Ophelia managed to make some excuse about closing the store for the night and slipped down the stairs to the quiet darkness of the coffee shop. It smelled like coffee and books, and for Ophelia, that was a comforting smell.

Ophelia was numb as she curled up in one of the overstuffed chairs in a dark corner. Sullivan was right upstairs, in her life, again. What a cruel joke for fate to play on her.

All of a sudden, a furry body was jumping up to join her on the chair. There wasn't really room for Polly, but Polly wasn't going to be bothered about it as she turned until she was half on Ophelia and half on the chair.

Ophelia took Polly's face in her hands and dropped kisses on her nose. "How is everyone, girl?" she asked.

"Everyone's fine," Sullivan said, emerging from the shadows. He looked so tall and foreboding from her sitting position and also slightly unsure as he shoved his hands in his pockets and leaned on the armrest of the neighboring chair. "If you'll agree, I would like you to join me at the house for dinner this evening. The entire family will all be there."

Sullivan had a house in New York, but Ophelia had never been invited to visit it. Reyna preferred a hotel when she was in New York.

Ophelia was tempted. To be able to see everyone again would be wonderful.

"I don't think that would be a good idea, Sullivan. I don't want a repeat of what happened over a year ago." She shook her head.

"It won't. I handled it." Sullivan's jaw grew hard as he said the words.

"How did you handle it? You cannot control the press, and you know it!" Ophelia scoffed if anyone knew that by now, it should be Sullivan.

"I sued Barrett for breach of contract, I sued Giselle for breach of contract, and I published a personal letter to the public explaining everything."

"How did you sue Barrett and Giselle? On what grounds did they break their contract?" Ophelia asked, racking her brain for how they could have done it.

"They took photos while on set. Everyone on set signed a contract forbidding photography. They broke it and then sold those photos. It was an easy case. They both settled and disappeared."

"And the personal letter?" Ophelia asked, her voice wavering.

"When it didn't go away as quickly as I had hoped, I took it upon myself to write a letter addressing the subject. I sent it to every paper I could think of and posted it on my social media accounts." Sullivan's eyes were glued to Ophelia's face, but Ophelia couldn't bring herself to look at him. "I can't believe you didn't see it."

Ophelia shook her head. "I stayed as far away from them as I could. What did it say?" She licked her lips, nervous about his answer.

"You'll have to read it when you get a chance. Now it's my turn to ask a question." He pulled his hands out of his pockets and crossed them. "Why did you leave? I told you we would figure it out together."

"I..." Ophelia shrugged. She couldn't admit it was because she had told him she loved him because if she was candid with herself, that was why she ran. "I didn't want to hurt the family any more than I had."

"Why didn't you at least tell us where we could find you?" he asked.

Ophelia shrugged again. "At first, I traveled around. Then I landed here. I figure you all had moved on, and it was time I did as well." 

"We have not moved on, Ophelia. None of us have. We miss you every day and talk about you just as much." His words made her want to cry.

"I looked for you, but without your phone number, it was impossible to find you. You have no social media, no permanent address to trace. We threatened Shay on numerous occasions, but she refused to share anything other than the fact that you were safe." Sullivan stood and walked toward her, kneeling in front of her.

"I thought I saw you on the street in front of the art store six months ago as my cab was pulling into traffic, but I couldn't be sure. I also noticed that you weren't alone.  I saw you with the guy upstairs, and you looked happy. Did you not want to come back because you have moved on?"

"No," she shook her head. "I miss you all dreadfully. Hank and I work together. That's all." Ophelia's eyes grew wide as she had a sudden thought. "Is that how you found me today? Was it the store name on the van?" She stared into his eyes, which were inches from hers.

"Yes, every time I have been in New York in the last six months, I visit that store at the same time every day in hopes that it was you that I saw and that you would return, and this time you did." Sullivan gave her a tender smile as his words filled her heart with love.

Ophelia's eyes grew wide at his words. That he would do that, sit outside that small store every day he was able in hopes that he would find her, filled her with hope, but hope had let her down too many times.

