Good Game_A Gamer Romance Read online

  She didn’t want to know the answer to that.

  No, she wasn’t quite Max. And he was ancient history. She was in such a better place now.

  She glanced at him again, trying not to stare. They were almost back home—his house. She’d moved out of her place in June as planned, and it had only seemed practical to bring her meager belongings to the one place she was sure to spend all her time anyway. She’d already been spending all her time there, by then.

  He was tapping on the steering wheel again as they sat at the red light.

  She leaned forward in her seat, then smiled. “I think this is where you terminated my contract.”

  He glanced around. “Huh. It is, isn’t it.” He smiled at her, almost slyly. Had he recognized it before she’d said so?

  Impulsively, she popped the seat belt and leaned over and kissed him, just as she had not so long ago.

  The angry horn honking behind them broke them apart. Laughing, he turned left as she strapped herself back in, grinning behind her fist out the window. She glanced back at him, surprised he hadn’t said anything more. Some very quiet mood had fallen over him.

  He was grinning at the steering wheel. Just happily smiling away into the silence. Her tension eased slightly.

  He pulled into the garage next to her Rabbit, but now, though, she didn’t want to get out of the car. Couldn’t she just stop time? Not have Monday come?

  She couldn’t lose him now. The job she’d worked so hard to prepare for now sounded impossibly boring, even painful if he wouldn’t be there to light her mornings, her nights. All her days.

  He opened his door. She didn’t. She opened her mouth, but no words came out.

  He looked at her, eyebrows raised. “Comin’ in?”

  “Jack,” she started slowly, then faltered. Where was she going with this? “I… Thanks for today. It was really special.”

  He frowned at her, smiling but looking at her like she was a little off her rocker. “You’re welcome.” He reached over and squeezed her knee. “Something wrong?”

  She opened her mouth, but what could she say? Yeah, something was wrong. She should have given the conversation more thought, though—she didn’t want to fuck this up. What did she even want to ask him? Should she turn down the job? Dare she ask him to come with her? She’d better abort. Think about it more tonight and try again tomorrow. “I’m just… nervous, I guess. A lot of change right now.”

  He smiled. “I know. C’mon inside. We can talk about it over dinner. Or ER3.”

  She relented and got out, a pleasant smile on her lips. She rounded the car but stopped at the door to the house. He was holding it open for her.

  She frowned and squinted at him like he’d grown a second head. “What are you doing? You never hold the door for me. Go on.”

  He shook his head and bowed like a butler, gesturing for her to continue. He didn’t quite meet her eyes.

  Her pulse quickened, a jolt of anxiety shooting through her for no clear reason. Something was up. The nervousness in the car, the day packed with activities, now this…

  She stepped inside and set her purse on the counter, heaving a deep breath at being home. Her nose caught an unusual flowery scent on the air just as she spotted the red object on the floor.

  A rose petal. No, correction, a whole mess of them strewn across the white tile.

  She stared. Someone had sprinkled a trail of red rose petals that led over tile and hardwood and toward the center of the house. She glanced back at Jack, her mouth hanging open.

  He stood quietly by the door, his head ducked, arms clasped behind his back.

  “Did you do this?” she said and then wanted to smack herself at the inanity of the comment.

  He only smiled, coughed into his fist, then clasped his hands back behind him again.

  She looked back at the petals.

  “Why don’t you see where it goes?” he said softly.

  Duh. But clearly she needed prompting. Stepping slowly so as not to crush any of them, she followed them around the kitchen, into the hall. He followed a few feet behind her.

  The path led up the stairs, gorgeous crimson petals cascading like a waterfall across the dark hardwood.

  She gave him a pointed look. “What’s this all about, Jack?”

  He shrugged.

  “C’mon.”

  “You’re just gonna have to go upstairs and find out.”

  She squinted at him. What was he up to?

  “Only one live camera this time, I promise.”

  She snorted and climbed the stairs, carefully avoiding what petals she could. Her heart was starting to pound. He followed close behind her.

