Holly thought she had the perfect relationship with Greg, but after nine years together, doubt begins to creep in. As she tries to sort out her feelings, a new friendship turns into a dangerous obsession that leaves Holly running for her life. In a small town where she hopes to hide, Holly finds a new family and the possibility of a fresh start. But her stalker is closing in, and Holly must decide whether to run once again or to trust those around her to help her fight for the life she's built. In this gripping tale of love, betrayal, and survival, Holly must confront her past and face the danger that threatens to destroy everything she holds dear.
Holly thought she had the perfect relationship with Greg, but after nine years together, doubt begins to creep in. As she tries to sort out her feelings, a new friendship turns into a dangerous obsession that leaves Holly running for her life. In a small town where she hopes to hide, Holly finds a new family and the possibility of a fresh start. But her stalker is closing in, and Holly must decide whether to run once again or to trust those around her to help her fight for the life she's built. In this gripping tale of love, betrayal, and survival, Holly must confront her past and face the danger that threatens to destroy everything she holds dear.
Chapter 1: HollyĀ
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Iād passed this little coffee shop a few times but today is my first time stopping in. Itās not a large place but itās apparent the owner put a lot of effort into making it cozy. In the back corner, thereās a nook with a couch and some plush chairs with bookshelves lining the wall adjacent. Toward the front of the building, thereās a big window that looks out to the busy street. You can sit and watch all the activity without hearing a single sound. By the windows are the tables where people are sitting and reading their papers or working on their computers. I choose a table right beside the window and take my first sip, solidifying in my mind that this is my favorite new place.
After a few moments of peace, I force myself to open my laptop and begin working my way through emails. Nothing of much importance but there are updates on some things that are keeping my current project on hold. Excited to finally have those, I dive back into the project, hoping to make good progress today.
Between the ambiance of the shop and being laser focused on my work, I completely lose track of time. I was supposed to meet Greg for lunch at noon, but itās now seven minutes past and Iām racing down the street in the rain trying to get there.
At the crosswalk waiting for the light to change, I shoot him a text.
Sorry Iām running late! Lost track of time. Be there in 5.
Itās ok, be careful, he said. Six minutes later, I walk in the restaurant's door and see him sitting, waiting for me.
Greg Black was a star on our college swim team, and I was working for the school paper when I met him. I interviewed him for an article about student athletes and we hit it off right away. Charismatic, adventurous, and one of those men who everyone he meets walks away thinking āwhat a nice guy.ā Greg is the type of guy who will watch Rom-Coms with me even though he abhors them and never complains. Almost every night, he cooks dinner and cleans without the slightest hesitation. His bright green eyes still take my breath away nine years later - heās every womanās dream. My only issueā¦ he hasnāt proposed. Iāve never doubted his commitment to this relationship. He dropped everything and moved across the country for me to take this job without hesitation. Despite not having a ring on my finger, I know I'm a lucky woman, so I try not to complain but I canāt deny the fact it bothers me. At 30 years old, I feel like Iām coming to a point in my life where I need to figure out if not getting married is a deal breaker for me.
āHey babe,ā he says as he stands to give me a hug. Wrapping me up and pulling me against his long, lean frame.
āHowās your day been?ā I ask, jumping straight into our normal conversation and forcing any negative thoughts I was having deep into the back of my mind.
āWeāre working on a new contract, but itās taking longer than expected. Everyone at the office is getting pretty frustrated and itās tense in there. So, Iām extra glad to be out with you.ā He wiggles his eyebrows at me, and we laugh. āHow about you?ā he asks.
āItās been good. Iām so sorry Iām late. I was at a coffee shop working and completely lost track of time,ā I say, still a little frazzled from the rush to get here.
āDonāt worry about it. I was just enjoying the peace and quiet. Is that all thatās bothering you? You seemed upset when you walked in,ā he asks.
Hereās an opportunity for me to talk about how Iāve been feeling. He is an amazing listener and so caring. Always so in tune to my thoughts and feelings but I can never bring myself to talk about it. If Iām honest with myself, I think Iām afraid to find out marriage is also a deal breaker for him, just not in the same way it might be for me. āIām fine. Just the crappy weather and then racing to get here had me frazzled,ā I say instead. āIām going to go home from here. What do you want to do for dinner?ā
āIāve already got it all taken care of,ā he says with that pretty boy grin he has that makes me crazy.
We finished lunch and said our goodbye outside of the restaurant. Weāre heading in opposite directions but out of the corner of my eye, I watch as he rounds the corner. He always looks back for me before heās out of sight. Itās probably an unconscious thing heās doing but itās just something else about Greg Black that gives me butterflies.
