Page 8 of Under Ground

He shrugs. “I’ve been getting the layout of the neighbourhood. Yesterday was the first time I ran that way.”

I nod slowly, unsure of what to say next. Anna nudges my elbow.

“I might see you in the morning?” he asks.

My heart leaps out of my chest and does laps around the office. “Sure.”

He smiles. “I guess I’d better let you get back to work.”

As he turns, my gaze automatically drops down. His tight jeans are enough to make any red-blooded straight woman sigh. But somehow, I hold that in.

Turning as he opens the door, he makes eye contact again and waves.

It takes everything in me to raise my hand and wave back without losing the plot.

He’s just … everything.

As soon as he’s gone, Anna spins on her heel and stares at me. “You need to tell me what happened yesterday. The man was practically drooling over you.”

I snort. “He was not.”

Anna leans against her desk, crossing her arms. “He so was. You lucky, lucky bitch.”

Laughing, I sit, rolling my chair closer to my desk and sliding my hand over my mouse to go back to work. “You’re imagining things.”

“So, what happened?”

I run my free hand through my hair. “I cut through a park to get to day care and he was out for a run yesterday. We ran into each other.”

She grins. “How exciting. He’s just …” She lets out a sigh that leaves me struggling not to roll my eyes.

But she’s right.

He is.

Anna smiles smugly at me before flouncing back to the reception desk and taking her seat.

It takes a lot of effort to hide my smile. Since Casey was born, and without a lot of support, I’ve hidden away from the world to a certain extent. I’ve had my routine of day care, work, day care, home during the week since she was four months old. And my weekends are spent making up for my lost time with my daughter during the week.

I’ve not missed dating because I never really dated in the first place. Dad was strict on that, and I leapt into a relationship with the first man to ever really pay me attention once I moved out.

It’s left me scars, but it also left me with Casey. She’s the reason for my living.

There are times when I miss my parents. We’re not on good terms, and being a pregnant, unwed mother was way too much for them to handle. If things were different, I know they’d be supportive and be there for me.

Things aren’t different, though. This is my life. And no matter how tough it gets being on my own, I wouldn’t swap my life for anything.

I’m sure Alex is just being nice—he’s probably still really curious about Casey’s reaction to him.

But the thought of him and that killer smile makes me warm inside.

It’s a shame nothing will come of us meeting.

The one thing that might happen if we see Alex again, is Casey getting upset all over again.

I need to talk to her again tonight.

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