Chapter 7
Autumn
I t’s five a.m. on a Tuesday morning and my dog walk is taking far longer than is usually does. When you start work at six, and you have a dog, this is a standard time to leave the house. It isn’t light yet, but it isn’t completely dark either. Luckily for me - having big dog privilege, means that I don’t worry about being a lone female walking in a park when most people are still in bed.
“Jed!” I call from across the park. “Come here, boy.” Tapping my thigh, I try to get my dog’s attention. He is very distracted today. Annoyingly, he always waits until I’m running late to take his sweet ass time doing anything. With absolutely no care in the world, he heads back to me, bumbling across the grass, making sure to pee on every bush, and blade of grass in a five-meter radius.
“No. Don’t leave your ball. Go back and get it. Ughhh. Jed. Hurry up.” I see a figure in the distance, jogging on the path on the outskirts of the park. Jeez. Who willingly wakes up to go for a run at five in the morning? Psychopath.
Sensing my frustration with him, Jed’s ears prick up and he bolts off towards the path, as a big ‘fuck you’ to me, and decides to go and join the jogger on his fitness journey.
“What the fuck Jed?” I say out loud, picking up speed as I aim to catch up with my dog, worrying that he may startle the jogger. Breaking out into a jog myself, I get closer to him and realise that the person jogging is a man, so I shout over. “Hey. I’m so sorry. My dog wants to join you on your run.”
“That’s no problem, Sugar.” The voice calls back. I see him shrug, but he makes no attempt to stop.
I startle, recognizing the voice straight away.
You’ve got to be kidding me.
“Sorry. What?” I ask, confused. I have never seen Sawyer before until meeting him a few days ago, then see him again this morning. What are the odds of that?
Jed makes no attempt to come back to me, so with time already against me, I set off after my dog across the park. I am not built to run. I hold on to my boobs to stop them from knocking me out as I attempt to catch up to my dog. After less than sixty seconds I give up. Sucking in deep breaths, I lean forward and place my palms on my knees.
“Fine, Jed. That’s just fine! You find yourself a new owner because I have to go to work!” Sawyer stops jogging and kneels in front of Jed, holding onto his collar.
“As much as I’d like a dog, I think he’d miss you.” He lets out a low, rumbling laugh. A small amount of irritation pricks in my throat. I walk to them, trying my hardest not to sound as out of breath as I am.
“Hi, again,” I respond quickly, trying to control my breaths. “Sorry about him. I promise he never does this. But why didn’t you stop? He wouldn’t have followed you if you’d have stopped.” I am unbelievably annoyed at having to apologise to this man but let’s face it. I am in the wrong, and if I said I wasn’t a bit excited at seeing him, then that would be a lie.
“Where is the fun in stopping? You wouldn’t have chased after me if I had stopped.”
Prick
“For the record, I was chasing my dog. Not you.”
“I’m wounded.” He replies, clutching a hand to his chest.
“What a shame that you’re not actually wounded.” I try hard to stifle a rising smile. I roll my eyes at him, and reach to take Jed’s collar, clipping his leash into place.
Sawyer kneeling with Jed means that he has to look up to see me, instead of looking down at me because of his height. He stares at my chest.
“Cute sweater.” He smiles, trying to break the tension.
I look down at my grey sweater with ‘Dog Mom’ emblazoned on the front, with a picture of a coffee cup and a dog leash embroidered into it. Brilliant.
I love this for me.
“Cute pants.” I retort. I couldn’t even see what he was wearing, but needed to reply with something, before the ground opened and swallowed me whole.
“Ha, you were checking me out!” He laughs.
“I definitely wasn’t.” I redden.
“You were. That’s why you noticed my pants.”
“Oh my god, you are infuriating.” I huff.
“I aim to please, Sugar.”
“Aim harder. It’s not working.”
“Oh, but it is. So-” He drags the word out “-I will take it that this was a successful first date?” One corner of Sawyer’s mouth twitches, but he tries his hardest to keep a straight face.
“A date? Do you need me to call an ambulance? Are you ill? I’ve talked to you for approximately three seconds. This would probably be classed at the worst date of my life!”
“Ahhh.. So, it was a date, then? No ambulance necessary, Autumn.”
“You are mad. You are an actual lunatic, Sawyer.” I can’t help the laugh that tries to bubble out of me, but I swallow it down. Turning my back on him and walking the opposite way.
Me: I just saw Sawyer in the park.
Alice: It is 05:45. Why are you messaging me? I heard you sneak out far too early.
Me: I JUST SAW SAWYER.
Alice: Fucking weirdo. You’re both fucking weirdos. You should be asleep.
Me: I’m not sure if you remember, but some people do actually work.
Alice: Not me. *snoring emoji * Why was he in the park? We’ve never seen this guy before, and now you’ve seen him twice in two days.
Me: He’s nuts.
Alice: You DEFINITELY want to bang him don’t you?
Me: No.
Me: Maybe.
Me: No.