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Any fearI may have had about how deeply Louie once cared for Aunt Hildy evaporated as soon as I walked into the room Percy directed me to. I wanted to give Hildy and Louie a private moment alone, but when I heard my great aunt’s signature laugh, I approached the open doorway to find her sitting in a chair next to a handsome man with gray hair.

Their hands were woven together as she reminded him of the fun they had as newly graduated college students. Now, as I stand next to Percy and hear Louie speak, in a subdued voice, about how much he has missed Hildy’s smile, I’m glad this all worked out the way it has, even though I still have a million questions.

I glance at Percy. “Did you know I was Hildy’s great niece when we met at the coffee shop?”

He stares blankly at me before he nods. “I have a question, too.”

“We’ll get to that,” I snap in a tone so low I know the reunited lovebirds can’t hear me. “What do you want from me? From my aunt?”

“I want what’s rightly ours,” Percy scoffs loudly.

His grandfather leans forward in his chair. “What was that, Percy?”

Percy rubs a hand over his head. His hair is so short that the action doesn’t disturb it all. I suddenly realize he has the very same haircut as his granddad. I might find it cute if I wasn’t seething right now.

“I was telling Opal about your claim to Turquoise Crown.”

Louie’s facial expression mirrors Hildy’s. It’s a combination of shock and confusion.

“My what?” Louie’s voice is so loud the nurse bolts back into the room.

“What’s going on?” she questions Percy, likely because she knows he’s stirring the pot and agitating his granddad.

“It’s nothing, Cheryl.” Louie taps the air in front of him three times as if he’s tapping her hand. “Percy has some explaining to do to me.”

She takes that to mean she can leave the room, so she does.

“You heard me.” Louie looks directly at his grandson. “Start explaining what you meant by that comment.”

Percy starts pacing. It’s an impressive feat considering how small this bedroom is, but he walks the length of the room twice before he opens his mouth to speak. “You always talked about how Ms. Wallner wanted to invent the next big board game. I know you contributed to that, Grandfather. My mom told me Turquoise Crown was as much your brainchild as it was Ms. Wallner’s.”

Hildy’s gaze volleys between Percy and Louie, but she remains silent.

Percy doesn’t. “You’re entitled to some of the cash she’s made from that game. Now, her great niece will profit more since she holds the rights to it.”

“Wait!” My hand darts into the air. “How do you know that?”

“Hildy told a friend of a friend of my mom’s, “ Percy admits. “My mom is the one who suggested I marry you so we can share in the wealth since my grandfather never got his share of the fortune the game made. I make a damn good living, but some extra cash in the coffers wouldn’t hurt my family.”

“Marry me?” I laugh. “What are you talking about?”

“Percy!” His name snaps off the lips of his grandfather. “I need a moment alone with you to set you straight. But first, you’ll apologize to these women.”

56

William

“I need to see Percy now,”I demand of his assistant. “Get me in front of him now.”

“No can do, sir,” he slides the last word off his tongue as if it’s a curse. “Mr. Haines is not in the office at the moment.”

I know that.

Chelsie is the one who clued me into that when I barged into the coffee shop around the corner from Turquoise Crown an hour ago.

I didn’t spot Opal anywhere. When I saw Chelsie behind the barista counter, I approached her with the hope that she might have had a chance to talk with Opal and have some insight into which direction she was headed.

She was busy and barely had a moment to spare, but she pointed at the door and said, “Opal left with a gorgeous guy named Percy.” She was still talking when I bolted out of there.