Running Back to You (The Running Series, #1) (4 page)

Out of the blue and slowly approaching is a man jogging along the surf. 
The closer he gets, the clearer his image becomes.  Despite the cool breeze,
he’s dressed simply in shorts and a t-shirt.  He’s worked up a sweat which
makes his clothes cling to his chest, showing the contours of his muscles.  He
has long, lean legs and broad shoulders.  When he’s almost beside me, I can see
his face and it’s a face I instantly recognize – it’s yesterday’s mystery man. 
I’m lost in thought, trying to calculate the chances of such an unexpected
event.  So lost in thought that I forgot about my rampaging dog.  She’s off her
leash – crap!  If she bites that beautiful face, I’ll die.  I start calling her
and I am completely horrified when Maddy does the unthinkable.  Frantically, I
shout, “Maddy, come!” but it’s no use.  She’s barreling straight towards this
hapless stranger.  I brace myself for the impact and when it happens, I am
speechless.  She jumps up on him and starts licking his face.

She hates strangers, particularly men.  When I adopted her, she was still
a puppy, but the rescue society told me she and her siblings had been rescued
from an abusive puppy store owner.  As a result, she has always been skittish
around men.  The only man she tolerates is Auggie and that’s because he feeds
her from his plate whenever I’m not looking.  Now, here she is, slobbering all
over my mystery man.

“Nice dog, is he yours?”  Wow.  Even his voice is sexy; strong, deep, and
alluring.  He literally drips sex.

“It’s a she, and her name’s Maddy.”  I’m shocked that I can string a
coherent sentence together while my heart is beating out of my chest.  God, I
hope he can’t tell. 

He gives Maddy a firm but friendly pat on the back and off he goes. 
“Enjoy your run,” he calls as he jogs away.  I take my own inventory and the
result is disturbing.  My hair is in a sloppy slightly off-centered ponytail
and I’m dressed in an old pair of sweatpants rolled at the waist.  My old
tattered JWU t-shirt has definitely seen better days. 

Who am I kidding, anyway?  He is way out of my league, regardless of what
I’m wearing.  He’s a ten on the Richter Scale: total destruction.  Me, I’m more
of a six: some movement felt.

I don’t have time to dwell.  I have to be at work by eleven.  I’m working
the bar on the patio today for the first time.  I eagerly change into my
uniform, a pair of khakis and white t-shirt, and head out for work.

Wilkinson’s has an eclectic clientele during the early spring.  There are
groups of college-age kids home for spring break, older couples enjoying an
afternoon stroll, and young families with preschoolers out for the afternoon. 
Being situated on the boardwalk beside arcades and boardwalk amusement rides
assures that the afternoons are busy, especially in nice weather.

Today, however, the bar is fairly quiet.  There are three of us out here
today.  Derek is on break so Emmy and I are handling the small crowd with
ease.  I quickly discover that I like working with Emmy.  She is around my age
and has warm blonde hair with just a few well-positioned fuchsia streaks
showing, a nose ring, and a few sexy tattoos on one arm: an assortment of flowers
and angel wings surrounding a skate wheel.  While it isn’t a look I would choose
for myself, somehow it suits her personality perfectly well.

In between drink orders, we find time to get to know each other a little
better.  By the time Derek returns from his break, I’ve gotten the complete
low-down on her love life and her social life.  It seems both are wrapped up in
the world of roller derby, which explains the tattoo.  Emmy’s a key player in
the Jersey Shore Roller Girls League.  She plays for one of their three teams
as well as their All Star Team.  Her current boyfriend is the brother of one of
her teammates.  They spend a lot of their time at the Wonder Bar in Asbury
Park. 

There’s a rush at the bar in the front room, so they pull Derek, leaving
Emmy and I alone for the remainder of my shift.  After the lunch crowd leaves,
the back patio is nearly empty.

“So, Jette, what do you do when you’re not here at work?  Is there
someone at home keeping the sheets warm?” 

“Actually, yeah, there is someone at home keeping my bed warm right now. 
Her name is Maddy.  We’ve been together for about three years now.”  I don’t
clarify that Maddy is my dog.  “Want to see a picture?”  This game is fun.

“Sure!” she replies and hops over to my end of the bar. 

I take out my cell phone and scroll through my pictures until I find one
I took the day I adopted Maddy.  She was the cutest puppy with her big brown
eyes white patches on her toes and chest.  “I’ll show you, but remember, she’s
off the market and definitely NOT available.”

“I’m cool, Jette, just show me already.”  She takes one look at the image
and she bursts out whooping and laughing.  She gives me a hard shove on the
shoulder and sends me stumbling back a few steps.  “Bitch!” she calls to me
through her grin.  “I took you for more of a crazy cat lady,” she rebuts.

At that moment, Emmy and I become friends.  We click.

I
wake early the next morning with Maddy greeting me at the foot of my
bed.  The sunlight is streaming into my room, I can hear the birds chirping
loudly outside, and Maddy’s tiny tail is thumping the floor.  My smart phone
wakes me with my current playlist, and today’s wake-up call features my
favorite group, Maroon 5.  There’s something about waking up to Adam Levine’s
voice that brings a smile to my face.

