by Iona Rose
The phone on my desk rings and I see the call is coming from Mr. Connell’s office. Maybe he does need me to go over that file I took him this morning after all. I pick up the phone. “Yes Mr. Connell,” I say.
“Opal, can you come in here for a moment please. There’s something important we need to discuss.”
“Of course,” I say.
He cuts the call off.
My stomach cramps and sweat breaks out on my palms again. I let my guard down too soon. Mr. Connell sounded kind of angry on the phone. Maybe he thought he could get past this whole thing but now, he sees that he can’t. It looks like I’m about to be fired after all. And the bastard held off, so he could get an extra day’s work out of me.
I make my way to Mr. Connell’s office. I’m anxious, but I’m also a little bit pissed off. It’s kind of a dirty trick to let me think everything was okay all day and then drop this on me now. Or maybe I’ve gotten it all wrong. Maybe it’s nothing to do with Brett and me.
Knocking on the office door, I wait then step in with my head held high when Mr. Connell calls for me to come in.
“Take a seat Opal,” he says.
I sit down, trying to gauge his mood. My heart sinks. He looks, not angry as such, but disappointed, and that is so much worse. I hate feeling like I’ve let him down.
“I think we need to have a little chat Opal, don’t you? To clear the air as such. Your disappointment this morning at seeing me here rather than Brett was palpable,” he says.
I fidget around in my seat, looking anywhere but at him. This is so much worse than being yelled at. I look down into my lap.
“I’m very disappointed in you, Opal. I trusted you and you let me down. It never even crossed my mind that you and Brett would be so unprofessional, making a laughing stock of me at my own company.” He pauses. “Well? Do you have anything to say for yourself?”
23
I look up then, angry suddenly. He’s talking to me like I’m a child and quite frankly, I’m getting a bit sick of the men in his family treating me like I’m some sort of idiot. I’m probably going to get fired anyway, so I might as well at least say my piece. “With all due respect Mr. Connell, I’ve worked here for a long time and not once have you shown the slightest interest in my personal life. And I would appreciate it if that remained true.”
“So would I Opal, but you have left me no choice but to get involved in it when you are cavorting around my company with my son,” he says.
“Cavorting around the company? Are you kidding me? Look Mr. Connell, Brett and I had a relationship outside of work. Now if we were hanging around the water cooler flirting with each other all day, or if we were distracted from our work, then I would say you have a fair point. But that’s not what happened. The figures speak for themselves. We’ve seen a steady 3% increase in our profits these last few weeks, so clearly, we were not distracted. No one in this office, yourself included, had any idea Brett and I were involved with each other until yesterday. No one was talking about us because no one knew about us. But today, there’s talk. And you know why? Because you made a snide comment on your way out of the building yesterday.”
Mr. Connell raises an eyebrow at me, but he doesn’t comment on what I’ve said. Instead, he just shakes his head. “You know Yvonne and I gave Brett everything growing up. We made sure he went to the best college, got the best education. All, so he could one day take over the company to make it bigger and better than it’s ever been. And what does he do to thank us? He throws it all away on some stupid fling!”
I feel like I want the ground to open up and swallow me. I have never heard Mr. Connell talk about his life like this before, and it would be awkward at the best of times, but to hear the way he describes me as a stupid fling, and to hear the contempt in his voice as he says it makes me squirm.
“You know, most people would kill to be in Brett’s position,” Mr. Connell goes on. “But it seems my son is the exception. He’s nothing but an ungrateful, selfish little brat. Maybe it’s partly our fault because we did give him everything he wanted as a child, but we always figured he would grow up and see what it’s like in the real world. But no, not Brett. Brett had to play the rebel and throw his future away. I suppose it’s probably a good thing that he’s shown his true colors now, before he messed up the whole company. In case you’re wondering, I’ve fired him.”
I did wonder about this, but I don’t show it.
“I hope you’re pleased with yourself Opal. You have caused our family so much distress,” Mr. Connell says.
Shaking my head, I’m shocked that he somehow thinks this is all my fault. I can’t bite my tongue any longer. “Do you know something Mr. Connell? The distress you’re talking about is your own doing, because you have these archaic rules about what’s proper and what isn’t. And most people would kill to be in Brett’s place. Not to walk into a company they don’t want, but to have built up their own company, to be living their own dream. You seem to think Brett has let you down. Have you ever considered that you’re the one who let him down? You had his whole future mapped out for him with no regard to how he might be feeling about that, and then you tried to guilt him into working here, even after he made it clear to you that’s not what he wanted.”
I run out of steam, shocked at myself for saying so much.
Mr. Connell looks at me with a sad smile on his face. “Wow. Brett really did a number on you didn’t he?” he says.
“Huh?” I manage to splutter out.
“I honestly thought you were happy enough to have a fling with the boss and take what you could get. But I see it now. It’s not really your fault, Opal. You fell for Brett’s charms didn’t you? I’ve seen it all before. He shows people this sweet side of him, keeping the ruthless side locked away, and he gets people to do his bidding and then discards them when he’s done with them. I’m sorry for what I said earlier. You haven’t caused any of this. If anything, you’re a victim in all of this.”
