Page 189 of If Our Hearts Collide

“I need you to make sure Miss Hoffman gets inside her apartment.”

“Understood.”

“I can get there myself,” she whines.

“Not now, Penny. Go.”

Her eyes fill with panic, and it takes everything in me not to press her to me and comfort her.

“Everything will be fine. Just go to your place and wait for me. I’ll be there soon.”

When they walk away, I text the head of security for the building.

Collins: Make sure Penelope Hoffman doesn’t leave the building and no one arrives to her floor without identification.

Then I send a group text to Graham and Nic.

Collins: Checking surveillance at Rose City Cafe. Something seems off while there.

Graham: Gather info and meet at my place in an hour.

Nic: Okay. Is Penny okay? Was she with you?

Collins: She’s fine. I have her back at Sky View. I’m being overly cautious. Could be nothing.

Graham: When have your instincts ever been wrong?

I swallow down the knot forming in my throat.

Collins: Never

Graham: Exactly

Nic: I am working on getting tracers put on cells for prison guards. The last thing we need is a double dipper.

Collins: I can share any credit card, phone, and social media records I’ve collected when we meet.

Graham: See you both soon.

36

PENNY

For the last week, I’ve lived inside my little bubble of an apartment, not really doing much other than wait for the imagined threat that caused us to leave the little cafe abruptly to get resolved or silently hope Collins would pay attention to me. But he’s been missing in action ever since that day. He’s also made it very clear that I need to lie low until he figures things out.

But I am lonely.

Even Luke has a more active social life than I do, which isn’t all that shocking—but still. I guess his personality is more conducive to making friends.

But I’d be lying if I wasn’t curious what has my bodyguard spooked. Something happened in that cafe that is directly impacting my solitary life right now.

In true Collins form, he never brought me out of the dark, and I doubt he will based on historical data. Instead, for days I’ve been thinking of every worst-case scenario and following his wish of me staying in hermit mode.

Well, I’m done.

I’ve watched all the series. I’ve online shopped for all the unnecessary items. I’ve ordered all the takeout meals. And I’ve created five different mock-up subscription box ideas for future upcoming months—my favorite being the Revenge Box and the Make Him Jealous Box.

But I miss the office. I need people in my life and not just words on an email.

---