  The petals led into the bedroom, where the navy bedspread had actually been made up for once. A dozen red roses sat on the end table, and indeed a camera tripod was sitting in the corner. On? Why?

  Something glinted on top of the bed, and her breath caught.

  She strode forward more quickly now. On the bed, petals scattered around it, lay a ring of silver, a ruby stone burning in a setting of diamonds. Underneath it lay the Lovers card from her deck, two sweet bodies entwined, and beneath that rested a nondescript black folder.

  She froze, staring, not sure what to do. She whirled back to find him just behind her, down on his knee.

  “Marry me, Violet.”

  She collapsed down against him, throwing her arms around his neck, the heavy weight suddenly lifted, her heart pounding and blood rushing in her ears, hands shaking. In her enthusiasm, she almost knocked him over. He chuckled, catching her and steadying them.

  Calming herself, she opened her mouth but was still too stunned to manage words.

  He reached for the ring and held it up to her. “We may have started this out on a bit of a weird foot, but I thank my lucky stars every day that you met me at Riola’s that afternoon. I don’t want to live another day without you, Violet. I want you on my team permanently. Wanna get hitched?” He gave her a crooked smile and held up the ring.

  She snatched it from his hand. “Well, I mean, there’s no bullet on it, but…”

  “Vi!” He laughed. “I mean, that could be arranged for the wedding band.”

  She kissed him.

  “So is that a yes?”

  “Of course, of course. A thousand times yes!”

  He kissed her long and hard, pulling her close against him, and all she could do was breathe deep and drink him in. And try to squeeze the ring on her finger while her tongue was busy with his.

  Wait—the folder. When they finally broke apart, she reached over and delicately took the Lovers card and placed it on the end table. “But what is this?”

  “Go ahead and look.”

  She opened the folder, which appeared to be full of legal paperwork, the address of the house featured prominently at the top. “What is this?”

  “It’s the papers to put the house on the market. If you want. And a bunch of new listings.”

  She widened her eyes. “This house? Your house? You worked so hard to get this house!”

  “Well, I’m not giving it away. We can find one we like together.”

  She hesitated. “You mean… not here?”

  His gaze sharpened. “I mean wherever you want. If you’ll have me. I know you haven’t asked, but…”

  “I didn’t know how. I didn’t want to be like Max.”

  “Well, you haven’t broken up with me for starters. You’re already kicking his ass. But seriously, I can make these videos from anywhere. The wonders of the internet age.” He grinned at her and then kissed her nose. “But I’d get a job as a widget salesman if it meant I could go with you.”

  “No,” she said firmly. “You have to follow your dreams too. No widget peddling.”

  “My dreams all revolve around you, Violet.”

  She melted against him, then whispered in his ear, “Mine too, baby. Would you believe I’ve been considering turning the job offer down?”

  “What? No freaking way, Violet. W
hy?”

  “Crazy, I know. It was everything I wanted, until you came along.”

  “Well, sorry I didn’t ask you five days ago then. But I needed time to put this all together.”

  She beamed at him. “It was worth the anxiety. You really surprised me. I didn’t see this coming.”

  “You deserve all this and more. Really, you do.”

  “And more?”

  “Yes.”

  “Like bacon?”

  “Sure.”

  “Let’s go make some.”

  “Okay.” He rose and helped her up, eying the ring on her finger now with wide, happy eyes.

  “Just kidding. Let’s start with dessert.” She gave him a good tug, and they tumbled back onto the bed in a heap, laughing.

  Dinner-bacon-dessert-whatever could wait.

  Afterword

  Hope you enjoyed Good Game! I’d love if you’d leave a review at your favorite retailer.

  If you enjoyed this, the next book Bad Game is available now.

  For news on upcoming Leveling Up in Love romances, including Olivia’s upcoming story, sign up for my newsletter here!

  And you’ll also get Violet’s favorite old fashioned recipe.

  Happy reading!