“I—what?” I stammer, totally thrown by the new turn the conversation has taken,
“Opal, my son isn’t in love with you. He’s used you. He’s made sure he did something that was so far over the line that I had no choice but to fire him. And you’re the collateral damage.”
“It’s not like that,” I defend.
“Oh, really? So Brett tells you he loves you all the time then? That wasn’t the first time he said it when he was throwing it in my face? And he didn’t try to wriggle out of what he’d said after I left?”
I open my mouth to tell Mr. Connell he’s gotten this all wrong, but the words won’t come. Because what he’s saying is pretty much exactly what happened. Was Brett only using me to get back at his father? No, surely not. I mean the sex we had, the connection…that was real. That doesn’t mean he’s in love with me though. If he was, he would have told me that yesterday, but he didn’t. He wriggled out of it, just like Mr. Connell said.
Mr. Connell smiles sadly at me as he sees the realization on my face. “Moving on Opal, I don’t want to fire you,” Mr. he says.
I look up from my lap.
The shock must show on my face, because Mr. Connell laughs softly. “You’re good at your job and we work well together. I thought I was going to have to fire you, but I see now that I don’t have to go down that path.”
“You don’t?” I say, thrown once more by the way this conversation is going.
“No,” he confirms. “I think you’ve learned your lesson. And you just need to wise up to the way the world works, Opal. Someone like Brett is never going to end up with a glorified secretary and I think you see that now.”
That did it. I’d felt so afraid I would be fired and now I’m not, but I know I can’t stay working here now. Not after that comment. Mr. Connell is always going to look at me as the naïve idiot who thought she had found her Cinderella story. I stand up. “As I’m only a glorified secretary, I’m sure I won’t be that hard to replace. Mr. Connell, I quit. Effective immediately.”
I walk away without giving him the chance to respond, and for the first time since this time yesterday, I feel pretty damned good. It felt good to stand up to Mr. Connell.
The feeling good lasts as long as it takes me to clear out my desk and head outside. I call a cab and as I’m waiting for it, the reality of my situation hits me. I am unemployed and I have pretty much ensured I won’t be getting a good reference from Mr. Connell. And the worst thing? It was all for nothing. Brett doesn’t love me. He’s not even into me. He just used me to manipulate the situation with his father.
By the time the cab arrives, silent tears are pouring down my face.
24
I have barely gotten into my apartment when I know I have to get back out of it again. I was still half expecting Brett to call or text me. I did tell him we should talk after work today. He hasn’t reached out though, and I know Mr. Connell was right. I have been played completely.
The notion hurts my heart, like a real, physical pain that I can’t shake away, and I know if I sit in the apartment, I am going to drive myself nuts berating myself for falling for Brett. I go through to my bedroom and strip out of my work clothes. I’m probably not going to need those for a while. I shake the thought away before the enormity of what I’ve done can hit me.
I go to my wardrobe and angrily pull out a pair of leggings, a sports bra and a crop top. I put them on, jam my feet into my trainers, and pull my hair up into a ponytail. I go to the fridge and grab a bottle of water. I leave the apartment, stuffing my keys into my bra as I don’t have any pockets.
Pounding the pavement, I try to work off all of my anger and my heartbreak. I soon start to feel better, but I know deep down it’s only because I’m moving, and because I’m focusing my energy on my run. I can’t outrun these feelings. They’ll all still be there when I get home.
I run for about twenty minutes and then I turn around and start heading back towards home. I’m going to take a shower and start looking for jobs. And I’m not going to think about Brett at all.
By the time my apartment building comes into sight, I’m down to a slow jog. My body aches and I know I’ll be as stiff as a board in the morning, but right now, I welcome the aching feeling. I can focus on that instead of the pain in my heart.
As I get closer to my apartment building, I see a man sitting on the steps and for a horrible moment, I think it’s Gary again. But it isn’t. It’s Brett.
I think maybe that’s worse. He won’t hurt me physically, but he has the power to hurt me far more than Gary ever has. Seeing Brett sitting on the steps reminds me of that first weekend we spent together. It all started because Gary was sitting on those steps just like that and I didn’t want to have to face him.
I debate turning and running down a side street now, but it’s too late. Brett has already seen me and I won’t give him the satisfaction of thinking he has an effect on me.
He stands as I approach him and he smiles at me.
My heart lurches at the sight of his boyish smile, but I swallow down the feelings that threaten to overwhelm me.
“Opal,” Brett says as I get closer to him.
Digging my keys out of my bra, I ignore him. I open the door without looking at him. He puts his hand on my arm and I ignore the shivers his touch sends through my body. I shrug his hand away. “Go fuck yourself,” I snap as I step into the building.
Brett follows me inside. He gets around in front of me and blocks my path. He grins at me. “I’d rather be fucking you,” he says.
How can he be so blasé about this? Doesn’t he know how badly he has hurt me? He has what he wanted now, can’t he just leave me alone? “Oh, I think it’s fair to say you’ve already done that,” I snap. “Your father told me everything.”