"Is that why you're here under the pretense of looking for a place to premiere your movie?" Ophelia frowned at the thought that her friends would be let down.

"It's not a pretense. I do need a place to premier it. I'm not taking it back to Oak Island, that's for damn sure, and if it would help your friends, I'm just as inclined to do it here as anywhere. As usual, you're problem-solving without even trying."

Sullivan must have sensed her weakening because he moved in with a direct approach. "You told me that you were in love with me.  Is that why you left? Did you not want to see me again? Did you change your mind?" He took her hand, and turning it palm up, kissed it.

"You didn't want me, and I felt like if I stayed, not only would I bring more grief to your family, but you would feel like I was some desperate woman clinging to something she couldn't have," Ophelia admitted as she felt the tingle from his kiss move up her arm.

"You would never be clingy, it's not in your nature, and I only said I couldn't talk about how I felt then, not that I wouldn't. That's why I wanted us to meet in L.A. to talk about it and figure it out together," he insisted.

Ophelia pushed past him and Polly and jumped up. "Either you love me, or you don't. It's as simple as that."

"No, love is anything but simple." Sullivan stood and shoved his hands back in his pockets. "Remember how I asked you how you knew you were in love?"

"Yes, and I told you when you knew, you knew." Ophelia crossed her arms defensively.

"It amazes me that, despite everything you have been through, you can still love so completely. I haven't been so lucky. I'm not a whole person, and I haven't been for a very long time. I've had to build this tough skin out of necessity. I have learned to shield my feelings, even from my family." Sullivan reached down and petted Polly's ears. "You know why I like for you to keep Polly?"

"Why?" Ophelia's heart was breaking for Sullivan. It was evident by his words that something horrible had happened to him in the past, but no one had ever said. Maybe no one knew.

"Because it means I will get to see you one more time, and if I can't be with you, Polly can."

Ophelia felt her heart stop with his words.

"I want to share more-"

"Are you ready Sullivan, we have another place to look at in half an hour," his friend called down the stairs.

"Dinner tonight? We can talk more?" Sullivan realized his time had run out.

"Alright," Ophelia agreed, and his smile in response lit up her world. 

"You keep Polly and bring her with you," he insisted.

Ophelia smiled and nodded. It was his insurance policy that she would show. "I might keep her, though," Ophelia joked as she looked at Polly.

"I would give her to you if that's what you wanted. I would give you anything you asked for, Ophelia."

"Your heart?" she whispered.

"Yes, you had it the moment we met." His eyes begged her to believe him.

"Then why didn't you say?" Ophelia started to cry, and Sullivan lifted his hand to wipe away her tears.

"That's a long story, my love, and there is still a lot to talk about." He gave her his address and a time just as his friend called his name again, and then he was gone.

Ophelia wiped her eyes and looked around her. The security cameras! She went to the stock room behind the coffee bar, where the computer system was kept, and hurriedly wiped them all. No one needed to know about that conversation but her and Sullivan, and Polly.

Ophelia climbed the stairs with a smile playing about her lips. Sullivan Richards loved her.

Sullivan Richards loved her!

"You two were down there a long time!" Uma grinned.

"And you still have his dog!" Robin added as she fell to the floor to pet Polly.

"We were discussing what happened last time we met," Ophelia said lightly. "How did it go with the distributor?"

"It went well, but he said they were looking at a few other places," Annsa shrugged.

Ophelia looked at her. "Do you really want it here?" she asked. "It won't be easy. In fact, it will be a nightmare, but if you really want it..." she let her words trail off.

"I really want it!" Annsa insisted.

"Then I'll talk to Sullivan tonight at dinner about it," Ophelia promised. She couldn't say that she loved him, and he loved her, but she could say they were having dinner together.

"OMG! You're having dinner with him!" Uma squealed.

"Relax, Uma, it's with the whole family," Ophelia said, trying to reign in her excitement.

"Anything you could do would be appreciated," Annsa said more calmly.

Ophelia nodded and whistled for Polly. She had to go and read a letter.