Chapter 67
67
William
I help Draven adjust the last of the throw rugs. Turquoise Crown is ready for its grand launch tomorrow night. It’s been months in the making, but Opal has pulled it all together. The people of this city have no idea that this little jewel of a bar awaits them. That’s why I plan on spreading the word to everyone I know.
It’s been just over a week since Opal and I toured each other’s homes ( and beds ) for the first time. Since then, we’ve spent every night together. Days are harder because her sole focus has been tying up loose ends here. My focus has been on her, with some work thrown in for good measure.
I’m culling my client list to devote time to a new endeavor. Aleena, Sheila, and Lola were excited at the prospect of launching a new division of our business. It’ll take a while to work out the logistics and fine tune the details, but I’ll offer workshops to men who want to learn how to improve their lives.
I’ll still help a chosen few who are looking to get the woman they desire to notice them, but we’re overhauling our vetting procedure. I need to be certain that every man I help in that way is in it for the right reasons.
The fucked up fiasco with Percy taught me that intentions matter. I took him at his word about wanting Opal because he saw her from afar. The fact that my former client, Dash, vouched for Percy cemented my decision to sign that contract with him.
It was a mistake from the start. I have a reputation to maintain, so no more avoidable errors moving forward.
“I can’t believe we officially open tomorrow,” Opal says as she appears from the back room. “Wow. Those rugs look as good as new.”
“They’re the crowning touch on this bar,” Draven says, smiling at his play on words. “I need to take off, Opal, but I’ll swing back around one night with my brother.”
“I look forward to meeting him,” she says. “I can’t thank you enough for everything you’ve done.”
Draven’s contribution to the bar reaches far beyond his work cleaning up the flood. He recommended a neighbor of his to handle food preparation. Leo is a culinary student with access to an industrial kitchen. A quick meeting between him and Malvie a few days ago, along with a recipe tutoring session, set him up to succeed.
He’ll prep the food off-site and drop it off each day, so Opal and her staff can serve it up.
To that end, she’s hired two more part-time employees. Scout offered to drop in if extra hands are ever needed.
My sister hit it off with Opal when they met two nights ago over a spaghetti dinner I prepared. Scout pulled me aside to tell me that she expects a wedding invitation to be delivered to her within a year. I told her it would happen. I consider it a sure bet.
“I’m happy to help.” Draven grins. “Good luck with the opening.”
“I’ll need it,” she mutters.
I wait until Draven exits the bar before I wrap my arms around Opal. “You’ve got this.”
“I’ve got a stomach ache.” She laughs. “I always get one when I have a lot going on.”
“I have broad shoulders,” I point out by tapping the right one. “Hand off whatever you can to me.”
She arches her neck back. Every move she makes is utter perfection, even when she’s feeling overwhelmed.
I run a finger down the front of her neck toward the soft skin just above the neckline of the T-shirt she’s wearing. It bears a logo from Harvard. I almost spit out my coffee when she put it on this morning as she was dressing in her apartment.
A shiver runs through her. “William.”
I take the opportunity to kiss her on the mouth. It’s soft, gentle, and meant to convey my deep and unending commitment to her. “Opal.”
Her eyes lock on mine. “You’ll be here tomorrow night, right?”
I almost bark out a laugh, but I know that’s not what she needs from me. She needs reassurance that I’ll always be there for her. Her past still haunts her, but in time, I’ll chase away all the lingering doubts by showing her I’m a man of my word. I’m the man she can rely on.
“You better believe it,” I tell her. “I’ll be right by your side, ready and able to take on any job you have for me.”
Her lips part slightly. “This may sound silly, but this bar feels like part of our story. “
I kiss her forehead. “It is part of our story.”
She leans closer to drop her voice to a whisper, even though we’re the only ones here at the moment. “I love you.”
I savor the words, letting them seep into me because they’ve become my fuel. I get emotional each time she utters them to me, whether we’re walking down the sidewalk or I’m fucking the breath right out of her.
“I love you,” I repeat her words but with all the meaning they hold for me.
Her entire face brightens, but I know something is brewing inside of her. I see it in her eyes.
“I have an idea.” She bounces in her boots.
“Tell me.”
She points toward a table and the game we started playing last night. It’s decades old and confusing as hell, but we laughed our way through thirty minutes of playing it before we took off for her apartment to make love. “Can you get that dice for me?”
I do it. I sprint to the table and pick up both of the bright red dice on the table. I scoop them up and shake my palm. “Now what?”
“Now, grab your suit jacket,” she orders.
I do that, too, yanking it from the back of one of the chairs before folding it over my forearm. “Next?”
“Next, we go to your place to play a game.”
I’m all in for any game she wants to play, so I start toward the exit of the bar, stopping to kiss her cheek. “What’s the name of the game?”
She opens my palm to remove one of the dice. She tosses it back toward the table. It sails right past it, bouncing on the floor.
I move to retrieve it, but she stops me with a pull on my tie. “We only need one.”
“Just one?”
A slow, sexy smile slides over her perfect lips. “We’re going to play One Roll to Bliss.”
Laughing, I shove the dice in the front pocket of my pants before I grab her hand and kiss it. “Count me in. I’ll play that game any day of the week with you.”