Tinsel (Lark Cove #4)(71)

“Feel free to take anything you’d like from my closet.”

“Well,” Dad straightened his necktie, “now that I’ve seen you are in one piece, I need to get to work.”

I smiled, knowing some things about Dad would never change. He worked. Maybe it wasn’t as bad of a habit as I’d always thought. It didn’t bother me as much, especially since he’d been making more time for family, like coming to my studio’s opening. Or stopping by here when I knew it had probably meant reshuffling his day.

“I’ll ride with you.” Aubrey downed the rest of her coffee.

“Will you call your mother?” Dad asked.

“I need to set up my new phone first, then she’ll be the first call.” I hadn’t had the energy to get it going last night.

With a kiss good-bye from Dad and a hug from Aubrey, they left me alone in her penthouse. I took a long shower, scrubbing extra hard at the place where the mugger had kissed me. Then I got dressed in one of Aubrey’s yoga ensembles, choosing leggings and a light tank top for the day since there was no way I’d be going to the dance studio.

But I didn’t really want to go home either. The irrational fear that the thief was inside my penthouse, waiting for me to come home, had been the reason I hadn’t slept.

Glen would no doubt check the house for me. My doorman would too. Carrie was likely already inside, making me breakfast.

But irrational fears were just that. So I sat at my sister’s kitchen island, procrastinating going home by setting up my new phone. The minute it was active, voicemails and texts and social media notifications flooded the screen. But before I could clear them away, it rang with an unfamiliar number.

“Hello?”

“Sofia?”

I paused, trying to place the man’s voice but couldn’t. “Yes.”

“This is Officer Landon McClellan.”

“Oh. Hi.” That’s why he sounded familiar. “Did you find my purse?”

He chuckled. “No. Sorry. I was calling to check in. You were pretty shaken up last night.”

“And here I was thinking I’d really kept it together.”

He laughed again. “How are you holding up?”

“I’m all right. I was just building up the courage to go home,” I admitted. “I keep thinking I’m going to walk into my closet and find that creep loading up more handbags.”

“I’d be happy to do a sweep for you if it would put your mind at ease.”

“Really?” A police officer checking my penthouse would make me feel so much better. But I didn’t want to put him out.

“No bother at all.”




“Hi.” I waved to him as he stood next to my town car outside Aubrey’s building.

“Morning.” He wasn’t in uniform but wearing a pair of jeans and a simple white button-down rolled up his forearms. In his hand was a baseball cap he’d clearly taken off when he’d seen me coming.

I’d assumed he was at the precinct when he’d called me, which was why I’d suggested he meet me at Aubrey’s and ride along to my penthouse. “You’re not on duty today?”

He shook his head. “Day off.”

“Now I feel bad for asking you to come along.”

“Buy me a coffee and we’ll call it square.”

“I tried to get coffee yesterday, and that didn’t work out so well for me. I’m boycotting all coffee shops at the moment.”

He chuckled. “Fair enough.”

“But my assistant makes the best lattes in Manhattan. After you appease my crazy fears that a creep is lurking underneath my bed, she’ll make you whatever your heart desires.”

“You got yourself a deal, Sofia.”

I walked over to the car, and he opened my door for me before I could touch the handle. Then he climbed in behind me, buckling up as I greeted Glen and asked him to take me home.

Twenty minutes later, we were parked outside my building. My phone was still blowing up with messages, but I put it on silent, blocking out all of it until this walk-through was over.

“Thank you for doing this,” I told Landon.

Landon nodded. “It’s no problem.”

He got out first then held out his hand to help me out.

“I’m going to be home the rest of the day,” I told Glen. “Tomorrow too.”

“Very well, Ms. Kendrick. Just call if you change your mind.”

I wouldn’t. As soon as Landon checked every corner of my place, I’d be staying in the safety of my lonely home until I felt more like myself and ready to get back to work at the studio.

I stepped out of the car, taking Landon’s hand. Then I led him to the door to my building. But before going inside, I glanced down the sidewalk.

A man was walking the other way, a green backpack slung over his shoulder. He had the same stride as Dakota. The same black hair. I narrowed my eyes, studying him closer.

“Coming?” Landon stole my attention.

“Uh, yeah,” I told him but looked down the sidewalk again in time to see the man turn the corner of the block and disappear.

My imagination was cruel. I wished it would stop conjuring the man I needed so desperately. The man I’d dreamed about last night. Everywhere I looked, I saw Dakota.