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“I’ll deal with Marion.” At this rate, my day couldn’t get any worse, so why not let Marion prove me wrong?
Even though the trail was calling my name, I sat down across from Parker. It was time we set some ground rules. She’d been here long enough, and with the recent developments, I had a feeling she wasn’t planning on leaving anytime soon. And with the way things went this morning… I’d be hanging around my place a lot more often.
“What are your next steps?” I asked.
“I—I don’t know. I called off the wedding. I haven’t had time to think about it.”
“Understood, but you need to think about it. I love having you here, but you can’t hide out forever. You need to figure out what you’re going to do. If you’re going to go home.”
“No!” Her words were like a whip, fast and final. “Being away this last week has made me realize how smothered I was. I don’t want to go back. I need time to figure out who I am without my mom breathing down my neck and telling me who I am.”
“Okay, that’s a start. But you’re twenty-three. If you’re going to stay here, you need to get a job.”
“I was actually thinking of traveling.”
“Do you have any money?”
She deflated right in front of my eyes, her shoulder slumping into herself. “No. After I called off the wedding, Mom canceled my credit card, and Garrett kicked me off his checking account.”
“Then it looks like you’re going to have to get a job and save some money before you travel.” Which meant I was about to have a roommate for God knew how long.
“I guess you’re right.” She shifted, pulling the blanket up around her. “You wouldn’t be hiring here, would you?”
I could promote Lewis and give her Lewis’ job. It would kill two birds with one stone. With everything Lewis has done for me the last few weeks, I couldn’t expect him to stay in the same position. “Let me think about it.” I patted her leg. “I’m going for a run.”
“It’s like nine thousand degrees outside.”
“It’s like eighty.”
“Yes, but it’s so humid. I’m not ready for this kind of weather yet.”
“It’s definitely not the norm. Why don’t you head down to the pool? Ask Lewis for a pass and you can borrow one of my bathing suits. Middle drawer.”
Parker squeaked and did that giddy clap of hers before throwing her arms around me. She was getting way too comfortable, but I didn’t mind. Out of everything that had happened over the last month, this was something I was not regretting. As for everything else…
“Have fun.”
I switched into my running shorts and tank and headed to my favorite trail. As soon as my foot hit the pavement, Laurent’s face filtered into my mind. Remembering that heart-shattering defeat on his face brought a tear to my eye.
I pushed myself harder, running toward an invisible goal, running as if my problems were behind me and if I could just go harder, faster, they’d all just disappear. Except the harder I tried, the more they seeped in, taking over my thoughts.
Tears streamed down my face, my legs burned, lungs hurt, but I kept going, kept pushing harder and faster. Sweat clung to me as the air became a wet blanket, draping over me and suffocating me. The ten-mile marker flew past me and I realized, I’d run farther than I had intended. I had no idea what time it was, had no idea how I was getting to my car, but I propelled myself forward, refusing to stop. When I stopped, everything I’d been running from would catch up to me, and I’d have no choice but to face it.
The fear of Laurent turning into my dad. The fear of me turning into my mom. The fear I’d miss out on everything good in my life because I was too fucking scared to say fuck it and dive head first.
Pain shot up my leg, and I came to a jolting stop. I bent down, pressing my fingers into the tightened flesh of my calf. My stomach twisted and heaved.
Oh god.
I swallowed down the nausea, but I couldn’t stop it. The coffee I had finished earlier came out. I grabbed my stomach. My hands shook uncontrollably as I realized I hadn’t eaten today. I reached for my water pack and took a sip, but it was empty.
I glanced down the path that ran along a street. I was ten miles from my car, and on a road that had little to no traffic.
With a deep breath, I went to stand. My legs locked up and not only couldn’t I walk, but I couldn’t bend my knees. I was as stiff as a board.
My heart slammed against my chest, and the shaking got worse. I tried rubbing my legs free, but my body was entirely locked up. I tipped over, landing with a thud.
The sound of my phone cut through the air, and with shaking hands, I reached for where my phone was secured to my arm.
