Moments turned into minutes. Minutes turned into hours. Before either of them were ready it was time for Chris to return home to Atlanta and his new assignment.
The couple walk hand in hand out of the Inn and into the parking lot. At 3 AM the city is quiet, no sound of cars or rumblings of factories. The only witnesses to this moment are the moon and stars, sparkling like an array of diamonds across the black sky.
"Not gonna lie, this actually hurts," Chris tells her while he loads his duffle into his car before turning back to face Opal.
"What do you mean?" She stands back, shuffling her feet against ground.
Chris grabs Opal by the hips, bringing her closer to his chest. "My lips. They're already lonely," he smirks back at her, his eyes dancing under the moonlight.
"Well, Officer Evans, don't go trying to find someone to keep them company," Opal sasses back, matching his smirk.
"I wouldn't dream of it," he says bringing his lips down to hers once more.
Oddly enough, Opal still finds his smugness incredibly attractive, knowing that when you look like him you can get away with it. Especially when the actions of his lips match the sincerity of his heart.
"This isn't goodbye, Opal," he says, opening the driver side door.
"I know," she whispers, but sounds unconvinced by her own words. As though she's holding her breath, waiting for betrayal.
Chris notices her slight apprehension and takes a step closer to her once more. "Thanksgiving is just two weeks away. Do me a favor?" he asks. Opal looks up, meeting the ocean eyes she's grown accustomed to over the last couple of days. "Don't go being someone else's first choice before then?" She chuckles quietly as he reminds her of a previous conversation. He brings one hand up to her chin, holding it between his thumb and forefinger. "Because you're mine. Don't forget that."
Opal closes her eyes at his words. They're both dominating and yet comforting, reminding her that he chose her and after this weekend, she is in fact his. Chris takes the opportunity for one more sweet kiss, before hugging her, holding her tightly.
"I'll see you in two weeks," he promises, with a gentle kiss to her forehead. Opal backs up, away from the car as she watches him settle behind the wheel before pulling back down the long driveway, leaving Magnolia once again.
~~~~~
Chris POV
The station bustles with activity when I arrive for my shift Monday evening. I have just enough time to drop my bag in my locker before Captain Larson calls Spencer and I into a small conference room.
"Take a seat," he instructs us both. We sit behind a table that is already covered in information we'll need to become familiar with for whichever undercover situation he gives us.
I glance through some of the papers while listening to Larson give us a bit of background. It seems we'll be helping out the narcotics team, going undercover as potential buyers. "Evans, you'll need to let that scruff on your face grow in a bit more. Think you can manage something a bit thicker within a week?"
I nod my head, actually thankful I won't have to do any type of shaving for a bit longer. "No haircuts for either of you until this is completely over," he adds.
"Any idea how long this may take?" Spencer asks.
Captain shakes his head. "I'd cancel any plans you have coming up though. I need you both here, and ready for whatever we need. You'll be moving over to narcotics until this is over. I can't run the risk of y'all pulling over someone related to the situation or being spotted. Got it?"
"Yes sir," we answer in unison.
"Read over it all, write down your questions. Narcotics is expecting you both in an hour," he tells us before grabbing his cup of coffee off the podium and leaving the room.
I continue looking over everything, jotting down a couple of notes as I go. The silence doesn't last long before Spencer pushes his chair back, fishing his phone out of his pocket. "I am not gonna enjoy this call," he says aloud, staring at the cell resting in his hand.
"What do you mean?" I ask.
He looks back at me like I have two heads. "Did you already forget? We were suppose to go back to Jax in two weeks."
I hang my head both in frustration and embarrassment for letting the memory escape me. "Tell Laura not to mention anything to Opal. I'd like to let her know myself."
Spencer steps out of the room as I pull out my own phone. I go into my emails, locating my plane tickets and go through the process of canceling my trip to Boston before calling my mother to let her know the change of plans.
"Hey ma," I start off.
"Baby, what's wrong? You don't sound like yourself," she mentions, knowing me so well even over the phone, 1,000 plus miles away.
"I'm not gonna make it up for Thanksgiving."
"Oh, Chris." I hear the disappointment in her voice.
"I've just been assigned to go undercover with narcotics. I'm not allowed to leave any time soon. I'm sorry, mom."
She takes a deep breath before responding. "I understand. I don't like it, any of it, but I understand."
I know she's never liked the idea of me being a police officer, but there was nothing she or anyone could've done to change my mind after what happened with my grandmother.
"Well, other than that, how are things? Scott said he tried to get a hold of you all weekend but you never responded."
"Oh, I was back in Jacksonville, actually," I admit. I haven't said a word to anyone in the family about Opal.
"I thought the wedding was last weekend."
I know she's getting ready to dig for dirt. "It was."
"So," she drags out the word. "Why'd you go back a week later?"
I had originally hoped to have this conversation in person at Thanksgiving. But, that's off the table now. "Well, actually, I met someone."
"Christopher! You met someone and you didn't tell your mama!" she scolds me. "You usually tell me everything. For crying out loud, you told me when you lost your virginity, but you don't wanna tell me when you've met someone?"
"Yeah, I'd rather forget that I did that, Ma."
"You've always been a mama's boy. I just don't understand why you kept this from me."
