She knows. Ofcourseshe knows how I feel. Shit.
“Charlie’s free tomorrow,” Gina continued. “She can run bodyguard duty. Two women shopping looks normal. You can hang back at Watchdog with Juni.”
Colin felt suddenly disappointed. He’d intended on going. He told himself it was to make sure Maren was safe, but really, he wanted to see the light come back into her eyes. He wanted to know who Maren was outside of what amounted to limbo, watch what she chose to wear, and eat, and see and do. He wanted toknowher.
“ I’m on security detail. I’m going with them.”
“Colin—”
“I’m going with them,” he repeated, quieter. “I won’t hover. But I’m not letting her go out there without me.”
“You’ve got it bad.” Gina sounded amused.
Dammit. “Are you going to help me or not?”
“Of course I’m going to help you.” He could hear the smile in her voice. “Ten a.m. at Watchdog. Nettie will bring her kit. Charlie will clear her schedule. And Colin?”
“Yeah?”
Shit. She’s going to tell me to back off. To be professional, to stop?—
“This is a good thing you’re doing.”
Colin exhaled.
“She deserves to feel normal,” he said quietly as he looked back at the safehouse. He needed to figure out how to tell her without making it feel like charity. “Even if it’s just for one day.”
“She does,” Gina agreed. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” She disconnected.
Colin pocketed his phone and went back inside to surprise Maren. He couldn’t wait to see her smile.
EIGHTEEN
“Miss Jodie!”Juni yelled as she ran into the reception area. Maren and Colin followed behind the little whirlwind.
“Well, hi there, Miss Juni,” Jodie said as she stood up behind the reception desk and came around it. “I was so excited when I heard you were coming in. You’re my excuse for playing with the puppies today.”
“Yay! We get to play with the puppies!”
Jodie opened her arms as Juni flung herself at the woman. She laughed as she looked up at Maren and Colin.
Maren gave her a huge smile back. For the first time since all of this began, she was feeling human again. She thought of all the times she hadn’t wanted to leave her house in San Diego and deal with traffic and other people and long lines in grocery stores. But now, after just a few days of being forced to stay home, the walls of the safehouse felt like they’d been closing in. It wasn’t anyone’s fault. Arden, Kyle, Gina, Mac, Ellie, and of course Colin were absolutely wonderful and did everything they could to make sure she was happy.
But enough is enough. Maren couldn’t believe she was actually getting out for the day. Colin had told her the plan the afternoon before, right after her shower.
“I can’t believe they’re letting me go into town,” she’d told him.
“Gina said it would be all right. You saw how it worked with Carla and her disguise. By the time Nettie’s done with you, nobody’s going to be able to recognize you.”
“Can she make me about fifteen pounds slimmer?” Maren joked.
“Why would you want her to do that?” Colin asked. “I mean, you’re…” He looked away. “You’re perfect as you are.”
If she’d been happy about getting out, that made everything one hundred times better.
“Hi, Jodie,” Maren greeted her. “Thank you so much for watching Juni today.”
“My pleasure,” Jodie said. “Like I said, she’s my excuse to go play with the puppies.”
