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“So do you.”
“I wish we were home.”
“Jake, we need to slow down, please. I’m getting scared.”
“I’m sorry,” he replied, holding her at arm’s length. “I don’t want to scare you, Geri. But I’m in love with you.”
“I hate to break this up, guys, but it’s time to go home. You guys missed report.”
Jumping back from each other, Geri yelped.
“You scared the shit out of me,” Jake snapped.
It was Leon, grinning like a joker.
“Did we miss anything?”
“No. I figured you two were in here. Let’s get out of here before the alarm goes off. I got a text from Ma that they’re having breakfast for everyone.”
Getting stuck with Jake’s family all day was the last thing Geri wanted. She didn’t say anything while she gathered up her bags. And then she got an idea.
Jake had walked out into the garage with Leon, waiting for her at the door.
“Does anyone want to do a trail run with me? Since your parents’ house is right at the trailhead. And it will rev up my metabolism for a day of constant eating that our families seem to do.”
“You’re right about that,” Jake said. “It sounds hard, but I’ll do it.”
“I’ll definitely go,” Leon said. He sent a group text to the family as they left the garage. “Bridget, Tony and Joey will go with us. Maybe this will start a new tradition. Last year I gained ten pounds over Thanksgiving weekend.”
“I wish I’d gain ten pounds,” Jake said, laughing.
“You are the only lanky dude in our family,” Leon said. “I’ll tell them we’ll meet them at nine thirty. Is that good for you, Geri?”
“Perfect.”
“Okay, see you over there.”
Jake walked Geri to her car. “Is everything okay? You seem a little anxious.”
She thought she’d made it clear to Jake that they needed to slow it down, and in the next breath, he’d told her he loved her. He seemed a little dense about it. How could she get through to Jake without sounding like a broken record?
“I think getting that run in will really help me. Are you sure you want to do it? I know running isn’t your favorite thing.”
“No, it’ll be good. I’ll meet you over there, then. It’ll give you a chance to see your apartment.”
“You too,” she said, relaxing. “You have to see how your new place did without you.”
“Oh, right! I almost forgot I had that place.”
She leaned forward and gave him a quick kiss, not wanting to be a bitch, but afraid to stir things up. Navigating the emotions with a boyfriend was wearing thin. “See you there! Nine thirty.”
This trip though, she didn’t follow him down the mountain into town, forgetting he was even behind her, enjoying the freedom from work in her sports car. At the intersection, she went north and he went south, beeping after he turned. The gesture helped her relax. They were dating, that’s all. One night of passion didn’t mean they were devoted for life. It would take a while to get to know each other. He might be saying I love you already, but she wasn’t there yet.
At her apartment, she unpacked and took a peek in the fridge to see what she needed to pick up at the grocery store. The mail from Tuesday and Wednesday clogged her mailbox. One of the letters was from school. She was invited to take a mini course over the winter break to prepare her for the advanced fire science curriculum. Immediately going to her computer, she logged on and accepted the invite. The opportunity would put her four credits ahead in January.
After that coup de grace, her goal for the day was to avoid sitting around a breakfast table (or dinner) if it was possible and move around in the fresh air as much as she could. The trail run would be a test to see how much stamina she’d lost over the past three days. The physical strain of the work they did fighting the brush fire took a few days from which to recover, but she was over it now and needed to keep training.
Changing into stylish fitness wear, she would usually go in a ratty T-shirt and loose pants. Not today. She’d try to step it up in the appearance department for Jake’s sake. Everyone was used to seeing her in a uniform. Taking a last look in the mirror, she paused. Maybe a little lipstick wouldn’t kill her.
