*Unedited because I wanted to get this out before heading to work. Forgive me?*
Opal POV
There is nothing in this world right now that could take away the smile that has been plastered to my face over the last hour and a half. I keep going back and forth between the two men I love, watching them interact with one another as if it's the most natural thing in the world for them, and not the fact that they've spent maybe a total of three hours together since having met that first night in October.
They, whoever 'they' are, say that you look for someone like your father. Well, I never want to love a man like my father, a man who ran out on his daughter because he couldn't handle the events in his life. No, I want a man like my grandfather, who in all respect has been my dad since I was four years old.
With the two of them sitting here in front of me, myself being more like a fly on the wall taking it all in, I start to see the similarities. Listening to Chris speak more about his family, answering Pops questions about growing up in Massachusetts, I see a love for his family very similar to what Pops gave me growing up. He speaks about his heart for community and protecting those around him as being one of the reasons he joined the police force, mimicking Pops having been in the military. I even notice tonight for the first time that they have a similar smirk. Maybe 'they' are right.
"Right, Ope?"
I blink my eyes, realizing now that I have been daydreaming more than actually listening to the conversation in front of me, and now I'm being called out on it. Whoops. "Sorry, what?"
Pops shakes his head at me before pointing his finger at me. "Daydreamer, where'd you go?"
"No where, I'm here. What did you ask?" I lean in closer across the table, attempting to put myself more in the moment. I feel Chris hand rest on my knee under the table, giving a small squeeze.
"I was telling Chris about all of the grey hairs you gave me while in high school."
Oh no. "I did no such thing," I say pointedly before I hear Chris give a hearty laugh.
"I beg to differ, Ope girl. You and that Lily of yours gave me several mini heart attacks. Oh I remember one instance that got you grounded for a month."
Chris looks over at me, raising a brow before asking Pops to continue. "There are certain parts of Jacksonville that you just don't go around, probably similar to some places in Atlanta." He motions for Chris to back him up, which of course he does. "Well, they decided to go to that area of town and the car broke down. Who did they have to call when Lily's parents didn't answer. That's right, me. I don't know that I had ever been so angry with you."
"Lesson learned for sure. To this day I still haven't gone back to that part of town because I feel like you'd ground me again even though I don't live with you anymore."
Pops just smiles back at me. "Well, I have enjoyed this very much, but I'm old and I need my beauty sleep. You don't just wake up and look this great ya know. Officer? Care to take me home?"
"I can drive you, old man," I offer, attempting to give Chris a break from being in the car.
"Nonsense," Chris says. "I'm happy to give you a lift. Opal, if you'd like to join us you can."
I push my chair back, noticing that before I can stand both men have already stood up, turning their attention to me. "Let me check at the desk and make sure I'm not needed."
It's not until I move towards the front desk that I notice the dining area has thinned out drastically. "AnnaBeth, how are things?"
"All good. I sat the last reservation thirty minutes ago. I think it's smooth sailing from here."
I fidget with my fingers for a moment, trying to decide if I can slip out for the night. It appears AnnaBeth notices and speaks up. "We're good, Miss Lucas. Go and enjoy your evening."
"You're sure?" I ask, giving her one more chance to tell me differently.
And for the third time tonight I'm told to go. I grab my purse, pulling my keys out and join the men at the door. "I'm driving." Chris starts to object until Pops speaks up. "It's useless, just let her have this control." It's my turn to be smug thanks to Pops backing me up. I do however let Chris open the driver side door for me before he slips into the backseat, allowing Pops the passenger side.
"I can't believe you pulled this off," I say to Chris as he slides in next to me. He had just walked Pops up to the door, making sure he got in alright. "I mean, this was incredible. You being here, but including Pops, that's just icing on the cake."
I go to speak further but I'm cut off as Chris leans across the console, grabbing my face and crushing his lips to mine. A quiet moan releases before I even notice I'm doing it, realizing how much I've missed everything about this man. I don't even wait for him to ask for entrance, widening my lips, inviting him in. Our tongues getting accustomed to one another again, and yet picking up right where they left off over a month ago.
Moments later, Chris pulls back just a touch, his lips ghosting over mine once more before speaking. "I'm more shocked that I've waited until now to do that." A laugh escapes both of us.
"I feel like a teen again, sitting out front of my grandparent's house, making out. I'm surprised he hasn't flicked the porch light on."
I put the car in reverse and head back towards the Inn. "Hold on. Do you have a room reserved?"
Chris gives a sly smile with a nod of his head. "It's under Evan Roberts."
"I would've never recognized it as being you. Very smart, Christopher." I drive a little further before I get an idea. "Are you ready to go back, or can I keep you out a bit longer."
"I'm all yours, babe."
"Good answer." At the next stop light I take a right, heading a bit further into Riverside towards a park that runs alongside the river.
~~~~~
Chris POV
Deep down my body is begging for sleep, but I refuse to waste a moment with Opal when I'm given so few of them.
She pulls the car into a parking space in front of a park that is lit up with white lights strung from tree to tree. "This is where I was when we spoke that day and I sent you the sunset photo. Thought maybe we could take a walk?"
I don't answer her, but open my door and move quickly to open hers, offering her my hand to help her out of the car. "Just don't break a heel, okay?" She rolls her eyes at me, but smiles at the same time knowing that's a normal occurrence with us. "Don't give me a reason to try and get away quickly and I won't." She locks the car with her key fob as I hold my hand out to take them from her, placing them in my suit pocket before holding her hand in mine once again.
The night is clear and cool. The stars appearing perfectly scattered across the sky as if the painter speckled them against a black backdrop, a perfect scene as it frames a near full moon. We walk hand in hand, down to the side of the park that runs along the river. We stop and lean against the railing, taking in the city lights.
