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NICK ORDERED A COFFEE, adding cream and sugar while he sorted through the folders laid out in front of him. The handful he’d grabbed on the way out the door was completely random, a full stack still waiting in the office. Jenkins had yelled after him, wondering where he was going with the paperwork, and he’d yelled back that he was going out to lunch. Looking at him as the elevator closed, Jenkins’ face showed the instant regret in his decision to let Nick do what he wanted.
Penny slipped through the diner’s glass door, dressed much more conservatively than she had been for their previous date. He could see she carried herself differently. She shrunk into herself, navigating through the crowded restaurant, doing her best not to touch anyone or get in anyone’s way. She finall
