The Running Series Complete Collection: 3-Book Set plus Bonus Novella (66 page)

“Juliette, is something wrong sweetheart?” Evan asks.  “You seem a little blue.”

“Oh, Evan.  So much happened today.  I don’t even know where to start,” I tell him.  He listens raptly, giving me his undivided attention as I fill him in on all of today’s events, starting with Auggie and Reese, and ending with Marcus and Ryker.  He assures me that I’m on the right track with Reese.  He likes what Marcus is doing about our new hire.  And he promises me that no matter what, he will be here to help and support me throughout it all. 

The only information I leave out is the fact that our potential employee is a regular beach-goer and someone I see on an almost daily basis.  I’m afraid that if I tell him, he will insist that I wait to talk to him until someone can join me, either him or Marcus, and I don’t want to wait.  I need to talk to the fisherman right away and Evan won’t understand.  I make a silent promise to myself to bring Maddy on my run tomorrow, no matter what.  She will be my canary in the coalmine, warning me of impending danger, if any exists.

Once I’ve gotten out everything I need to discuss, Evan has a small bit of business he’d like to discuss, too.  “Now, Juliette,” he begins, “I’m going to say something you’re not going to like, but please try to see it from my point of view before you react.”

“How do you know I’m not going to like it?” I ask.  He’s been unduly worried about some recent bad press, and I can’t help but wonder if there’s more.

“It’s about Derek,” he says.

That is the last thing I expected to hear him say.  I was prepared for some earth-shattering news about his practice schedule, online gossip, or even his recovery and rehabilitation, but Derek?  He’s right about one thing, though – I do get defensive where Derek’s concerned.  But what could he possibly wish to discuss?  “I’m listening,” I tell him.

“I want you to keep your distance from him.  I don’t like what I witnessed last night.  He was all over you, Juliette.  If you give him the slightest indication, I’m pretty sure he’d try to take advantage.”  Shit.  I didn’t realize Evan saw us yesterday.  I have to get him to see it from where I stand.

“Oh, Evan, you’re just being ridiculous.  That’s just Derek.  He’s a big flirt.  He’s like that with Emmy, too,” I remind him.  “Besides, when I’m behind the bar, it’s just an act we put on for the customers.  It keeps them entertained.  You know what it’s like to put on a persona for the public, right?”

“Not the same, Juliette.  That little exchange I witnessed last night wasn’t for anyone’s benefit but his.  There were no customers at the bar.  You and I both know it.  The question is, what are you going to do about it?” Evan demands.

“I’m not going to do anything about it, Evan.  I’m sorry if what you saw made you uncomfortable, but you finally got a small taste of what I experience each and every time we go out together.  How about the women who take pictures with you, kiss you, and try to get you to sign their tits?” I remind him.

“Again, it’s not the same thing.  I don’t have a history with any of those women.  I don’t even know their names.  You and Derek have a past.  There are unresolved feelings and emotions that are boiling just beneath the surface.  Don’t you see it?”

“Are you saying you don’t trust me?  Because that’s what it sounds like to me.”  I don’t like what I’m hearing.

“It’s nothing personal, Juliette, but I don’t trust any man when it comes to you.  I know how men think.  I would feel the same way if it were Adam or some stranger off the street.  Either you tell him to back off, or I’ll make sure he does,” Evan warns.

“I will do no such thing, Evan.”  I pull away from him and slide to the opposite end of the couch.  “You better get used to the fact that I have male friends.  We’ve been locked up in this house together for weeks, and you haven’t seen me in my element for some time now.  I like being behind the bar.  I like joking around with my friends.  That’s not going to change just because it makes you nervous and uncomfortable, Evan.”

“I’m not going to fight with you, Juliette, I’m just giving you fair warning.  I better not see that shit again.  I mean it.  Next time, it won’t be you, it will be Derek getting my take on the situation.  And I don’t think he’ll be happy with my thoughts on the subject.”

“Well, I’m warning you.  If you try to get between me and my friends, we’re going to have a problem, chief.  I love you with all my heart, but I won’t be ‘handled’ by anyone, you included.”  I get up and leave the room.  I need some time to myself. 

