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That gets me standing too, because I know panic when I see it, and it’s written across Opal’s expression as she rakes a hand through her hair. “What am I going to do?”

I try to grab her attention by flailing a hand in the air, but she’s too focused on the floor. Her gaze is cast down, her hand is still running through her hair, and her breathing is labored.

“I’m coming now,” she snaps into the phone. “I’ll get there as quick as I can.”

I yank out the cash I always keep in my pocket and toss a few bills on the table to cover the cost of our dinner, the bottle of wine, and the tip I would have left.

The server looks at me. “I’m sure I can cancel your entrees.”

Before I can say a thing back in response, she’s gone, headed toward the kitchen.

Opal’s fingers fly over the screen of her phone as she initiates another call. She glances at me briefly before she looks to the ceiling. “Damn voicemail.” Another few seconds pass before she speaks into the phone again, “I need you to get to my bar now. It’s Opal. Please hurry. It’s an emergency.”

She ends the call, drops the phone in her bag, and steps away from the table. “I can’t believe this is happening.”

“What’s wrong?” I ask as I fall in step behind her as she’s headed toward the door of the bistro.

“Turquoise Crown is flooded.” Her voice shakes as she shares that with me.

“Flooded?” I ask as we exit the bistro.

She spins to face me. “Hildy went to pick up a book she’d left on the bar this morning. She stepped inside, and right away, her shoe landed in a puddle of water…actually, she said it’s more like a lake.”

“Fuck.” I rub the center of my forehead. “What do you need, Opal?”

“I need the contractor to get to my bar now.” Her bottom lip trembles. “I have no idea what I’ll do if he doesn’t call me back.”

I tug my phone from my pocket and scroll through my contact list. “I’m calling someone who can help us now.”

She doesn’t ask who it is. She only nods softly. “Thank you.”

I brush past her to sprint to the sidewalk as I spot an available cab approaching on the street. I flag him down just as my contractor answers the call.

“Draven,” I say his name into my phone as the cab slows to a stop. “I need you. Now.”

42

Opal

Draven Kent wasout of my budget when it came to hiring a contractor to help me transform what was a dingy, empty space into what is now a soggy game bar.

Thankfully, the only soggy part of the bar is the floor, and Draven’s crew is on their way to help clean it up. The plumber he had on speed dial must have lived just a few blocks from Turquoise Crown because he was here with his tools in hand in no time flat. The leak is fixed, and from where I’m standing with a small amount of water beneath my shoes, the crisis has been diverted.

Aunt Hildy headed straight for home the moment we got here.

“I can’t thank you enough,” I say to the contractor who came to my rescue. Technically, it’s William’s rescue since he was the one who called him.

Draven flashes me a smile. He’s handsome in a rugged, works hard with his hands, kind of way. “It’s my pleasure, Opal. I love the concept of the bar. I’ll drag my brother down here one night once you open.”

I finally smile for the first time in what feels like hours. “That would be great. The first round of drinks will be on the house.”

The repairs for tonight will be too. I wasn’t planning on shelling out extra for an emergency water pipe leak, but I have enough of a cushion in the bank account I set up for the business to make it work.

He rests both hands on his hips. He’s about the same height as William, with shoulders that are just as broad. They greeted each other with a handshake followed by a side hug, so I can’t tell if they’re friends or if their connection is more business related. Not that it matters. Draven raced over here. If I were depending on my contractor, Lenny, to ride in to the rescue, I’d still be waiting since he has yet to return my call.

“You’re going to challenge your brother to a board game?” William laughs. “How is Griffin?”

“Very happily married,” Draven says with a smile. “Leave it to a divorce attorney to find the love of his life in his office.”