Page 1 of Passionate Hearts

Chapter 1

River pulled her dark hair back into a tight ponytail. She took out the box that housed her brand-new shoes. A guilty pleasure she’d indulged in after a particularly good week at work. Running was more than River’s hobby, it was where she both tested her limits and meditated. The shoes were black with just the faintest pink edging. She slipped them onto her feet and smiled down at them. The shoes fit perfectly.

The piercing noise of an alarm clock signaled her roommate waking up for the day. River had moved in with her friend Brianna just three months prior. They had met when River’s friend, Willow, and Brianna’s friend, Mel had started dating. It hadn’t taken them long to realize that they had plenty of things in common on their own. So, when their respective leases ended it only made sense to split a rent together.

River jogged into the kitchen and snagged the bagel Brianna held out of her hand.

“Hey,” Brianna groaned. She gave River a playful swat on the arm.

“Sorry. I couldn’t resist,” River gave a low chuckle. Brianna reached across and grabbed the bagel from River’s hand and took a large bite.

River laughed. She had many friends, but none were as similar to herself. There was a certain kind of comradery between the two of them that was rare.

“Where’s Tiff?” Brianna asked.

River and Tiff had been dating for almost nine months. River couldn’t tell if Brianna disliked Tiff or was merely neutral towards her. Brianna was always polite and that was all she asked for. When you had a gathering of lesbians in one space it was a given that two of them wouldn’t adore each other.

“She stayed at her place,” River said. She hoped her words came out as nonchalant as she intended for them to. In truth she’d been a little frustrated that Tiffany hadn’t wanted to come over. It had been a week since they’d spent the night together. She knew she couldn’t fault her girlfriend, Tiffany was busy with her projects at work.

River was grateful when Brianna zipped past the topic in favor of other things.

“Are you going for your run?” Brianna asked.

“The same as every morning,” River grinned.

“I don’t know how you manage to get up and out there every morning at this godforsaken time of day,” Brianna laughed.

“The same way you go to the gym and pick up heavy weights every morning,” River retorted.

“That is probably fair,” Brianna admitted.

River pulled her step tracker up to her bicep. She leaned down to touch her toes then stretched up towards the ceiling. She could feel Brianna about to poke her and artfully deflected her finger.

“You’re getting better at that,” Brianna laughed.

“I know you better,” River teased. River made her way to the front door.

“Be safe out there,” Brianna said genuinely. Every morning River went for a run, and every morning instead of sayingbyeBrianna said,be safe out there. Usually, River answered back with an affirmation that she would be safe. Today, she slowed herself and glanced over her shoulder.

“What is it you want me to be safe from?” River asked pointedly. Brianna turned, obviously surprised by the break in their well-established routine. Brianna had a thoughtful expression on her face.

“I suppose I’ve always meant it in a general safety kind of way. Like don’t get hit by a car, watch out for weirdos, don’t get lured into nondescript white vans,” Brianna explained. River nodded her head thoughtfully.

“Well, thanks for always wishing me safety,” River answered.

“Of course, buddy. I love you. You know I always want you to be safe.” Brianna said the words as if they were just facts that River knew. Things to be taken for-granted. But in the time River had known Brianna she had grown rather fond of the woman’s sentimentality. There was something beautiful about the way they each felt comfortable expressing how much the friendship meant to them.

“I love you, too,” River called over her shoulder as she opened the door.

A morning run had been a part of River’s routine since college. Her days always went better if she was able to get a run in before work. The world may not see the life of independent insurance sales as high stakes, but it was a fast-paced race every day.

River cut down the sidewalk leading to the beach. There was something about racing the waves that pumped River up. It set her up for the rest of her day.

River ran two and a half miles down the beach before turning back towards the main road. WaterColor had seen an influx of traffic as people flocked here for vacations. Fortunately, River still knew a few places to get away from the rush. Unfortunately, the main road wasn’t one of them. River joggedin place as she waited for the crosswalk sign. As soon as the sign flashed the word walk she stepped into the street.

Her mother had always told her to look both ways. River had half a second to realize her mistake before making impact with the silver Buick. Long enough for a strange assortment of thoughts to cascade through her mind. She felt herself slide up the hood and onto the windshield then she felt her body thud against the pavement. There was a growing number of people crowding around her. River leaned onto her elbow and pushed up from the ground. She almost made it to her feet but the pain in her left leg and her arm forced her to stay grounded.

“We called an ambulance,” a woman’s voice announced.

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