Sullivan was right. Ophelia felt much better the next day. She had slept the clock around and awoke with a totally new perspective. As she prepared for her day, she looked over the shooting schedule and made a plan.
First, she would have breakfast, then she would check in with Reyna, and after that, she would probably be busy moving everyone's belongings to the newly provided house. Ophelia did not doubt that Sullivan would get his way. She only wished she knew if he were bluffing the night before when he said he would pull the plug on the production.
With Polly by her side, she went down to the lobby, which was still very quiet. Ophelia peeked over at the reception desk, expecting to see Justin, and was relieved when she saw a petite blond who looked to be about sixteen.
She took Polly for a quick walk around the gardens while she did her business, then they went to the dining room for an early breakfast. It took a few minutes to be served, and, in that time, Ophelia set up her computer and started work. Even when she had been on the road, she had done her best to manage Reyna's online presence, but she was still behind.
She was well into the responses when a young waitress approached her and offered to take her order. Ophelia didn't recognize the girl, nor she, Ophelia, so the transaction went smoothly.
Ophelia was halfway through breakfast and in the middle of sneaking Polly some sausage when Sullivan sat down across from her.
"Why are you eating in here and not at the private buffet?" He asked as the waitress practically ran to the table to wait on them.
Ophelia took a minute to look at him as he placed his napkin on his lap and ordered what she was having. He was wearing a navy cotton t-shirt and well fitted blue jeans with sneakers. He hadn't bothered to shave, and his hair was still wet from the shower, but she also noticed that he had put all the weight he had lost back on, and his muscles were back.
The way his biceps flexed when he moved his place setting about was impressive.
Why was he moving his place setting around? Was he nervous for some reason? Was he going to fire her or send her home?
"I like fresh food, not food that has been sitting out for hours with people breathing all over it." Ophelia reached for her glass of orange juice, lifting it to her lips with a slightly trembling hand. Was it his nearness or the fact that he was nervous that was making her nervous?
"Well, after today, it shouldn't be a problem. Can you meet me out front in an hour? Barrett found us a house, and I want you to go with me to look at it." Sullivan smiled his crooked show smile at the waitress in thanks.
Ophelia knew it was his show smile because when he smiled for real, his eyes crinkled at the corners, and he flashed his perfect teeth.
"Sure, but do you really need my approval? Isn't it a bit like rubbing salt in the wound to have me approving or disapproving?" Ophelia took a bite of her pancake, licking the excess syrup off her lips.
Sullivan paused with a loaded fork halfway to his mouth as he watched her.
"Did I dribble?" Ophelia asked, looking down at her sweater. Maybe he remembered the unladylike way she had hoovered her food the night before.
"No." He shook his head and finished taking a bite, and this time it was Ophelia's turn to stare.
"Oh, get a room already!" Sawyer said as he fell into another seat at the table.
"What?" Ophelia asked, confused. Was he telling Sullivan to get a room because he didn't like sharing? He did look a little rough around the edges. Or did he mean that he could see Ophelia's attraction to Sullivan? She felt her cheeks heat up at the last thought.
Sullivan shot Sawyer a look that Ophelia had never seen before. It was shock mixed with anger. Did Sullivan know she was attracted to him?
Sullivan turned his angry eyes onto Ophelia. "Yes, it is like rubbing salt in the wound, and I don't know why you wouldn't want to after the way you were treated!" His voice was low and angry.
Ophelia bristled at his tone and a little from the embarrassment that she might have been found out. "I'm not vindictive like some people," she shot back, leaning forward. "Trust me when I tell you, hate only breeds more hate, anger only more anger!"
"And love only breeds more love!" Sawyer said, his smart tongue spitting it out before he thought better of it.
"What the hell does that mean!" Ophelia demanded.
Sawyer looked at her through bloodshot eyes, assessing the situation, realizing he might have said too much.
