Collide (Collide #1)(2)

Once they arrived, Emily stepped out of the taxi, the sounds and sights of the city immediately hitting her in the process. Car alarms blaring, brakes grinding, and sirens wailing shattered through the air. People talking and yelling with their footsteps pounding against the busy concrete sidewalks and the frantic flow of tightly packed cars consisting of a sea of yellow taxis were unlike anything she had ever seen or heard before. Steam billowing from potholes looked like ghosts floating up from the hot pavement.

The sprawling trees and clear lakes in Colorado were now being replaced by steel and concrete, loud noises, and a clusterf*ck of traffic. This was definitely something she would have to get used to. Drawing in a deep breath, Emily followed Dillon into the building. The doorman tipped his hat and buzzed Olivia, letting her know that they were there. They made their way up to the fifteenth floor, thankful for the elevator.

Upon entering the apartment, Olivia let out a high-pitched squeal when she saw Emily. She raced over and gave her a hug. "I'm so happy you're here," Olivia said, cupping her hands over Emily's cheeks. "How was the flight?"

"I got through it without needing any drugs or alcohol," Emily smiled. "So I would say it went well."

"She was fine." Dillon walked over and snaked his arm around Emily's waist. "I wouldn't have let anything happen to her anyways."

Rolling her brown eyes in Dillon's direction, Olivia crossed her arms. "Right, because you'd be able to stop a plane from crashing, Dill-Pickle. I mean, Dillon."

Dillon shot Olivia a hard look and placed Emily's luggage on the ground. "That's right, Oliver Twist. I'm f*cking Superman, so don't forget it."

"It's been a while since I've been around you both at the same time," Emily sighed. "I forgot how fond you two are of one another."

Olivia smirked and reached for Emily's hand. "Come on, I'll show you around the place." Pulling Emily down the hall, she turned around to Dillon. "Make yourself useful and unpack her belongings or something, Donkey-Dick-Kong."

Effectively ignoring Olivia, Dillon sank himself into the couch and flipped on the television.

"Oh my God, Olivia," Emily giggled, following behind her. "Where the hell do you think up these names for him?"

"Pfft," Olivia waved a dismissive hand. "He makes it easy."

"Well, you both are going to drive me nuts now. I can feel it."

"I make no promises, but I'll try my best to refrain from doing so, friend."

As Olivia gave a grand tour of her new home, Emily noticed it was a sleek modern apartment that included two bedrooms and two bathrooms. Although modest in size, the kitchen held white antique cabinetry, granite countertops, and stainless-steel appliances. A large window in the living room paraded the direction of Columbus Avenue, a nice area in New York's Upper West Side. The apartment was breathtakingly beautiful to Emily, and if it weren't for Olivia, she would have never been able to afford something like it - at least not without Dillon's help. Although Olivia worked and took care of herself, she came from a well-to-do family, so money was never a problem. Despite growing up on Long Island's North Shore, Olivia and her brother, Trevor, were two of the most down-to-earth people Emily had ever met.

After helping Emily settle in, Dillon left the two women to themselves, letting Emily know he would be back later that evening. Promptly grabbing a bottle of red wine and two glasses, Olivia dragged Emily to the couch.

Tossing her champagne blonde hair to the side, she gave Emily a bittersweet smile. "I know you've been through a ton, but I'm really happy you're here."