Page 105 of Game Changer

“So you lied to him?”

“Why I wanted to marry you was none of his fucking business.” He taps a fingertip on the table. “I paid the man to get you to marry me, and he failed. If he hadn’t canceled the contract, and given me a refund I would have demanded that he do both.”

“William canceled the contract?” I ask.

He nods. “Told me the hell off when he did as if he had a right to.”

I absorb every word, trying to process it all.

“I admit I wanted another shot because my granddad doesn’t have forever, so I tracked him down again after that, and he told me to leave you the fuck alone because you were involved with someone else.” He finally looks me dead in the eye. “William said it was someone who was crazy about you. He told me to work on bettering myself before I approached another woman.”

I take a sip of tea and glance at the doorway as the bell above it sounds.

“I’m not proud of what I’ve done,” Percy says in a low tone. “I did it for my granddad. I wanted him to be proud of me, so I thought getting Turquoise Crown back was the way to go. I seriously thought your aunt had fucked him over.”

“She didn’t,” I remind him because I’ll fight anyone who disrespects Hildy.

“I know.” He picks up his coffee cup but places it right back down. “William runs around this city as a savior. He stands up for women. He’s trying to get men like me to get their shit together. I don’t hate the guy, but the fact that he broke that NDA has me steaming mad. What did you pay him to tell you that?”

“Not a dime,” I say without hesitation.

“William was just being the hero again.” He chuckles. “Goddamn him.”

I push back to stand because I’ve heard enough.

“Leaving so soon?” he asks as he darts to his feet. “For what it’s worth, whoever the guy is you’re seeing, he’s lucky.”

I don’t think he genuinely means it, but I nod. “It’s William, or was William.”

Shaking his head, he rakes a hand through his short hair. “Why does that make perfect sense? I guess I’m the guy who brought you two together, so he owes me.”

I can’t tell if he’s joking. “He owes you what?”

“To start with a fee for helping him land the woman of his dreams. “He smirks. “There’s also the little matter of breaking our NDA. That’s worth something.”

“Is it worth your grandfather’s happiness?”

His brow furrows. “My granddad? What does that mean?”

“If you go anywhere near William again, I’ll make sure your grandfather knows the lengths you went to when you tried to steal Hildy’s legacy.” I step closer and lower my voice. “He’ll forgive you for what you told him yesterday, Percy. Don’t dig a deeper hole for yourself.”

I’d never reveal anything to Louie that would cause him undue pain. My great aunt would struggle to forgive me for that, but Percy doesn’t know that.

His gaze scans my face. “Understood.”

I turn to leave, but his hand brushes against mine to stop me. I glance back over my shoulder. “What?”

“You love him, don’t you? You love William.”

“I do,” I admit to him and to myself again. “I’m in love with him.”

“Maybe I’ll follow in his footsteps and start my own business helping men.” He smiles. “After all, I set up you two in a roundabout way.”

“Keep your day job,” I say, realizing I have no idea what it is. I have no interest in knowing either. “Goodbye, Percy.”

“Take care, Opal.” He points at me. “I thought a piece of the Turquoise Crown fortune would make my granddad happy. It turns out he’s the happiest he’s ever been because he’s got Hildy back. Life sure works in mysterious ways.”

“It sure does,” I whisper before walking away from him.

---