For weeks, everything has revolved around Evan and his recovery.  Now, suddenly, he’s not in the spotlight and he doesn’t like it.  For once, I’m getting attention from someone other than him, and he can’t handle it.  This is something we’re going to have to work out quickly, because I intend to spend a lot of time with my friends at Rush.

Sing For Your Supper

I
wake before Evan’s alarm goes off.  Most mornings we wake in a tangled mess, arms and legs endlessly entwined, but not today.  Evan soundly sleeps on his side of the bed and I lie awake on mine.  Our bed is large, but lying here like this makes it feel enormous, like an entire canyon separates us.

As his alarm sounds, he quickly reaches over to silence it.  I remain still, hoping to avoid him until later today.  He is still upset about Derek and my refusal to respond to his demands.  I don’t want to give him an opportunity to bring it up again, at least not right now.  I also don’t want to tell him about my plans for this morning.  I’ve never been a good liar, and I fear he’d read the deception clearly written across my face.

I hear the shower running, and I’m relieved.  I pretend to sleep as Evan moves quietly from the bathroom and into our walk-in-closet.  He turns on the light and shuts the door so as not to disturb me.  He emerges fully dressed, kisses me silently on the forehead, and then slips out of our room.  Within a few minutes, I hear the garage door open and Evan’s gone for the day. 

I feel terribly guilty for keeping my plans from him, but I know he would never let me approach a stranger on the beach alone.  This is something I feel very strongly about and I’m not sure why.  I just know that the familiar stranger on the beach will be there today and I know he’s the one Rush needs right now.  Women’s intuition is a real thing, and I intend to listen to mine. 

I spend the next two hours wandering around the house waiting for the sun to rise.  Time seems to be standing still.  It’s like watching and waiting for a pot of water to boil.  After what feels like an eternity, it’s finally time to hit the beach.  The sun’s up and the waves are crashing.  Time to meet my new employee.

Every morning, my new friend is in the same spot along the beach, about half a mile north of our home.  I take Maddy’s leash and together we begin our run, anxious to see what awaits us both.  The first song to queue on my playlist is “Safe and Sound” by Capital Cities. I’m going to take it as a sign that everything is happening exactly as it should.

It’s encouraging to see the large number of fishermen out today.  They seem to be here in droves this morning.  The fish must really be biting.  As I get closer to my mark, I get a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach.  Sure enough, the spot is empty.  Am I too late?  Too early?  I know I’m in the right spot.  The only thing to do is to continue my jog and hope he appears on my return route. 

As I run along my usual path, I contemplate the possible explanations for the missing fisherman.  If he is Ryker and he knows he has a job interview today, perhaps he’s home preparing.  Maybe he’s doing research on us.  I know that if I were a candidate for a job in a new restaurant or bar, I would learn as much as I could about its reputation and owners.  It strikes me as the responsible thing to do.

But then it hits me, what kind of impression will he receive of Evan and me if he does his research on the Internet?  Will he believe the stories about Evan being a pill-popping athlete hooked on steroids?  Will he believe I’m a materialistic gold-digger feeding him drugs and using him for his deep pockets?  But there’s an equal number of articles and images of Evan and me together that portray us in a positive light.  Most people have already formed an opinion of our relationship eight weeks ago when our whole world was turned upside down and broadcast to the world.  It’s a very unsettling feeling – to know that people have formed opinions of you despite the fact that you’ve never met.

Maddy and I make it to our usual turn-around location where we stop to take a break.  Today I’ve brought her a tennis ball to keep her entertained.  I toss the ball into the surf and she barrels through the breaking waves to retrieve it.  Her tiny nub of a tail is wagging madly, showing how much she enjoys our game of catch.

After a few tosses, we resume our jog.  I’ve decided that if Ryker’s not here today, it’s probably for the best.  Doing something I know would anger Evan is not something I relish.  His tolerance for jealousy is already being tested with Derek, and I don’t think giving him something else to worry about is a good idea, particularly given his recent mood swings.