"I swear I was gonna tell you at Thanksgiving, assuming that there was going to be something to tell. We had just started talking at the wedding," I assure her, hoping it appeases her enough.
"Must've been more than talking if you went back this weekend. What are you not telling me, Chris?"
I shake my head, well aware that she can't see me, but yet can probably hear the rocks rattling around in my brain. "Someone broke into her home while we were talking Friday evening. I had to know she was okay."
"So you drove six hours, just to check on her, when a phone call would've sufficed?" she questions me further.
"Maybe it's the cop in me, Ma." I know full well it's not just that, but again, I don't want to have this conversation over the phone, in the middle of the station, with my mother.
"You've fallen for her!" she exclaims.
Spencer walks back into the room, my saving grace. "I gotta go, Ma. I'll talk to you later."
"Christopher! We are not done with this!"
"Love ya, Ma. Gotta go," I say once more before getting the proper response.
Spencer returns to his seat next to me, picking up the papers again. "How'd she take it?" I ask.
He chuckles before answering. "Hopefully worse than Opal will. I got yelled at."
"Ouch," I say with a pat on his back. Although my stomach starts doing flips as I realize my call may go much worse than his with Laura.
~~~~~
After pulling an all nighter with the narcotics team I finally walk into my apartment. My head is pounding over all of the new information I've had to take in over just a short period of time.
During part of the process we were informed that we can't let anyone know about the details of what we're doing. All meet ups with dealers need to be kept under wraps, only discussed with the narcotics team. If all goes well, this will be the largest drug best Atlanta has ever seen.
We were also told we need to lay low as much as possible, which means no going out if we can help it. Which is why I find myself standing in front of my fridge trying to figure out breakfast instead of going back to Egg Harbor like usual. I work on scrambling a couple of eggs while simultaneously pushing toast down in the toaster, deciding on an egg and cheese sandwich. Just enough to fill me before going to bed.
Sandwich in hand I trudge into my living room and drop onto the couch. My duffle bag from the weekend still packed, sitting on the coffee table in front of me, catches my eye. I take a bite before setting it back on the plate and bring the bag to my lap. I shift items around looking for my phone charger before noticing a piece of paper that wasn't there before. I pull it out noticing the Magnolia inscription across the top of it. It simply says the words "Thank you" written in beautiful cursive just above "xoxo Ope."
With a smile on my face I plug my phone in to charge, opening up the text messages.
Me- Busy?
I take another bite of my breakfast while waiting for an answer.
Opal- Facetime?
I close out the texting app just to open up Facetime, clicking on the most recent number and wait. The image changes from my exhausted self to a smiling brunette. "Hey gorgeous," I respond instantly, causing that beautiful blush to tinge her cheeks.
"I've missed that," she admits before bring a coffee cup into the frame and up to her lips. I realize now that she's sitting in her office at the Inn.
"Guess I need to say it more often then."
"I've just missed you in general," she reveals. "I kind of got use to having you here."
I understand what she means. I miss holding her, kissing her, but most of all just being in her presence. "Did everything get situated with the house?"
"Yep. I even spent last night there," she sighs.
"How was it?" I worry about her experiencing PTSD from the break in. It was one thing when she was staying somewhere else, but being back where it took place can cause bigger issues that were dormant before.
I watch her expression. She's debating on telling me the truth. "Tell me the truth, Opal."
"There you go, being all demanding again," she smiles. Noticing my facial expression doesn't change, she rolls her eyes before starting again. "I made it, that's all that matters."
"That's not all that matters, sweetheart. If it's difficult for you then you need to tell someone. Maybe Laura could come and stay with you for a couple of nights, until you're more at ease."
She seems to think about the suggestion, which also reminds me that I need to tell her about the change of plans before Laura does.
"I've got a bit of bad news," I start. Opal looks back at me, tucking her hair behind her ears.
"I feel like I should be scared, but am really trying not to be," she says honestly.
I lean back against the couch once more, attempting to get comfortable for the torturous conversation I'm sure we're about to embark on. "Nothing to be scared of," I assure her. "Just a change of plans, really."
"Okay," she braces herself. "Go ahead."
"We met with the undercover team last night. I can't say much about it, but it's a huge assignment. They're not letting us leave the area until everything is said and done." The sigh I hear is not one of relief, but of sadness. "I'm sorry, Opal, really I am. But, neither Spence nor I are gonna make it for Friendsgiving this year."
Opal nods slowly, looking down, away from the camera on her phone. "Okay," she says quietly, still not looking back at me.
I lean up, watching her. "Talk to me."
"What do you want me to say, Chris?" she says defensively.
"I want you to talk to me. Just saying 'okay' is not actually okay."
"Well, it's gonna have to be enough. No matter what I say, it changes nothing. It's a part of your job, Chris. I know that. So, yes, my 'okay' really is okay," she smarts off.
One step forward, and two steps back is how this feels right now. "I didn't mean to make you get defensive. I just don't want you holding anything back with me anymore."
Her gaze finally meets my own, one brow cocked. "Sure you wanna open that can of worms, Evans?"
"I welcome it," I tease, urging her further.
"You have no idea what you're getting in to, do you?"
I smirk while biting my lip over this playful turn of events. "Bring it on, baby."