It’s a new day and I’m going to approach it with a fresh start. 
Yesterday is over, and it was a real eye-opener.  Without realizing it, I was
feeling sorry for myself.  The horrifying meeting with a handsome stranger made
me take a long, hard look at myself.  I will never again get caught with my
pants down, figuratively, of course.  There’s no way to know what or who the
universe will put in my path today, and I’ll be damned if I let the next
opportunity go to waste.

As Adam Levine serenades me, I bop and bounce around my room collecting
my things.  This time, I’m a little more choosey in my clothing.  No more torn
or ragged clothes and sloppy hair.  I select a lime green sports bra and a pair
of long spandex to go under my blue running shorts.  There’s nothing more
unattractive than a woman with a wedgie.  I take a minute or two to straighten
my hair before putting it in a high and tight pony.  A little waterproof
mascara, lip-gloss and then a white North Face zip jacket to complete today’s
new look.  I brush my teeth, and it’s go time.  Maddy eagerly jumps into the
back seat of my car and off we go.

Just like yesterday, there are cars parked at the beach.  I’m sure most
of them are just fishermen.  You can tell by the rod and reel racks that adorn
their trucks.  But there are also a few cars, so who knows what today will
bring?

New day, new adventures.  I throw caution to the wind, and rather than
head north down the beach, I head towards the south.  Maddy is running
alongside me and we joyfully take in our surroundings.  It’s another beautiful
day.  The sky is dazzling, the clouds are few, and the breeze is gentle.  The
waves are a little more active than yesterday, but all in all, it’s a good way
to start the day. 

After an invigorating twenty minute run, it’s time for a break.  I let
Maddy off her leash, but not before I look around very carefully for any errant
runners that might get mauled.  We’re in luck, no one is in sight!  The leash
comes off and Maddy takes off chasing at least a dozen seagulls picking at the
trash that washed up on the beach.  They give off loud bellowing sounds and
take flight.  Maddy chases them, but it’s like playing whack-a-mole.  She
chases one away, and another one returns.  It’s actually very entertaining to
watch.

I give her a few minutes to play her fruitless game, and when I call her
this time, she actually comes.  With her leash on, we resume our return trip
back to the starting point.  My iPod playlist moves onto a P!nk song with
another great beat and I’m in heaven.  My mind is clear and I’m making great
time.  Five more minutes, and we should be getting into the car for the ride
back home.

As I’m running along the surf, I gaze at the houses near the beach that
were damaged during the storm.  Most of them are in various stages of repair. 
A few are in the beginning stages and others are nearly complete.  I see contractors
and homeowners busily going about their business.  What I don’t see is the
change in the surf.  The sand unexpectedly shifts under my feet and before I can
do anything to stop it, my left foot gets caught on an uneven patch of moving
wet sand and down I go.  I can feel my foot twist and turn, and all my weight
crashes to the sand.  The pain is sharp and hot.  I quickly feel the ankle, and
it doesn’t appear to be too badly injured.  After a few moments, the fog clears
from my mind, and the pain is actually tolerable so I attempt to rotate my
foot.  Thank God, it still works.  No broken bones.  Maddy is right beside me
sniffing at me trying to ascertain my condition.  She can sense something’s
wrong, but she’s not sure what to do.

Throwing all caution to the wind, I try to stand up and put my full
weight on it.  The car is only a few blocks away and I can’t just sit here in
the sand all day.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.  You took a pretty bad fall there. 
Don’t move it could be sprained.”

The voice and silhouette belong to someone I immediately recognize.  I look
up and all I can think is, “You’ve got to be kidding me.”  It’s mister tall,
dark, and handsome – again!  This can’t be happening. 

Outside Forces

I
n a flash, he’s at my side.  This time, I’m not flustered, I’m not
speechless, I’m not enchanted, I’m annoyed, big time!  I don’t need to be
rescued and I refuse to become that girl who throws herself at a man in need of
his help, like I’m tied to the train tracks and only he can rescue me in time. 

“Wait, let me help you.”  His voice is strong, deep, and hypnotizing.

With as much poise as I can muster, I stand up straight and tall, tossing
my chocolate brown ponytail off my shoulder in an act of defiance and
achievement. “No, no, I’m fine!  Really.  See?  Perfectly fine.”

He looks amused by my showiness.  “You’re fine?  Nope.  Not buying it. 
Go ahead, try to walk.”  He stands with his hands on his hips and a smirk on
his face.  Those dimples make another appearance. 

Maddy quickens to my side.  I grab her leash and lift my left injured
foot, no problem.  I place it gingerly on the sand and am completely satisfied
with my progress.  Now, the real challenge, in order to lift my right foot, I
have to put my weight on the injured foot.  I take a deep breath and shift my
weight, but before I can even get my foot off the ground, the ankle gives and I
find myself face-planted in the sand again!  Ughh!

Immediately, he’s at my side shaking his head, chiding me like a child. 
“Now will you let me help?” he asks.