"So," I start, "best Valentine's ever?"
"Well, I'd say so. Most Valentine's Days have been pretty boring for me. Oh, but there was the one last year that Laura set me up on a blind date."
"Oh really. Do tell," I ask turning my body towards her, my elbow leaning on the railing.
She mirrors my action before speaking. "His name was Kyle, worked in construction. But that's all I know about him because he stood me up."
"No."
She nods her head to disagree with me. "Yep. So I enjoyed a very expensive dinner by myself because he'd chosen a restaurant that had a set menu for the holiday. Two hundred dollars on a meal to enjoy by myself." I look back at her shocked. Just as I was about to ask why didn't she leave she answers as if she read my mind. "I made Laura pay me back."
"Wow. Was that the last time she set you up?"
"I told her there was no way in hell I would ever trust her to set me up again. That's when I found out he was just a random client of hers whose hair she had cut like twice. So, officer, what about you? Worst Valentine's date?"
"Hmm..." I think to myself. "That would probably be the one where I threw up on the girl."
"You what?" she exclaims.
I purse my lips together. "Yeah. I hadn't been feeling well that day, or even the day before, but Jayme, that was her name, insisted that we still go out since it was the holiday and all. I did my best to push through and ate like four bites of my meal. About ten minutes after we left I was driving her home and felt really off. I reached in the backseat to try and grab one of the bags I keep back there and it got caught on something. I threw up on her shoulder and all in her hair. She dumped me the next day even after I told her I had the flu."
"Oh, Chris," she says trying to hold back a laugh. I assure her I can laugh about it now, especially after telling her about how I ended up getting her sick.
"Serves her right." Opal leans in closer to me, allowing me to wrap my arms around her. She angles her head up from my chest as I look down on her. "How are you feeling now? You feeling okay? My hair isn't in need of a vomit mask."
At her teasing I move my hands from her back to her waist, digging my fingers in, tickling her sides. She squeals and squirms against me, her lips turned into a delicious smile.
I stop the agonizing tickle fest suddenly as heartfelt words leave my lips. "I swear I could hear that laugh and see that exact smile forever, Opal."
The laughter stops, her face towards the ground. I fear I've overstepped, that is until she lifts her head and her eyes give a spark that sets my heart on fire. "Play your cards right, and you will," she says before taking my tie in her fist and pulling my lips to meet hers.
It's one of those kisses that is so startling to me, unexpected, and I don't know where to place my hands at first, so I do the next best thing and just melt into her, giving her control. Trying to keep myself in check as she fists my tie, keeping me close to her. After a few moments I realize it's becoming increasingly difficult to keep my hands from roaming further than just her hips and pull away. We both attempt to catch our breath as Opal rests her head against my chest, my chin sitting atop her hair.
I feel a shiver run through Opal. "Let's head back to the car."
Hand in hand once again, with Opal holding my bicep with her opposite hand leaning further into me, we make our way back to the car. Once situated, the car cranked with the heater on high, I make a suggestion. "I'm in the mood for a snack." She looks at me oddly. "Where's the closest Sonic?"
She gives me directions, leading me through the city. It's Saturday, just around 10 pm so it's still busy but nothing in comparison to New York or Atlanta.
I pull in and park at a slot and act as though I'm perusing the menu even though I know exactly what I want, giving her a moment to decide. "What are you thinking?"
"I'm thinking I have no idea where you put all the food you eat," she taunts. "But, I guess I could go for some mozzarella sticks and a coke."
"We're a match made in heaven, babe. That's what I was going to order," I reveal, rubbing my hands together before pressing the red button and placing the order. While we wait Opal connects her phone to her bluetooth and chooses a playlist, different types of music genres wafting through her speakers as we chat about anything and nothing at all.
"So, is Spencer gonna propose tonight?" she questions me. I look over at her, silently asking if she really wants me to answer that. "I need to prepare myself for her craziness if so."
I give her a little nod, answering without words. She sighs loudly before speaking. "She's a lot to handle sometimes. I'm guessing this will be even worse than Lily's Bridezilla, if I'm being honest."
Before I can question much more a carhop is walking over to the car with our order. He hands me the two Cokes first before the bag of cheesy goodness. "Oh, and here is a sheet of coupons for any future visits."
"Thank you!" Opal calls out graciously from the passenger seat to accompany my thankful head nod.
I start to divvy out the artery clogging goodness as the music changes to something peppy and upbeat. "Who is this?" I ask.
I caught Opal mid bite as she holds up a finger asking me to give her a moment. "Taylor Swift," she finally answers after a swallow.
I listen quietly to the words as I take sip from my straw, watching Opal dance around in her seat. I grab the coupon sheet the guy gave us and begin tearing out a random square before creating a circle in the middle, thankful that Opal is too invested in the song to notice what I'm doing.
I wait for the next chorus to make my move.
I like shiny things, but I'd marry you with paper rings
Uh huh, that's right
Darling, you're the one I want, and
I take her left hand in mine, and slide the makeshift ring onto her left finger. She watches me intently, no longer dancing.
I hate accidents except when we went from friends to this
Uh huh, that's right
Darling, you're the one I want
In paper rings, in picture frames, in dirty dreams
Oh, you're the one I want
I don't say anything else, but keep her gaze in my own through the rest of the song. I no longer see the scared girl, afraid to open up or let me in. I see a confident woman, my future sitting right in front of me. I see Opal, understanding exactly what I mean by placing the silly paper coupon ring on her finger. "Happy Valentine's Day, Ope."