Read Online Hearts Collide (Canyon Cove Book 4) by Liliana Rhodes - Free Book Online Page B

while she was down. My questions could wait. What was important was her.
    Once she calmed down, I led her to a nearby coffee shop. We sat down at one of the small wooden tables and she let her backpack fall onto the floor.
    “I can’t believe this,” she said as she rubbed her eyes. “He ran through a red light and a truck hit him. My car is totaled.”
    “I’m sorry,” I said.
    “And all he’s worried about is himself. He’s fine of course. Wouldn’t surprise me if he was drinking, even this early. He wasn’t on my insurance and even if they do pay something, it won’t be enough for me to get a new car.”
    I tried to control my anger as I listened to her talk about Dennis.
    “What kind of car would you get?” I asked. “If you could buy anything.”
    She laughed. “Yeah, we can play that game. Right now I’d be lucky if I can afford another piece of crap like the one I had.”
    “Don’t think about that,” I said. “Just get all that out of your mind and pretend. If money was no object, what kind of car would you buy?”
    Jackie sighed and let out a small laugh as she shook her head. The waitress brought over two cups of coffee for us and Jackie warmed her hands around the mug.
    “I know it sounds silly, but if I could have any car in the world it would be a Mini,” she said.
    I laughed. “A Mini? You could have any car in the world and you choose a Mini Cooper? Not a baby blue Maserati for example?”
    “No,” she said with a laugh. “That’s not practical at all. I want something I don’t have to worry about leaving in the grocery store parking lot.”
    “Alright, so practical. Two doors, four doors, what color?” I asked, mentally taking notes.
    “Hmm, I think four doors so that when I get a dog he can easily hop into the back.”
    She really is perfect, I thought.
    “I think I’d like it to be red with those cute white stripes,” she said, relaxing. “And a sun roof.”
    “Sounds nice,” I said.
    She took a sip of her coffee then looked at me shyly.
    “Thank you for being here,” she said. “I know I don’t deserve you hanging around and taking my mind off of things.”
    “Why do you say that?”
    “Because I haven’t been very nice to you at times,” she said.
    “Don’t worry about it,” I said as I took her hand. “I’ll just add it to the running list of things you owe me for.”
    “You’re terrible,” she said with a laugh.
    “Maybe, but you love it.”

Chapter Eleven

    Jackie

    The doorbell woke me from a deep sleep. I heard Dennis grumbling as he opened the door. A few moments later, I heard him again.
    “What the fuck,” he said.
    The door slammed and his feet stomped through the small apartment to my bedroom door. Hearing so much anger from him, I pulled the covers up to my chin for protection, despite wearing pajama pants and a tank top.
    “Who the fuck have you been fucking?” he yelled as he threw open my door. “I knew you looked better lately. Did you find yourself one of those billionaires like your friends have? Wait until he finds out you’re really a prude. Or maybe you just spread your legs for money.”
    I stared at him, taking all his jabs and insults. What made him talk to me like that? What was going on?
    My first thought was to keep my mouth shut and just take it. I went with my second thought.
    I jumped out of the bed and walked straight towards him.
    “Get the fuck out,” I yelled. “Who do you think you are for talking to me like that? I don’t have to put up with this. You shouldn’t even be here! You should’ve been gone last week.”
    He rolled his eyes like I was annoying him and turned his back to me. I didn’t know what came over me, but my hands went up and shoved him as hard as I could.
    Dennis stumbled out the bedroom door, tripping on the rug. When he caught his footing, he glared at me angrily then took a step towards me.
    Was he going to hit me?
    Without thinking, I took a step towards him and narrowed my