Chapter 65
65
William
“Did you research me when you were trying to get me to fall for Percy?” Opal asks as she’s locking the door to her bar.
I won’t lie to her, so I don’t. “Lola did a bit of background work on you. Sheila told me about one of your past relationships.”
Her eyes widen. “Oh.”
“Yesterday,” I clarify. “She told me about Thaddeus yesterday.”
Her brows furrow. “I thought you dumped Percy as a client a bit ago. Why was she looking into my past yesterday?”
I reach for her hand to squeeze it. “She wasn’t. She stumbled on some old social media posts about your broken engagement the day I told Percy to go to hell. When she saw how torn up I was yesterday, I told her about your last words to me.”
Her gaze wanders my face. I can tell she’s thinking about what she said. She finally nods. “I said that you’re both just as bad as TJ.”
Nodding, I step back to give her room to step away from the door. I have no idea which direction she wants to head. I’d guide her toward my apartment, but it’s not my call to make.
“TJ fucked my best friend,” she says. “She was supposed to be my maid of honor, but there was nothing honorable about either of them. They have a son now. Thaddeus the third.”
I’d ask how she feels about that, but it’s clear from the expression on her face. The roll of her eyes cements the fact that Thaddeus and the woman he cheated with are in her past.
“I was scared to feel anything for a man.” She glances at the sidewalk. “So I only had one-night stands. I didn’t have a lot, but when I needed to feel a man’s arms around me, I kept it casual.”
“I understand.”
As much as I hate the thought of her in bed with another man, I get the need she felt to engage in casual sex. It’s what I’ve been doing throughout my adult life.
“You scared me, Opal.”
She lets out a light laugh. It’s so quiet that I have to strain to hear it.
“You did,” I press.
“I scared you?” She taps the center of her chest. “How?”
“My life has always been predictable.” I glance to my left and spot an available taxi passing by. At another time, I’d flag it down, but it’s not my call to make. I want her to invite herself to my apartment or take me home to hers, but I won’t push for either.
“Your job seems very unpredictable,” she notes. “I can’t imagine that one day is ever a repeat of the one that came before it.”
“You’re right. My work is unpredictable,” I clarify. “My personal life was always predictable. I did what you did. I sought out women who I made sure understood that I only wanted one night.”
She squeezes her eyes shut as if she doesn’t want to conjure up a mental image of me naked with anyone else. I never intend for that to happen again, so she’s got nothing to worry about.
I lightly brush my hand over her shoulder. “Open your eyes.”
She does. “Was it enough for you? Were you satisfied with the one-night stands?”
“I was.” I nod. “Until you crashed into my life, and suddenly everything felt different. I was rocked off my axis. I thought about you constantly. You should have seen me the day I picked out that pill box for you.”
“You did that?” she questions. “Not one of the women you work with?”
“It was way too fucking important to hand off to anyone.” I laugh. “I took my time. Studied each one and ended up buying that one.”
“It’s beautiful.”
“So are the other ten I have wrapped at my place waiting for you to open.”
Her eyes widen as a smile glides over her lips. “You bought ten more?”
“Days after I saw how you reacted to that one,” I tell her. “I felt this profound sense of happiness knowing I’d given you something that lit up your face the way it did. Your smile is out of this world, Opal. It’s as if nothing else exists when you smile at me.”
She steps closer to where I’m standing. “When did you fall in love with me?”
“A lifetime ago.” I take a stuttered breath. “Maybe two lifetimes ago. It was always you for me. I didn’t know where to find you until you ran right into me in this exact spot.”
She glances at the ground before her eyes lock on mine. “It seems like the perfect spot to share our first forever kiss.”
I stare into her eyes, unsure if she said what I think she did. “Say that again.”
“Kiss me so we can have our first forever kiss right here in our spot.”
I do as she asks and cup her face in my hands. I lower my mouth to hers and kiss her tenderly, hoping that she feels the depth of my love for her.
* * *
Holding hands, we walk toward the nearest subway stop. Opal is the one who requested a private viewing of my penthouse. I live to make her happy, so we’re headed in that direction now.
“Mr. Knight!” A male voice calls from behind us.
Not wanting to be interrupted by anyone, I’m tempted to tell whoever it is I’m busy and not in the mood for an interruption.
“Someone is calling your name,” Opal says as she gazes up at my face. “Shouldn’t we stop?”
I squeeze her hand. “Only for a minute.”
Smiling, she glances over her shoulder. “Deal.”
I look, too, and see a younger guy on the approach. I can’t place him until he’s almost right in front of me. It seems the advice I threw at him paid off.
“Mr. Knight,” he says my name as he extends a hand in my direction. “Remember me?”
I take his hand for a firm shake. “Ryan, right?”
His brows lift in surprise. “You do remember me.”
I remember the morning I met him and Jason Goodman as they were subjecting an entire coffee shop to stories about their imaginary conquests.
“This is Opal.” I glance at her. “Opal, this is Ryan.”
She keeps her hand firmly in mine but goes to shake his with the other.
He obliges with a smile. “It’s very nice to meet you.”
Impressed by not only his manners but his wardrobe choice, I point that out, “I see you got a new suit.”
He tugs on the lapels of the dark blue suit jacket. “I sure did, and it was all because of you. When I told the tailor William sent me, he sold me this beauty for a steal.”
It’s a great suit that’s tailored to fit. “Good.”
“I got a haircut.” He points at the top of his head. “I also bought a nail brush.”
Chuckling, I drop my gaze to his hands. “You did good, Ryan.”
“It’s all because of you.” He adjusts the sleeve of his jacket. “You told me what I needed to do to get my shit together. You changed my life, Mr. Knight.”
Opal tugs on my hand to lure my gaze to her. She doesn’t say a word, but her smile tells me she’s glad we ran into this guy.
“I need to get back to work,” Ryan explains. “It was good to see you.”
I shake his hand again. “Take care.”
“You too,” he says before he turns his attention to Opal. “It was good to meet you, Mrs. Knight.”
Before either of us can correct him, he’s headed up the sidewalk with a determined stride that speaks of his newfound confidence.
“Mrs. Knight,” Opal whispers. “It’s cute he thought we were married.”
“Cute?” I question with a lift of my brow. “It’s foreshadowing.”
Her lips curve into a gentle smile. “Time will tell.”
I don’t need time to tell me anything.I don’t know when it will happen, but at some point, I’ll be this woman’s husband. I know that deep in my soul.
“He’s one of the men you helped,” she assumes.
“I overheard him and his friend one morning talking about all the women they’d fucked.” I chuckle while shaking my head. “Technically, it was all the women they imagined fucking.”
“Imagined?”
“I’m not sure who they were trying to impress, but it wasn’t working.” I scrub a hand over the back of my neck. “Every person in their vicinity overheard it, so I went over and explained the merits of keeping intimate details private. I also may have suggested a few minor things Ryan could do to improve his chances out in the dating world.”
She laughs. “You’re fighting the good fight, Mr. Knight.”
“I try.” I cock a brow. “Are you ready to see my home?”
Nodding, she bounces up to her tiptoes to kiss my cheek softly. “I like that you see the potential in everyone.”
“I like that you like me.”
“I do,” she admits in barely more than a whisper. “I like you enough I might want to spend a little extra time on a tour of your bedroom.”
I squeeze her hand and set out in a sprint, pulling her with me as she laughs. “I’m all for that. Let’s go.”