Games Untold

“At seventeen, when my life had changed forever, I’d been the lucky girl from the wrong side of the tracks, plucked from obscurity and given the world at the whim of an eccentric billionaire. But now? I was the eccentric billionaire. I’d come into my own. And the world was watching.”

Avery’s inheritance changes how she sees herself and impacts her coming-of-age journey. While sitting on her private jet in this scene, Avery reflects on how her life is different now that she’s a billionaire. Her reflective tone conveys her self-awareness and illustrates how seriously she is taking her new economic circumstances. This passage thus introduces the collection’s exploration of the Impact of Wealth and Legacy on Identity.

“‘You act like what you did with your inheritance is nothing,’ he said. ‘Like anyone would have done it. But I wouldn’t have. Grayson wouldn’t have. None of us would. You act like what you’re doing with your foundation isn’t extraordinary—or like, if it is, it’s because the work is so much bigger than you. But, Avery? What you’re doing…It’s something.’ A Hawthorne kind of something. Everything.”

Jameson Hawthorne’s intimate dialogue with Avery provides insight into his character, his outlook, his self-regard, and his relationship with Avery. Jameson uses a respectful, insistent tone, which conveys his desire to communicate clearly with Avery and to impress upon her the significance of her recent actions. His words convey the depth of his and Avery’s connection and illustrate how loving Avery is already changing Jameson.

“I could make him tell me everything. That was the rule between us. It was too easy for him to don masks, too easy for me to lie to myself—but Tahiti meant no protection, no dancing around the truth, no hiding. Tahiti meant baring it all. You could make me tell you. But I am asking you not to. Jameson Hawthorne didn’t ask for much. He tempted. He invited. He created. He gave. But he was asking me for this.”

Avery’s internal monologue shows how Finding and Accepting Love has developed her understanding of intimacy and trust. Her description of Jameson shows how deeply she understands his character, while her reflections on whether she should use their code word convey her sensitivity to Jameson’s desires. Both Avery and Jameson show their trust in the other—Avery through her faith that Jameson would tell her if she asked, and Jameson through his belief that Avery will hold to their agreement.