Page 20 of Game Changer

On the surface, like any GM with something to prove, he wants to win.

But there’s something underneath.

I wipe the sweat off before I reach for a new towel. The hairs lift on my neck, and I look through the glass.

There’s Chloe on the phone, plus a girl.

One with pink hair and a curvy figure and…

Everything slows down.

Fuck me.

It’sher.

The girl from the plane.

I’ve only been thinking about her for the past twenty-four hours, and here she is.

Before I can take a breath, she topples to the floor in a mass of limbs.

“Whoa, is she okay?” Miles asks.

I reach the door in three strides.

Outside, she’s picking herself up. Her denim shorts show off long, curvy legs. Her white T-shirt is soaking up dark roast as she grabs for a fallen mug.

When she straightens, shoving a hand through her messy hair, her bright blue eyes lock on mine.

Her face fills with a thousand emotions. Shock. Awareness. Something I can’t read but want to.

“Hi,” she murmurs.

“Hi,” I say.

She looks even younger than she did on the plane. A college student, or a recent graduate.

“Can you hold?” Chloe says into her phone before punching a button and turning to us. “You okay?”

Nova clutches the cup as if holding it will save it from falling the first time. “Great.”

“Nova, this is Clay. Our star player. Clay, this is Nova, Harlan’s future sister-in-law.”

Cue record scratch.

No fucking way.

Did she know who I was when we met? I’ve seen people do some wild things to get my attention.

Except she’s as stunned as me.

Chloe turns to Nova. “I have to finish this call. If you give me one second, I’ll take you back to the kitchen to clean up.”

“I’ll take her.”

I start down the hall without waiting for Nova or Chloe to agree.

The kitchen is mercifully quiet, holding just a couple of back-office staff who nod as we enter.

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