Greg and I are creatures of habit. We have an established routine, and our life is a well-oiled machine. Heās the early riser in the relationship, waking up around 5:00 AM and taking Jenny, our chocolate lab, with him for his morning run. When they get home, Iām usually getting upānever gracefullyāand starting my morning. We head to work with breakfast in hand, a quick kiss, and a āhave a good dayā as we go our separate ways.Ā
After work, I normally get home first because of the flexibility of my job. Jenny and I go for a quick afternoon walk, and by the time we get home, I can smell Gregās cooking before I see him. We eat dinner together and then relax on the couch until one (or both) of us falls asleep there. Some people may think this life is boring, but I disagree. The comfort of a routine and the security of the life weāve built is exactly what my heart craves. I was raised by a single mother who worked multiple jobs to make ends meet. She didnāt date often, but the relationships she had were pretty volatile and left me feeling uneasy. She loved me fiercely and always put my needs first, but I wouldnāt describe my home life as ideal. So Iām not looking for excitement, I want comfort and stability.Ā
Iāve started skipping out on breakfast at home to stop at the little coffee shop. The coffee is great, Iāve gotten to know some āregulars,ā and the owner, Simon, is a friendly face in the mornings. I set up shop and spend a few hours working there, enjoying the people watching at my favorite table. The same people every day, some always running late, some seeming to have limitless amounts of time to dawdle, some trying hard not to socialize, while others were almost overly social. Over time, I learn their names, their orders, where they work, and even a little about their lives. Amazed that even in a big city like Chicago, a coffee shop can be the heart of its own little community.
After the rush, Simon gets to work cleaning up and restocking things around the shop, always respectful of the fact Iām trying to work. Simon seems like another āwhat a nice guyā kind of guy and weāve definitely connected. In a lot of ways heās very similar to Greg, but he doesnāt have that āsparkā that totally sucks you in the minute he enters a room. Simon has dark brown hair and even darker eyes, deep set into his face, that give you the impression heās looking straight into your soul when youāre talking to him. Heās an excellent conversationalist and keeps things light, sometimes a little flirty. When heās not talking, I canāt help but feel like his mind is racing and I wonder what heās thinking about. Sometimes when itās slow, Iāll catch him staring at me. A few times heās even started saying something and then either changed the subject or walked away. A little odd, but otherwise my interactions with him are normal.
I realize Iām officially a āregularā when people other than Simon socialize with me on their way in and out of the shop. Itās been a great way to get to know some people. Mrs. Thomas, who orders a sugar free caramel macchiato with skim milk and an extra shot every day, sits with me and chats, too. Sheās in her fifties and has been a trophy wife her whole adult life. Her husband is a banking executive who works long hours, so sheās bored and looking for connections. She chats for about twenty minutes each morning and then heads off to one of her classes at the gym. At first glance, sheās not someone I would have ever imagined being a friend, but I was wrong. Despite her perfect hair, polished nails, and expensive outfits, thereās so much more to her than that. Sheās kind, outgoing, intelligent, and I really look forward to seeing her every day.
One day, as sheās leaving, she rests her hand on my shoulder and leans in to say, āI think Simon has developed a little crush on you.ā
āOh no, weāre just friends. I have a boyfriend,ā I say nervously.
āDoes he know that?ā she asks as she floats out the door.
Thinking through what Simon and I have talked about over the past few months, I realize Iām not sure if Iāve mentioned much about Greg. Never one to really talk about myself, I don't share much about my life with anyone. Weāve kept conversation casual, nothing too personal about life at all. I know heās a flirt and Iāve enjoyed the attention, but he hasnāt given off any indications of anything deeper. In fact, I couldnāt tell you anything about his life outside of the shop either. I chew on how to handle this for a little while, hoping Mrs. Thomas is wrong, but a twinge in my gut tells me sheās not.
This is an excellent book for a weekend read. It is suspenseful and heart-pounding despite it being predictable. A page-turner that will keep you glued to the page with an ending dreams are made of.
There were some discrepancies, such as a death in which the main character, Holly, supposedly takes nothing with her when moving onward, except this isn't true. A dog that had been a part of the previous history is brought forward. Another area perhaps overlooked by the author is that when leaving town to run, hide, seek complete anonymity, and start over again, shouldn't your dog's name be changed, too? [Think Protection Witness Program] Finally, another significant detraction was the abruptness of some of the pivots and endings. It simply wasn't congruent with real life.
Despite the abovementioned information, there are enough positives to maintain a solid three-star rating. This book reminded me of the Netflix series "You." It is not as dark, but the plot is similar in its level of intrigue. Also, I appreciated Holly moving to a small town and finding a hole in the wall to call home. It's not a city setting but definitely reminiscent of the "Cheers" series where "everybody knows your name." There's a sense of camaraderie and looking out for one another. "He Knows I'm Here" may not be a light-hearted comedy but a feel-good knowing that honest people live their lives with big hearts and big stories, taking those tragedies and turning them into positives by lifting the next person they meet who has met with tragedy too.
When one door or life ends, another door and life appear. When all seems lost, it's not. "Tale as old as time," yet it reads new no matter how often you encounter it. "He Knows I'm Here" is gripping, riveting, unsettling, and heart-warming. These pages contain relationships to cherish, and I hope we all find them in our lifetimes.