Chapter 53
That night, I resign from my job with the Simington family.
Rhona Simington actually tears up when I tell her. “You’re so good with the kids,” she sniffles. “Max and I think you’re the best. Is there any way we can talk you into staying?”
“I just need some time,” I say. And I can’t commute two hours to go running with Jeremy Roth three mornings a week.
“If you need a job recommendation,” Rhona says, “just ask.”
It will definitely be helpful to have her recommendation to overwhelm the opinion of any potential employer who does a background check and notices the drug charge. I have a very small amount of savings, but it won’t last long. I need a job.
Within a week, I manage to rent out a tiny basement apartment. I score a job as a cashier at a coffeehouse, earning minimum wage or maybe a tiny bit more with tips. Although I quickly learn that most people don’t use the tip jar.
As soon as I am settled into my new apartment, I make a trip to the mall to buy a pair of leggings that are tight enough to make the sales clerk’s eyes pop out of his head when I try them on.
My goal is not to outright seduce Jeremy Roth, but I am not above using my looks to my advantage.
Back when I was using, my skin was always shallow and blotchy, my dark hair limp, and I was way too skinny.
But now that I’m clean, I look like a different person than I did back then—I am aware that I turn heads.
I hope I manage to turn his.
It’s about a week and a half after I bumped into Jeremy at the park when I show up at the running trail at 6:35 in the morning, wearing a tank top, leggings, and a pair of sneakers.
I make note of his Model X parked nearby, but this time I pull up right next to him.
I take a moment to stretch out my legs, and then I head inside the park.
There is no sign of Jeremy on the running trail, so I start running, thinking I can either catch up with him, or more likely, he will catch up with me. And then I start to run.
Or at least I try.
When I was living in the city, I used to see people running all the time on trails.
People with gray hair and wrinkles who did not look nearly as fit as I do.
But as it turns out, I am terrible at running.
I didn’t know such a thing was possible.
I mean, it’s like walking—but faster. How could anyone be bad at it?
And yet after barely a lap around the park, I am hunched over, gasping for air, my lungs on fire.
So much for this stupid plan.
“Hey, you okay?”
I attempt to straighten up, but a stitch in my side makes me double over with pain. I can’t even manage to feel happy about the fact that the person standing beside me is Jeremy Roth.
“I’m okay,” I gasp.
He rubs his chin. “You look…in pain.”
I gulp for air. “Yeah, uh…I think I might have overdone it a bit…”
“Really? But didn’t you just come into the park like ten minutes ago?”
That’s when I realize that Jeremy has noticed me more than I have given him credit for. He saw me enter the park. And even though he is respectfully keeping his eyes on my face, they do drop for a split second down to my boobs, although if I blinked, I would have missed it.
“Okay, I’ll be honest,” I say. No, I won’t. “I have always wanted to start running, but I’m actually a total beginner.”
“You don’t say.” He grins at me, and now it’s my turn to ogle him. He’s really good-looking, but even more so when he smiles. And he’s not bad in that T-shirt and shorts either. “Well, I could give you some tips.”
“Oh yeah?”
“When I started,” he says, “I used to alternate short stints of running and walking. Like, you walk for one minute, then run for one minute. And if you breathe through your belly, you can avoid side stitches.”
“Thank you,” I say, finally standing up straight. “That’s very helpful.”
For a moment, he looks like he’s going to bid me goodbye and continue on his run. I’m already making plans for how I’m going to manage to bump into him again at the end of the trail if I haven’t keeled over by then. But instead, he lingers next to me.
“Come on,” he says. “Let’s do the walk for one minute now, then I’ll tell you when it’s time to start running again.”
I raise my eyebrows. “I don’t want to ruin your session.”
“Nah, it’s okay. My knee is acting up anyway, so I don’t mind taking it a little easy today.”
We do end up doing some running, although more than that, we walk several laps around the park together. In my defense, we walk briskly.
And by the end of our session, we are making plans for our next run together.