it, but there’s no denying that the knot has loosened considerably with Opal’s return.
For whatever reason, Opal has decided to give this job one more chance. I swear here and now that she won’t regret it.
As the day wears on, however, I begin to notice that it isn’t just her unusual return to a job I thought she despised that is the only thing puzzling about Opal. We worked apart for most of the morning, so I didn’t notice anything until lunch.
And the only reason I noticed it then was because Opal walked in and dumped a paper bag and a coffee cup in front of me. I jump, not expecting this.
“What’s this?” I ask, confused.
“Lunch,” Opal says with a shrug.
I blink slowly. This doesn’t compute. Opal has never gotten me lunch since she worked here, and I definitely wouldn’t ask her. It just felt like menial tasks like that were crossing the line, despite the fact that it is part of her job. And I don’t really mind the chance to stretch my legs either.
“Right…” I say. “And…you went and got it.”
“Yep,” Opal says, unconcerned by my surprise. “Enjoy.”
Then she’s gone, spinning on her heel and striding out of the office before I can even think about thanking her.
Alright…so that just happened. I peer into the bag. This is definitely my lunch; a feta, avocado and tomato sandwich roll with a cappuccino. That’s another thing. Opal and I don’t eat together, so how the hell did she know what I like to have for lunch?
It occurs to me that Opal must have been paying more attention to me than I thought she was. The realization makes something stir in me, and I swallow deeply before swatting the feeling away.
Obviously, Opal is just determined to give the job a proper try this time. She’ll get tired of this soon enough, and then she’ll go back to glaring at me like I’ve caused all the problems in her life. It’s nice to have a more pleasant Opal to work with, but I know that it can’t last long.
Halfway through the week, I’m forced to consider that I may have been wrong.
Opal’s attitude has no storm at all. Yesterday, she was humming softly to herself as she worked with a small smile on her face. She hasn't once glared at me, insulted me, or made any other indication that she might still be unhappy with me. She’s still sarcastic and sharp, but I’m actually grateful for that because it means that everything about her hasn’t changed seemingly overnight.
I should be glad that my employee is finally affording me the right respect. But all I can do is wait for the other shoe to drop. There has to be another shoe. Opal hates me, she’s made that more than clear all along. Why would she suddenly change her tune?
Yet Opal pays no mind to my inner thoughts and my confusion. If she notices the way I’ve been watching her closely, she doesn’t say anything about it. She just does her work, talks politely, and…and…smiles.
Yes, I think, as I watch her moving around the office through my open door. It’s her fucking smiles that are the straw that breaks the camel’s back for me. Opal smiled before, of course, but her smiles were often sardonic or annoyed. When she smiled at me at the bar, that smile had been all teeth and full of filthy promises.
But these smiles, while small, are genuine. I can see it in the way the corners of her eyes crinkle, and in the soft dimple that forms on the left side of her lips. The smiles transform her entire face. I hadn’t thought she could get any more beautiful, but she’s proven me wrong.
But she’s definitely never smiled at me like that before, not even in college when we first met. It makes awe and wonder bloom in my chest. I have the oddest urge to ensure that I always protect that smile, no matter what I have to do for it.
Then, I shake the feeling away and get up. This is getting out of hand.
I need to get my thoughts in order. We’ve still got work to do, after all.
Chapter Eighteen
Jason
Despite how hard I try, it doesn’t get better. It isn’t even that I’m unhappy with Opal in the office. I really want her here, which, unfortunately, is exactly the problem. So, I make a decision on Friday night as I pack up and lock the door behind