“Told you everything? What exactly did he tell you?” Brett says, looking confused.
I can’t believe he’s still playing his role. “It doesn’t matter. It was enough that I’m done falling for your shit. You got what you wanted Brett. You don’t have to work for your father. And I am left jobless and alone. So thanks for that.”
I start to move around Brett.
He doesn’t move to let me pass.
I sigh. “Really?” I
“Opal please, just sit down here on the stairs and talk to me. Five minutes okay?” he says.
Knowing I should refuse him, I see his eyes burning into mine, pleading with me to hear him out. I sigh again. “Fine.”
I guess it won’t hurt to get some answers. Not that I’m going to believe them and get sucked into Brett’s games again.
He moves aside.
I sit down on the bottom stair.
Brett sits down beside me. “What happened? My father said he wasn’t going to fire you.”
“He didn’t fire me. I quit.”
“Why?”
“Because I can’t stand the thought that every time he looks at me, he sees some stupid girl who let herself fall for someone who never really wanted her anyway.”
“You fell for me?” Brett grins.
I want to punch him so bad. “Really? That’s the bit you’re choosing to focus on? Yes, Brett. You still have it. Your little act worked.”
“Opal, I’m so confused here. I know I screwed up yesterday, but this feels like it’s bigger than that. Catch me up a bit. What act?”
“The act where you made me believe there was a chance for us,” I say.
“That was no act. I know I should have called you sooner, but I didn’t want to put pressure on you when you weren’t ready to talk to me. I didn’t want to be a Gary. And after work, I realized I didn’t want to call you. I wanted to talk to you face to face.”
“Just stop Brett, alright?” I snap. “You won. Why are you still doing this?”
“What the fuck did my father say to you, Opal?”
I sigh. I might as well just tell him. Once he knows I know his game, then maybe he’ll just go away and leave me alone. “He told me how you were using me to make sure you crossed a line so big that you could never come back from it. How you could never be into someone like me. And he’s right isn’t he? I didn’t see it before, but he hit the nail right on the head. The one time you say the L word wasn’t about me. You only said it to get a reaction from your father.”
“I think my father probably believes some of that on some level,” Brett says after a second. “It’s easier for him to think I’m some kind of monster than to believe that any of his staff would actually break his rules. But Opal, think about it. If all of this had been some sort of game to get my father to cut me out of the business for good, then you’re right. It worked. So why would I be here now?”
“II don’t know,” I say quietly.
“Then let me tell you. I’m here because I want it to work out between us Opal. Really I do. I can’t imagine my life, any version of it, without you in it.”
“You can’t?” I ask.
Brett reaches out and touches my chin with his fingers, pushing my head up, so I’m looking at his face. “You asked me yesterday if I meant it when I said I was in love with, and I dodged the question. That wasn’t because I don’t love you. It was because I wanted the first time I said those words to you to be special. And I know these stairs don’t really count as special, but I can’t wait another moment. Opal, I love you. I am completely, utterly, one thousand percent in love with you.”
I swallow hard. My heart is slamming in my chest and tears well up in my eyes. I want so badly to believe Brett. I search his eyes and I see the truth in them.
He looks back into my eyes, not looking away for a second. “I love you Opal,” he says again.
“I love you too,” I say in a shaky voice.
Brett smiles, a soft smile that barely moves his lips, but makes his eyes shine. He puts his hand on my cheek and moves in closer to me.
His lips meet mine and everything is right in the world again.
Fireworks explode through my body, and my heart soars. I wrap my arms around Brett and hold onto
him like I never want to let him go.
When we finally break apart, I’m a little breathless.
Brett gets to his feet and offers me his hand. “Can I come up to your place?” he says.
I nod and smile.
“Yeah, but I don’t think we’re going to be doing a lot of talking,” I say.
“Oh, I’m banking on that.” Brett laughs.
We start up the stairs, my hand still in Brett’s.
“So the job thing,” he says. “I was thinking maybe I have a job for you. It would involve you being in my apartment a lot, and mostly being naked,” he says, grinning at me.
“You realize there’s a name for that job right? A whore.” I shake my head as I giggle.
Brett laughs. “Yeah, that sounded way better in my head. Seriously though, I can call a few associates for you and see if there’s anything out there that would suit you.”
“Tomorrow,” I say. “For now, let’s just forget everything except the two of us.”
We reach my apartment door.
I open it and we go inside.
Brett pulls me into his arms, the second the door closes behind us. “I’m going to spend every minute of every day for the rest of our lives, trying to make you forget about everything except the two of us,” he says.
Epilogue
Eight Months Later
“You know, I still can’t believe we’re here.” I smile at Brett over the table.
“I know. It took weeks to get a reservation.” Brett smiles back, purposely misunderstanding my statement.
I laugh softly. We have waited about six weeks to get this table, but that’s not what I meant and Brett knows it. I can’t believe we moved to Nice. The morning after Brett told me he loved me, he mentioned the idea and I wrote it off as crazy, but it kept playing in my mind. So eventually, I asked him for more details.
Within two weeks, we were out here in a beautiful villa living the dream.