"I didn't sleep last night! Not a wink because I was too busy trying to keep my body parts away from his body parts because we had to share a bed. And let me tell you, Sullivan is a bed and a blanket hog. I heard him telling you that you would look at a house today, and I want him to get his own room because hate does breed hate, and if I have to share a room with him, I will end up hating him. Then I thought the opposite of that is that love breeds love, and I would like to love my brother." Sawyer sat back with a grin, pleased with his little speech.
Ophelia rolled her eyes at his long-winded speech that was highly suspect, but it was what she wanted to hear, so she decided to believe it.
"If I'm going to meet you in an hour, I need to go see your mother and make sure there is nothing that she needs." Ophelia closed her computer and gathered up her things. "Your room is clear if you need anything from there. I have not fed Polly yet-"
"Except for some sausage," Sullivan pointed out.
He was still feeling snarky.
"But I did take her out to do her business." Ophelia ignored his comment. If he didn't like how she was taking care of his dog, he could do it himself. Then with a nod, she left the two men alone at the table.
*******
Sullivan waited for Ophelia to get out of hearing range before he laid into Sawyer.
"What the hell was that!" he demanded of his brother.
The waitress chose that moment to bring over Sawyer's breakfast, and both men smiled their thanks at her, acting as if all was well.
"I'm sorry, but the way you two were watching each other eat was borderline pornographic!" Sawyer was on a roll. "The only thing missing was the 'boom chick a wow wow' music in the background!" He showed no remorse for his words as he dug into his breakfast.
"I think that's your sleep-deprived imagination playing tricks on you," Sullivan insisted, cutting his food more aggressively than he needed.
"Sure, but just be aware that what was ever was going on there," he pointed with his fork between Sullivan and Ophelia's plates, "was reciprocated."
"Nothing was going on there!" Sullivan insisted, laying his silverware down harder than he had intended.
"Tell me, when you found her asleep in your room yesterday, did you take a few minutes to watch her sleep?" Sawyer noted Sullivan's cheeks turn red in response.
"I get it, brother, there is nothing that will touch your heart more than watching the woman you love sleep. Seeing her with her guard down, wondering what she's dreaming about, and if it's you." Sawyer seemed to be talking about himself as much as he was Sullivan, and it gave Sullivan a moment's pause, but only a moment.
"Love?" Sullivan placed his napkin on the table. "I'll admit a possible attraction, but love?" He shook his head.
"That's something at least, but you have to admit that you wanted to hurt Barrett last night, Cross too, for the way they treated her. It was there, we could all see it, and the way you jumped to her aid when she texted you for help, what was that if it wasn't love?" Sawyer shrugged.
"We all love Ophelia, Sawyer. She's part of this family. We were all angry on her behalf" He leaned back in his chair, ready to go on the offense, having had enough of playing defense. "But tell me, when did you get so knowledgeable about love?"
"When I met the perfect girl, who is so far out of my league that I don't stand a chance." Sawyer took his last bite of food, looking at his brother's shocked face. "So, when you're ready to talk about love, I'll be here to commiserate because Ophelia is way out of your league too." He patted his brother on the shoulder, blew the waitress a kiss across the dining room then left Sullivan alone with his thoughts.
*******
"You look like you're feeling much better this morning," Reyna greeted Ophelia by accepting a kiss on her cheek.
"I am, and I'm sorry for all of the drama yesterday," Ophelia apologized once more as she moved to sit on the chair at the table across from where Reyna was having breakfast.
"None of it was your fault, my dear. No matter anyone's personal feelings, this hotel is a business, and a paying guest is a paying guest. Besides, it got Sullivan what he wanted in the end, and he didn't have to bargain something away to get it." Reyna leaned back in her chair.
"Now, update me on everything I've missed on my media accounts," she insisted.
What had happened the night before was a thing of the past and wasn't going to be mentioned again. They spent the next half hour reviewing social media accounts, taking a well-staged selfie for the fans, and reviewing her schedule for the rest of the week.
