing because I swear my knees are getting weaker by the second. Being this close to him is making me feel slightly lightheaded. I could blame it on the gin, but that would only be a convenient excuse.

I glance at his face to find his eyes locked on mine. Neither of us says a thing. We just stare, and as if by some magnetic force, he tilts his head one way. I tilt mine the other as we both lean in for what I know will be an unforgettable first kiss.

Just as my eyelids flutter shut and my heartbeat starts racing, a loud bang startles us both.

I feel William flinch slightly, and by the time my eyes are open, his gaze is cast toward the door of the bar. I follow his lead and notice the doorknob is turning back and forth from the outside, all while someone or something is banging on the door. I can’t see who it is since I pulled down the shade that covers the door’s window as soon as the sun set hours ago.

The doorknob continues to spin as the knocking subsides. Apparently, the fake alarm company sticker isn’t foolproof for warding off would-be thieves.

“Give me a minute,” William says with all the calmness of a man taking a leisurely stroll in a meadow on a summer day. There’s no urgency in his voice or his movements.

He closes the distance between where I’m standing and the door as I stand in place watching.

Another loud knock breaks through the silence again, but before it quiets, William turns the lock on the door and opens it wide.

He’s not holding a weapon, and he’s not in any sort of stance to lunge at whoever is waiting on the other side. He’s an imposing presence, though. The breadth of his shoulders takes up most of the width of the doorjamb, but I’m still able to catch a brief glimpse of who is facing him on the other side of the door.

“Good evening, Hildy. It’s nice to see you again,” he says with warmth in his tone.

“William?” My great aunt’s voice is edged with surprise. “You’re here?”

“I am.” He steps aside to let her pass. “Opal is right over there.”

I see the second Hildy realizes what she’s interrupted. Her gaze glides over what’s left of our dinner sitting on the bar, and then it settles on the Turquoise Crown board game on the table next to where I’m standing.

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