Chapter 38

The black car purred softly to a stop in front of Emily's apartment building. Oliver glanced at his watch, then out the window. Moments later, the door of the building swung shut and Emily emerged.

She wore a simple sundress that accentuated her fair and pale skin, her hair pulled back in a loose bun. Large tortoiseshell glasses perched on her nose. However, the two large bags slung over her shoulders – one a backpack, the other a hefty duffel – detracted from the effortless grace she usually carried.

Oliver stepped out, his gaze landing on the bags. "Good morning, Ms. Collins,"

Emily returned with her professional smile, "Hi, Sir. Good morning," she replied, hoisting the bags a little higher on her shoulder. The effort caused her to wobble slightly.

"Emily, did you pack all of this yourself?" he asked, gesturing to the bags with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes, I did. I wanted to make sure we had everything we might need for the trip.

Oliver was touched by her thoughtfulness. He could tell