When she was done with Reyna, she looked in on Pops, who was conducting an imaginary orchestra as he listened to his favorite Beethoven piece, Ode to Joy.
It made Ophelia smile because he usually played it after his and Reyna's date nights.
Ophelia risked slipping back to Sullivan's room to use the restroom and check her appearance before going back down to the lobby to meet Sullivan. When she got there, the girl at reception gave her a note informing her that Sullivan would meet her out front, so she wandered outside and perched on a bench.
It was a beautiful day, and a light sweater was all she needed. It was hard to believe it was the beginning of December. Soon all the Christmas decorations would start to go up. It made her think that if they had their own house, then there was no reason she couldn't put up a tree and some decorations. This caused her to think about the Richards family, and in turn, the conversation at breakfast. What had Sawyer really meant when he had told them to get a room and that love breeds love?
Did he know? That must have been what he was thinking. Was Sullivan attracted to her too, is that what love breeds love had meant? Maybe she should be honest with Sullivan and admit there was an attraction before Sawyer let the cat out of the bag. Attraction was nothing to be ashamed of, and she didn't have to admit that she loved Sullivan.
Ophelia shuddered at the thought of him finding out. How many women had told Sullivan that they loved him over the years? She would only be one in a long list.
Sullivan drew a golf cart to the curb in front of her.
"Are you ready?" he asked over Polly's head.
Ophelia nodded and climbed into the cart, aware of the tense silence. She was going to have to say something.
"Look, Sullivan, about this morning-"
"There is nothing to discuss. We had breakfast, and Sawyer joined us while spouting his usual nonsense, end of the story," Sullivan said as he drove the golf cart forward.
"But if there was an-"
"You work for my mother!" he insisted. "End of story."
His words and tone were harsh and promptly ended the conversation, and any courage Ophelia had worked up to admit her attraction. If he was attracted to her, he didn't want to be. The thought caused a little pain in the region of her heart.
They rode in silence to the house, which was at the end of the row of historic houses in which they were filming. It would be easy to walk to set. The sign gave the name of the well-known family that had built it over 100 years previous.
Ophelia did her best to keep her mind on the task in front of her and not the man next to her as they climbed the steps.
It was beautiful. It faced the water with a large wrap-around porch and a swing. They moved inside, and the house glowed from all the natural hardwood inside. It was a dream house, and they would get to stay in it for a month.
"It's beautiful. How many rooms?" Ophelia asked, walking to the window to look out at the water.
"There are eight bedrooms, but only two bathrooms. I thought we could designate one for women and one for men." Sullivan watched her as she walked around, peeking in the gourmet kitchen then moving upstairs to look at the bedrooms. "I thought you could have the attic room. It has plenty of space for you to spread out, and if we need to meet in private, as a family, we can."
Ophelia nodded. The room was indeed large with wrap-around windows, and she'd bet it was freezing at night, but she didn't mention that because it was beautiful.
"Would you mind if I decorated for Christmas?" she shyly asked.
Sullivan looked at her oddly for a minute, closed his eyes and cursed, then turned around and walked out of the room.
What had she said? Ophelia hurried after him.
"If it's a problem, then I won't do it!" she insisted.
"It's fine!" he ground out, walking so fast that she was having a hard time keeping up with him.
"It's obviously not!" she said, jumping in the golf cart at the same time he did.
"It's fine. Momma would love it. Can you get us moved in today?" he asked as he threw the cart into drive.
"I can," Ophelia said, holding on for dear life as he took a corner too fast. Polly lost her footing and landed in Ophelia's lap.
"Good!" he drew up in front of the hotel. "You have the shooting schedule?"
"I do," she agreed as she climbed out of the golf cart, instinctually knowing that he wanted to be as far away from her as possible.
Then, once she had safely cleared the cart, he took off without a backward glance leaving Ophelia mystified as to why Christmas décor had upset him so much.