by Amber Heart
Jimmie had parked around the corner, so Boyd took some time alone. He stood outside the block of store fronts, looking out at the trees in the miniature park across the street. The night was actually sort of clear, and he could see some of the stars despite the ambient lighting of the ever glowing city that engulfed him.
Boyd was not stupid. A little part of him had known all along that Opal was probably interested in more than just his company. He refused to believe there wasn't something else there, something that had grown despite those initial intentions. And he'd already resolved to let their relationship have the best chance it could get. He wasn't upset that Opal had been convinced to try and betray him, because it was clear that she'd changed her mind weeks earlier. A smart woman like that could have easily found the evidence she needed.
No, Boyd was worried that Opal didn't really have any feelings for him. He'd known some terrific liars in his days. You didn't hang around a bunch of whores and junkies, and whores who were also junkies, without getting to be around some particularly despicable people.
Time was up though, and he needed to get back to the restaurant. He wasn't about to ruin what might be the last date he'd ever get to take Opal on. Even if she secretly thought he was a no good loser, an easy mark to play, he wanted to enjoy the illusion of her loving him for a little longer.
"Back to the restaurant, please, Jimmie." He slumped into the limo seat and they drove off. He got a text message from Felicia that read, False alarm. She's a good girl.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Opal had only been waiting a few minutes when she looked up and saw Felicia walk into the dining room. She slipped something into the young host's hand and walked right over to the table where Opal was staring at her now empty wine glass, wishing she had a whole bottle or two. She wasn't about to order more on Boyd's dollar and add insult to injury.
"Hi, Felicia. I guess I know why you're here."
Sitting down in the vacant chair, Felicia nodded and said, "That's right. I found out at last why a girl like you would go for someone with as much baggage as Boyd. Carl, digging up dirt, I know about it all. But you didn't go through with it. Why?"
"Did you want me to go through with it?"
"Of course not. Boyd's like a son to me, a petulant son, but a son nevertheless. And he's not stupid, Opal."
She shifted in her seat, uneasy. "I never thought he was stupid."
"Then you must think you're an award worthy actor." Felicia crossed her arms over her chest and just waited for a response. Opal couldn't get herself to speak. It was all too surreal.
"Are you saying he knows? What's all this then? Why bring me here. He told me he loved me … asked me to move in with him."
"If you think he doesn't know something's up, you're the stupid one. Tell me, Opal, do you love him?"
"I really do, I swear. I tried to get out of the deal with Carl, even though he threatened me.
"I wouldn't worry about that boorish old prick. He can't do any real harm to you, not if you've got a good lawyer."
"I don't."
"Would you really have lost out on Carl's offer? Your mother might have lost her residency and been forced into public health care. You surely would have ended up losing that nice apartment of yours."
"I would have; I know that sounds bad. But I couldn't do it, I couldn't! Please, you have to believe me." Opal started to cry and put her head in her hands, leaning over the table.
"Come now, Opal. You're not that kind of girl, are you? I know you're stronger than that. That's why I like you."
"Wait, you do? I thought you were trying to break us up and get rid of me." Opal wiped away the tears and knew that she'd ruined her makeup again. That did not seem to matter though. "But either way, he must hate me. I wish I could work out what the hell we're doing here if that's the case."
"He's got a past that would make most people blush just to talk about. You already know that though. And you saw through all the garbage to the caring and direct young man that was underneath. It takes a lot of strength of character to be able to forgive people for their flaws, Opal. I like to think I have a similar ability, that's why I put up with so much crap from Boyd. I could have easily gone on and found easier clients years ago."
"You really think he'll come clean in the end?" asked Opal with wide, blurry eyes.
"You already know the answer to that, or you would have screwed him over weeks ago. It's not exactly hard to find evidence to prove that Boyd is a bad boy." She chuckled. "How I wish that weren't true. I guess that's who he is though, deep down. But having a wild streak doesn't have to mean going around hurting everyone you meet. Thank you for being able to show that to him, darling. How about you dry those eyes and get ready for him? He should be on his way soon, with questions of his own."
As Felicia left, she was on her phone sending a message. She looked pretty happy about something, which was a good sign. Opal was still unsure whether this whole thing was just some cruel trick, to make sure she suffered for taking part in Carl's stupid plan in the first place. If that were the case, she deserved whatever happened to her.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Boyd practically ran from the limo toward the front door of the restaurant. Just as he was about to go back to his seat, there was Felicia occupying it. He ducked back out and hung out in the bathroom for awhile; the male bathroom this time. Five minutes later, he decided to risk taking another look. Felicia was gone now, and didn't seem to be anywhere in site. He went over to the table, where Opal was looking quite happy now.
"Hello, beautiful," he said to her. "I'm so sorry I left you waiting by yourself. Did you order yourself another drink? Oh, I see you had mine."
"Yeah, sorry about that. I had some things on my mind that have been bothering me lately. Needed the wine to take the edge off. Otherwise, I've been totally fine sitting here. This is such a nice place. It was a surprise that she was so relaxed. Boyd wondered if Opal knew, that he knew, about Felicia having been there.
"So …" he said, hoping that she was going to volunteer the information; let him know what had been going on.
"So …" was what she said instead, with a similar inflection. "I, I think that wine might have sort of filled me up."
"That's okay, I don't think I feel much like eating. We can just enjoy each other's company for a bit longer, can't we? Please just let me have that."
"What do you mean? Oh, God, you know don't you? Of course you do." She started to get more and more upset with each word, breathing heavily, then struggling to find her breath at all. "Just let me say what I need to say then, before you make any rash decisions. I don't want this to have to end badly. Just let me explain."
"Wait, what are you going to say?"
