She grins. “You got me there. I am curious though.”
“How about this?” I lean my arm closer to her, lowering my head so I can look her in the eyes.
“We can go to that restaurant next door, where you might feel safer with people who can easily recognize you.”
“Okay. When?”
“Tonight is as good a time as any. I mean if you don’t have other plans.”
I rub a hand on my knee, feeling suddenly vulnerable.
“I don’t but…” She looks down at her work clothes, her mouth pinching.
I’m about to tell her she looks great when her cellphone rings. She leans over to pull it out of her back pocket, shooting me an apologetic look. Her hair grazes my cheek, the smell and feel of it lending to my already unruly thoughts.
Ria’s mouth flattens into a thin line as she checks the caller ID. Heaving a deep sigh, she answers it with a frown.
“Hey, Penny. What’s up?”
She listens for a beat before she slams her hand so hard on the countertop, it attracts the attention of the barista working the bar and some of the customers in line. She looks up and feigns a smile, waving off her coworkers' questioning looks.
Looking down at her lap, she plants an elbow on the counter, leaning her forehead on her hand to shield herself from onlookers.
I can see the tension building on her shoulders and her grip tightening on her phone.
“What the hell, Penny?”
She sneers, keeping her voice low enough that only I can hear. The hand not holding her phone drops into her lap and curls into a fist.
“I don’t care! I told you I don’t trust him. I told you what he said to me. Get the key back!”
She shuts her eyes, but I can see her anxiety mounting with each word this Penny is saying.
The hand resting on her lap now visibly shakes. I give in to the urge and place mine on top of hers, squeezing it for support.
Her eyes fly open, and she squints up at me. My senses heighten as I spot the sheer terror in her eyes before she quickly looks away.
She suddenly jolts upright. “Are you serious? Penny? Penelope!”
She mumbles a curse under her breath as she throws her phone on the counter.
“Everything okay?”
She barks out a short laugh. “No.” Blinking hard, she shoots me another look of apology and stands. “I’m sorry. I can’t have dinner with you tonight. I have to leave.”
I gently grab hold of her arm, standing with her.
"Whoa whoa whoa. First, don't apologize. Do what you need to do. Second, you look absolutely terrified so please tell me how I can help."
She looks like she's about to argue but something flashes in her face–some recollection that resigns her to accepting my help. "Just give me a sec."
She rushes back around the bar to the café's back area.
I shut my laptop, shoving it in my backpack. I'm tossing my coffee in the bin just as she's rushing back out. She waves a hasty goodbye to the other baristas, Missy and Ann, and crooks a finger for me to follow her out the door.
I stop her just as we’re about to cross the back of the building.
"Ria."