Page 100 of Shea's Hero

“It’s hard in the beginning,” Thea says gently. Meeting my gaze, she continues, “After I was abducted, it was so hard to be apart from Ben. I didn’t want to go anywhere without him. It was like subconsciously, I was afraid if he left, I wouldn’t see him again.”

Ari’s expression sobers as she looks at me. “I felt that way, too. It was really hard to go back to my normal life after everything that happened. Even though I wanted to be back at work, it was hard to focus. And I texted Cash all the time.Constantly. It’s a miracle he didn’t get sick of me.”

“As if he would,” Thea remarks with a lilting laugh. “Cash would never get sick of you.”

“Well.” Pleasure pinks Ari’s cheeks. “Maybe not. But still, you know what I mean.”

“Yeah,” I reply. “I know it’s good for us to be apart sometimes. But after almost losing Oliver… It’s hard.”

“It does get easier,” Thea says. “But I’d be lying if I said I don’t miss Ben.”

Penny jumps in. “It doesn’t hurt that you all have the perfect partners. Cash, Ben, Oliver… they’re all amazing. So sweet and protective. If I had a guy like that…”

Trailing off, her expression goes wistful. I know she’s thinking about her crummy ex, the guy she was crying about that night at the Hop-less Horseman. She’s finally out of their shared apartment—no thanks to him, after he trashed it and made her lose the security deposit—and I really hope she finds someone much nicer next.

“You’ll find someone,” Thea says to her. “It’ll happen when you least expect it. Just like it did when I got together with Ben.” Pausing, she adds, “Maybe you even know him already. And he’s been interested in you for ages, but you weren’t available. Now that you are…”

“Right,” Ari adds with an enthusiastic smile. “Maybe he’s just been waiting for the perfect time.”

“Or you’ll meet him randomly,” I suggest. “At the library. Or the park. It could be anywhere.”

Penny casts her gaze around the room, giving each of us a thankful smile. “That’s true. Just because I met one stinker doesn’t mean the next one will be. Maybe I’ll?—”

A loud rapping on the door interrupts her.

Just like it does whenever I hear a sudden noise, my body tenses.

But it’s silly, it’s obviously Cash and Oliver returning. Although… I check my watch. It’s only been eight minutes since they left. Which I supposecouldbe enough time if they were really quick at the wine store. But Oliver’s pretty conscientious about speeding, especially in Sleepy Hollow.

“Oh!” Penny leaps up from her chair. “That was quick. And we didn’t even startThe Bacheloretteyet. So they won’t have missed any of it.”

As she heads to the door, my stomach prickles.

“Penny,” I call over to her. “Did you check your doorbell camera?”

“Oh, I don’t have it set up yet.” Glancing over her shoulder at me, she grins. “I was hoping I could convince Cash or Oliver to install it.”

“Cash wouldn’t mind,” Ari offers. “He can do it while we’re watchingThe Bachelorette.”

Thea glances in my direction, a question in her eyes. “Shea?”

The prickling turns to a violent jabbing. My chest squeezes. “Pen, maybe you should ask who it?—”

But she’s already opening the door.

And I don’t know why, but I have that feeling again.

I shouldn’t. Romanova is dead. Leo is keeping an eye on the list of names Oliver gave him—people from his old job who could possibly be considered a threat—and there’s been no hint of a problem. Before we came here, Oliver even ran a background check on all the neighbors, which probably isn’t entirely legal, but I’m not saying anything about it.

So it’s fine. It has to be. My paranoia is just working overtime, which is another thing my counselor assured me is perfectly normal.

“Pen, maybe you should wait,” Thea starts.

But.

The door slams open, bouncing off the wall and ricocheting back, nearly smashing Penny in the head.

“Where is it?”

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