Just as I’ve mentally written him off, Maddy and I approach his usual fishing spot and he’s actually there.  I shorten Maddy’s leash enough to keep her close to my side and I head directly for the man I believe to be Ryker Donovan.  He’s sitting on a cooler with his fishing rod beside him, firmly planted in the sand.  Because of the hoodie covering his head, I cannot see his face, but I’m familiar enough with this stranger to recognize him. 

I approach warily.  I’ve greeted him before and been snubbed each and every time.  Somehow, I have to get him to respond to me.  Rather than my usual, “Good morning,” or short and simple, “hi,” I decide to address him more directly.

“Excuse me, Ryker, do you have a minute,” I ask.

Nothing.  No response.  He doesn’t look at me or acknowledge me in any way.  Maybe I’m wrong.  Maybe this man isn’t Ryker at all.

“Hello?  Ryker Donovan?  Can I speak with you,” I try.

Again, no response.  I walk right up to him and Maddy takes the lead, ears back, sniffing his pant leg.  Her tail’s not moving, so I take that as a cautionary note. 

The fisherman isn’t put off by the intrusion into his privacy.  On the contrary, he slowly raises a hand to scratch Maddy between the ears.  He looks up at me and smiles.

“Good morning,” he offers.  “Friendly dog.”  He stands to speak with me, removes his hood, and I notice he’s wearing a pair of Bose headphones.  They’re probably the noise cancelling kind.  That would explain why he never responds to any of my greetings.  He never heard me.  He removes the headphones and leaves them dangling around his neck.

“Hi.  I hope you don’t mind, but I run here almost every day and I wanted to introduce myself,” I explain.  Now that I’m getting a good look at him, I notice that he does, indeed, have a tattoo sleeve on his right arm.  I can’t see much of it, the majority of his arm is covered by the sleeve of his sweatshirt.  He’s got wavy jet-black hair and dark facial hair, neatly cropped and trimmed, which frames his face quite nicely and accents his angular jaw.

“Oh, that’s not necessary, Juliette.  I know exactly who you are.”  He offers his hand and I’m relieved to see he has a firm, confident handshake.  “My name’s Ryker.” 

His familiarity with me has me speechless.  All I can manage is a meager, “Wait, what?”

“Yeah, sorry about that.  I see you jogging with Big Mac some mornings.  You two are pretty famous, you know.  I’ve been a fan of his since his Rose Bowl days playing for the UMD Terps.”  He releases my hand and goes back to patting Maddy.  She’s still not relaxed around him.  She places herself between the two of us, acting as my protector.

“Oh,” I respond.  He seems friendly enough, so I try to engage him in conversation.  “Glad to know you’re not a stalker.  Evan and I have had our fair share of that lately.”

He chuckles and adds, “How do you know I’m not a stalker?  Maybe I come fishing here every day just to see if you guys will show up.”  He has a friendly smile and I immediately feel at ease with him.

“I don’t think so.  I say ‘Good morning’ to you every day, and you completely ignore me,” I explain.  “If you were stalking me, I think you’d take advantage of the opportunity to get my attention.” 

He eyes me suspiciously.  “Sorry about that.  It’s these headphones.  I can’t hear a thing while I’m wearing them.”  He takes a swig from his bottle of water, and then continues, “I should probably be upfront with you.  I got a call yesterday about a job opening at your new place.  Cheri called me and told me you guys were looking for a head chef.  I was surprised you didn’t already have someone in line for that position.  Didn’t you open the other day?” he asks.

“We unofficially opened our doors on Monday.  We have a fully staffed kitchen, but we need someone to take control.  Are you the Ryker Donovan I’ve heard so much about from Hire a Hero Now?”

“Yeah, I guess that would be me,” he reluctantly admits.

“Well, you’ve got a great resume.  I’d love to have you join our team,” I tell him.

He turns away, facing the ocean, and replies, “I don’t think so.”  He lets the words hang in the air for a few moments before he continues.  “I turned down the interview.  I don’t think I’m right for the position.”  He sits back down on the cooler and adds, “I hope you find a more qualified candidate.  You guys have been through hell, and I know a little bit about that.”  There’s a sadness to his voice that melts my heart.