The Running Series Complete Collection: 3-Book Set plus Bonus Novella (4 page)

We arrive at one of my favorite beaches in nearby Bay Head and apparently we’re not the only ones with the ocean on our mind.  There are more than a few cars.  I’m sure a number of them belong to the local fishermen who enjoy fishing for stripers in the early morning twilight.  Maddy doesn’t usually like strangers, so I have to keep her on a short leash today.  That means no seagull chasing for her. 

This morning, I’m planning on a little bit of a longer run.  I usually run one mile north up the beach, then turn around and run one mile back.  Today, I’m going to try to go a little farther.  Running on the beach is harder than running on solid ground.  The hard, wet sand closest to the surf is the best to run on, so I try to hug the water’s edge.  Sometimes, the sand can shift unexpectedly, so it’s important to remain focused on the terrain.

Forty minutes into my run, and I’ve reached my turn-around point.  Before I resume my run, I stop to play catch with Maddy.  There’s a small piece of driftwood lying in the sand and it’s perfect throwing and retrieving size.  I take off her leash and she knows it’s playtime.  As soon as I bend down to pick it up, Maddy’s little nub of a tail starts wagging.  I toss the stick and she takes off like a bullet.  I take a moment to take in the beautiful crisp morning.  The sky is the perfect shade of blue with wispy clouds floating by.  The ocean is calm today, allowing me to relax and enjoy the beach, due in part to the soft breeze gently caressing my skin.  There are a few fishing boats in the horizon and beach fishermen dot the coastline.

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 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, and 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!