Page 43 of Game Changer

I can’t blame my lack of sleep on caffeine consumption. I kept replaying my almost kiss with William repeatedly on a loop in my mind.

I don’t think I was imagining things when he leaned in at the same time I did. William Knight almost kissed me, and if I play my cards right, I know I can recreate the moment so we can make our first kiss a reality.

“Are you excited?” Chelsie asks, shattering my daydream.

I don’t know how she can tell I’m excited. Was I smiling like a cat about to catch a mouse? I hope I wasn’t drooling.Oh my God.Did William mention our almost kiss to her? He doesn’t strike me as the type of man to almost kiss and tell, but I don’t know anything about him other than he wears a suit like he was born to, and he sucks at playing Turquoise Crown.

I shrug a shoulder and do my best to look nonchalant. “What do you mean?”

“Your bar opens soon.” She tilts her chin up slightly as she slides a large cup of coffee across the counter separating us. “If I were you, I’d be bouncing off the walls with excitement.”

“I am,” I say to reassure her and myself if I’m being honest.

I haven’t given the bar a second thought since the almost kiss last night, but I desperately need to get my head in the game. Literally. I need to get to the bar before Chuck shows up with yet another delivery of vintage board games.

I dig my credit card out of my purse, but Chelsie waves it away with a slap of her hand in the air. “That Percy guy also stopped in earlier, and said he wanted to prepay your next order.”

“That Percy guy?” I question, trying to conjure up a mental image of him in my mind.

“Percy Haines,” she says matter-of-factly. “You met him here the other day. He bought you a coffee then, too. Remember?”

That helps jolt my memory. I recall what he looks like, but the most memorable part of that encounter was how creepy he seemed.

“He paid for this?” I sigh. “Why?”

“Ever heard of a good old-fashioned crush, Opal?” She smiles. “I think he’s got it bad for you.”

That declaration does nothing but make me more uncomfortable.

Before I can share that with Chelsie, she shakes her head. “I thought it was a nice gesture.”

It seems that one person’s nice gesture is another’s borderline stalker behavior because I’m tempted to ignore Percy’s generosity and pay for this myself.

Come to think of it.

“Did he tip on this?” I ask, already sure I know the answer to that question.

Chelsie’s gaze darts down as she whispers the reply I was expecting, “He didn’t.”

I look behind me to where a woman is waiting patiently to order. “What are you having today?”

Her smile brightens as she answers without any hesitation, “A mocha latte. It’s treat day for me, so I’m pairing it with one of those decadent brownies over there.”

Her hand motions toward a display of baked goods in a glass case behind the barista counter.

“Ring that up. It’s on me,” I tell Chelsie, so I can do a good deed and make up for the tip Percy never left.

“Are you paying for my order?” The woman behind me smiles. “Are you serious?”

I add a substantial tip to the order total before I tap my credit card against the card reader. “It’s my pleasure. I hope you enjoy treat day.”

“Oh, I will.” She moves to stand next to me. “You just made it better than it’s ever been before.”

Before I can tell her she’s added some sunshine to my day, too, my phone starts ringing. I tug it out of my purse and give it a glance, hoping it’s William.

It’s not.

It’s my mom.

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