"I really do love you, Boyd! Living at your place with you, waking up beside you every day, enjoying the amazing—and I do mean amazing—sex that we have … I would be heartbroken for the rest of my life if I lost out on that. And the worst part is, you wanted me from the start, and I didn’t even give you chance. Carl put me up to it all! There, I said it. That's how it started, but I didn't mean to—"
"Hold on a second," Boyd said. "Calm down, please. Don't tell me you didn't mean to do this, though, Opal. You did mean to. We're both adults and you were working an angle, just like I usually am. And you're allowed to change your mind if you find yourself in a situation that you don't want to live with. But just tell me something, is that what's going on? Did you really fall for me?"
Opal nodded emphatically and lunged out of her chair toward him. Boyd put his arms out and caught her in his lap. The table setting rattled loudly as they bumped into it. "That hurt," she said when her hip hit the table's edge. "But I don't care. It's nothing compared to what I deserve for being such a manipulative, shitty person."
"Please, Opal. You're a saint compared to me. We both know that. I'm sure that's the only reason you were able to convince yourself to even attempt to work me over. I'm almost impressed, to be honest."
>
"I've been having the worst anxiety and guilt; I couldn't live with myself. The only thing keeping me going was the thought of my mother being kicked out of the facility. I can't lose her, I can't."
"I know what it's like to lose a mother. I understand. I know you wouldn't hurt me, Opal, not now, not on purpose." He pulled his face back from her chest, where he was squished up against her awkward embrace. They locked eyes. "Opal, I really do love you. I want to leave my past behind if I can. Doesn't it make sense that you should get a do over too?"
"I'd like that," she said through a cracked smile. "I love you."
Chapter Thirty-Six
The interview had been secretly booked for the end of May the following year. By then, Opal and Boyd had been together for months, living in the penthouse apartment. He'd offered to get a different place, and said he'd understand if Opal didn't want to live among the memories of his past life as a dirt bag.
But she said that despite the way he'd changed, and how he'd let that part of his life go, it was still what made him such an amazing person. "If you bury your past too deeply, you might become one of those boring people who doesn't know how to have any fun," she'd added.
"You might be the smartet person I know, baby. I can't believe how much I love you."
So, the interview went as smoothly as they'd been expecting. Felicia wasn't worried in the slightest. She knew the board members didn't have a spot of solid evidence that might sway their opinion against leaving Boyd his trust fund. And since he'd passed that interview, there was another little secret that no one seemed to have known about.
Kristy Obrien was the chair leader of the board. She was a plump and happy older lady, with wrinkles that seemed to add to her charm. She stood up and gave the final outcome of the interview, which was utterly in Boyd's favor, just as everyone had figured.
Then, she unleashed a secret clause that only she had been privy to all these years. "Now that you've proven, to your mother and father's standards, as stipulated in their last testament, that you are indeed worthy to have such power—Boyd, you are now a man in control of your own inheritance. The trust will now be absolved, and the proceeds are yours to do with as you please. It brings me great joy to give you this news, and I know you'll do your family name proud, Boyd. Good luck."
"Are you kidding me?! That's the most amazing news I've heard in my entire life!" Boyd literally ran out of the board room. That surprised everyone in the audience, especially Opal, who'd been sitting right beside him the whole time. She got up and rushed out to find where he'd gone.
"Thank you, miss!" she said to the board as she went. Carl was sitting at the back of the room, a horrible scowl on his face. Opal winked at him and smiled as she made eye contact with him.
When she got outside, Boyd was standing on the steps outside the historic building where the members had held their meetings since he'd been a teenager. He was a couple of steps from the top, so he and Opal were at about eye level when she strolled up to him. "You certainly are excited, aren't you, dear? Well, I don't blame you. You're a freaking millionaire!"
"We are freaking millionaires, you mean." He kissed her and walked up the steps, then knelt down in front of her. "That is, if you will please say yes to this question: Opal Wright, you've done nothing but good for me since the first moment I met you. Even though you were working in a strip club, and I was totally wasted, it was pretty clear our futures would be forever united, like a blaze of glory in the night sky." He brought a little black box from his pocket.
"What are you talking about, crazy man? Ask me the damn question already. People are starting to stare."
"Isn't that what you want?"
"I guess, sort of." Opal blushed but felt special with everyone around looking at her and Boyd.
"Will you do me the honor of being my wife, Opal, for the rest of our lives?" He opened the box and just about blew her head off with the brilliance of the rock on that engagement ring.
"Yes! Of course I will!"
"And after the honeymoon, will you help me take on your ex-boss for unfair dismissal, and that Owen guy for theft, framing, the works?" said a woman behind her. She turned and saw Felicia standing there, wearing a lovely formal dress. Her hair was down and flowing in a wonderful way. Opal's mother was beside her, dressed just as nicely, and Judith was there too.
"I'm so happy for you," said Vanessa.
"I can't believe you're going to marry a millionaire!" cried out Judith. "Your birthday presents had better improve dramatically, is all I can say."
"And I expect at least three grandchildren," added Vanessa.
"You guys are always hilarious," said Opal. She rushed over and planted big kisses on all three of them. "This is the best day of my life! I think I need to pass out, but I don't want to risk waking up from such a perfect dream."
"Thank you all for meeting us here and making this even more special for this gorgeous woman," said Boyd. "If you'll excuse me though, could I just have a moment to kiss my new fiancé? I love you, Opal."
"Boyd, I love you too!" They kissed then, and it was just the first of countless kisses they'd share as an engaged couple, and eventually as a married couple.
Their life wasn't perfect after that, but nothing ever was. A few million dollars always helped make things easier. And they did live very happily ever after, for the rest of their days.
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