Read The Game Changer for Free Online

career.”
    Olivia straightened up, clasping Melody’s hand between both of hers. “You’re right,” she said slowly, some of the spark returning to her eyes.
    “Of course I am.” Melody grinned. “You don’t have to decide right now, or tomorrow, or even next week. But if you’re completely honest with yourself, you know these things are just hobbies. They might even turn out to be lucrative hobbies, but they’re not what you really want to do.”
    “I know,” Olivia said, biting her lip. “I’m just…it’s so…”
    “I know. I know, Liv.” Melody squeezed Olivia’s hands. “Sometimes it’s scary to follow your dreams. But you can’t let a talent like yours go to waste.”
    Olivia shook her head, her eyes shifting out of focus as she stared at nothing. Melody remained silent, wondering what Olivia was thinking, but giving her time to work it out. When her eyes refocused, she looked at Melody with a small smile. “Are you hungry? I made appetizers.”
    Melody sighed. Olivia was a master at changing the subject. She was about to speak when Olivia gave her a pleading look and squeezed her hands again. There’ll be time enough to talk about this some other day , Melody thought.
    “I’m famished. My lunch just didn’t appeal to me today,” Melody said.
    Olivia grinned broadly, back to her old self as she turned to fix them each a plate of the savoury pastries on the counter. She was the only person Melody knew who could switch gears so quickly—bubbly to unsure and back to bubbly in a span of less than five minutes. But that was part of why Melody loved her so much. Life would never be boring with Olivia around.
     
    *****
     
    “Melody, there’s someone in the lunchroom waiting for you.”
    Melody looked up to see one of her co-workers, Angelica, leaning against the side of her cubicle. It was just after noon on Friday, and Melody hadn’t taken a break since her arrival four hours before.
    “Thanks, Ang.” Melody stretched her arms over her head and cringed as her spine popped. “Who is it?”
    “I’m not supposed to tell you,” Angelica said with a conspiratorial grin, her dark eyes dancing. “But I’m invited, too.”
    “Invited?” Melody saved the documents she’d been working on and took her purse from the locked drawer in her desk. When Angelica wasn’t forthcoming with more information, Melody simply shrugged and said, “Lead on.”
    She fell into step beside Angelica, and they walked in silence toward the lunchroom. The two were friendly acquaintances, but had never spent any time together outside of work. Melody usually ate lunch at her desk so she could keep working, but on the rare occasion she ate in the lunchroom or went downstairs to the café, Angelica joined her. She was a sweet girl, a few years younger than Melody, and loved her job as a marketing consultant.
    “There you are,” Olivia said when Angelica pushed open the door to the lunchroom.
    “Hey, this is a nice surprise.” Melody stepped into the room and hugged Olivia. “What are you doing here?”
    “Well you left without packing a lunch this morning, and I know sometimes you get so busy you forget to eat, so I thought I’d bring lunch and make sure you eat.” Olivia gestured to one of the small round tables in the corner. There was a creamy sweet potato and carrot soup that Olivia made the day before during her cooking marathon, along with homemade bread, garden salad, and a variety of cookies and squares.
    “I can’t remember the last time I had homemade soup,” Angelica said, biting her lip as though she were afraid Olivia would revoke her invitation to join them for lunch.
    “You’re in for a real treat then, because Olivia is a fantastic cook.” Melody put her hand on Angelica’s back and guided her to the table. She winked at Olivia over the younger girl’s shoulder. “This is amazing, Liv.”
    Olivia waved her hand in dismissal, but Melody could tell she was pleased. “I just want to