Collide (Collide #1)(4)

"Born and raised." She took a seat at the coffee bar, gesturing for Emily to join her. "It's early yet," she said, looking to her watch. "The rush will start within an hour or so."

Emily sat next to her and took a sip of her coffee. She glanced around the restaurant, watching as the busboys set up the tables. Antonio spoke to them in what Emily assumed to be Spanish. His voice rose in an anxious tone as he motioned out to the streets of New York.

"So what brings you across the country to the city that never sleeps?" Fallon asked. "Are you an actress or model? Which is it?"

"Nah, neither of those reasons," she replied, trying to ignore the pain anchoring itself in her chest. The fresh wound still searing deep felt like salt had been sprinkled over it. "My, uh, mother passed away in January. There was really no reason to stay out there after she died."

Fallon's face softened. "I'm sorry to hear that. Death definitely f*cking sucks, that's for sure. My dad died a few years ago from a heart attack, so I know how you feel." Fallon let out a sigh and looked away for a moment. "No matter what age, race, or economic status we hold, death touches us all at one time or another."

Emily found her comment wise beyond her age, but then again she knew death seemed to bring out a completely different way of looking at life once someone was gone. "It does. I'm sorry to hear about your dad."

"Thanks. Not a day goes by that I don't think of him." Fallon paused in thought. "What about your dad? Did he move out here with you?"

Another sore topic, but these days sore topics were plentiful and unavoidable. "Nope. I haven't had any contact with him or his family since I was five. I really don't remember him."

"I'm batting a zero here with you," Fallon joked. "Sorry. Maybe I should ask about puppies or something?"

Shaking her head, Emily smiled. "Don't worry about it. It's cool. Besides, I don't have any puppies so that would be a dead end."

"Neither do I. They're cute, but I don't do the shitting all over the place that well," Fallon laughed, tossing her hair into a ponytail. "So what made you come to New York specifically? Do you have any other family here?"

"Not here. I have an older sister in California though." Emily took a sip of her coffee. "But my boyfriend Dillon lives here. We started dating during my last year of college."

Fallon smiled. "College sweethearts, huh?"

"No, actually, he was already living here in New York when we met. My roommate from college, Olivia, has a brother who came to visit her one weekend, and Dillon went with him."

"Isn't it amazing - the paths that bring people together?" Fallon stared into Emily's eyes. "I mean, had your Dillon not taken the trip with your roommate's brother, you two would've never met. Life is all kinds of weird like that."

Emily knew she instantly liked Fallon. "I totally agree with that. Fate and the roads that get placed in front of us. It's like one huge puzzle that ultimately fits in the end."

"Exactly," Fallon smiled. "So what did you study in school?"

"I graduated with a teaching degree. I've started to put out some resumes, hoping to land something for this fall."

Fallon frowned, her lip ring shimmering in the light. "So you'll be leaving us by the end of the summer?"

"Nah, I'll probably work part time then."

"Cool beans," she quipped, standing to her feet, her tall, lengthy frame towering over Emily's. "So do you club?"