“I am giving the amendment room.”
“The amendment does not require its own lane.”
Amy looked ahead.
“Is this because of the amendment?”
“No.”
“Truth?”
I had created the question and immediately regretted it.
“Yes.”
She adjusted the strap of her gym bag.
“I did not prohibit routine contact,” she said. “You have avoided even running in my lane.”
“Miguel’s plan does not require proximity.”
“It also does not require the neighboring lane.”
She stopped walking. The timer continued. I stopped too.
“Did I offend you?” she asked.
“No. The amendment is reasonable.”
“Then why are you acting as though I prohibited proximity?”
Because if I touched you at the waist, I would remember your hand in my shirt. Because I had spent two nights replaying the kiss. Becausenochangeinrelationshipstatushad bothered me when it should have made everything easier. I put my hands on my hips.
“Rose thinks we should be careful.”
“Rose already thought that.”
“She verified that Miguel has the whole file.”
“He does.”
“She thinks I need to stop using coaching language with you when I am only the assigned pacing partner.”
Amy absorbed the statement.
“That is reasonable.”
I answered too fast.
“Yeah.”
“You disagree.”
“No.”
“You do.”
“I think I can separate training knowledge from attraction.”
