Page 74 of Game Changer

I tell her the same with a lush kiss to the mouth before I make a promise that will be easy to keep, “I’ll be as patient as you need me to be, Opal.”

I will be because having her again is worth the wait, regardless of how long it takes.

* * *

It’s beentwo days since I’ve seen Opal. The patience I assured myself I possessed evaporated just a few hours after I left Turquoise Crown. With the kiss we shared still lingering in my mind, I texted Opal telling her I hoped dinner with her dad was a fun time.

She texted me back minutes later, thanking me and wishing me a great night.

The truth is that my night wasn’t great.

I spent most of it in the private dining room of a restaurant, listening to the backstory of a potential new client. He’s an actor with more female fans than he can count, but he only wants the one who got away.

His childhood best friend is set to marry someone else. He believes she’s making an epic mistake. He wanted my guidance so he can break up the engagement.

Usually, I’d tell a guy with that idea to sleep on it because the longing isn’t always grounded in love. Often, it’s born out of fear. Being left behind after your best friend takes the marital plunge can leave you a lonely mess, but he’s convinced she belongs with him.

I advised him to take a few days to think it over and then get back to me. If he’s determined to confess his feelings to her, I’ll seriously consider taking him on as a client. That will happen with the understanding that I’ll acquaint myself with his best friend to see where her heart is at before he makes a move that could potentially blow up the happy ever after she’s already found.

Love is a complicated beast. There’s no guarantee that the person who owns your heart will want you anywhere near theirs.

I step into a bar a block from my penthouse to find Chuck waiting for me. When he texted me earlier to see if I had time tonight to discuss his pending engagement, I almost hesitated because I was hoping Opal would reach out to secure dinner plans with me.

She did, but not for tonight. She asked if I’d be willing to cook her a steak tomorrow night. Never in my life have I responded to a text message as quickly as I did that one.

Chuck in street clothes is a welcome sight. The black jeans he’s wearing are paired with a blue sweater. It’s good to see him outside his work environment for a change.

I greet him with a wave as I approach the small round table he’s standing beside. “Hey, Chuck.”

“William.” He extends a hand to me. “Thanks again for making time for me.”

“I’m glad to,” I say. “What do you think of the bar?”

He turns in a circle, taking it all in. It’s more than a corner pub, but not one of the flashy clubs that dot this city. It’s a welcoming space that offers a full menu of beverages to suit just about anyone’s tastes. Because of the proximity to my penthouse, I’ve been stopping in for more than a year.

“William!” The owner, Alan, waves a hand from behind the bar. “How about a beer tonight?”

I’m down for that, so I nod and dart two fingers in the air, indicating I want one for myself and another for Chuck.

Alan acknowledges the order with a smile. “Betsy will bring them over in a flash.”

His wife is his partner in this endeavor. She’s also one of the most gracious people I’ve ever met.

“They know you here,” Chuck comments as we sit facing each other.

“I live close by,” I tell him. “I consider myself a regular.”

“I know this isn’t what you typically do,” he says, shrugging a shoulder. “Or I’m assuming that.”

I laugh that off because delving into the details of what I do is not going to happen.

“Have you ever been so crazy about a woman that you just want to wrap your arms around her forever?” he asks, his breaths quickening.

“Yeah. I know that feeling all too well.”

I don’t bother adding on that it’s a new experience for me or that it’s in the context of a casual relationship. I almost laugh inwardly at that because Opal may have labeled what we’re doing as ‘casual,’ but that’s not how I see it.

“Are you knee deep in it now?” he asks with a chuckle. “You’re wishing you were with her instead of me, aren’t you?”

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