Page 67 of See You at the Finish Line

“Just double-checking.”

“What do you want?” I ask again.

“Can I come in?”

“No.”

“Why not?” Does he sound irritated?

“Because I said no.”

There’s an audible sigh.

“Okay I’ll go, but before I do ... I have a toy for Q.”

And on cue, Q barks happily, changing her mind about strangers and falling in love with him.

“She’s not here at the moment.”

“You have a very convincing dog bark.”

“Thank you, I’ve been practising. Can’t be too careful as a single woman living alone. You never know what crazy person might show up unannounced at your place of residence.”

“One of your neighbours just poked her head out the door and told me to be quiet. Can I please come in?”

“No, I’m naked.”

There’s silence on the other side and I look through the hole again. His distorted face is staring up at the ceiling, eyes closed, jaw clenched. I can’t help the smile that pulls across my face. The pre-race day jitters are turning into something else entirely, and I’m trying not to focus on the fact that Adam is here and I am naked.

How many times did I fantasize about something like this when I lived in Utah? After the ultra, every single day. I had to get a hold of myself and snap out of it because clearly, that never happened.

And since I’ve been here? I shake my head. Only my subconscious has allowed me to imagine this.

“Can you put something on so I can come inplease?”

He’s asking so nicely. And I am very curious as to why he is here. Can’t hurt to see what he wants.

The masochist in me just can’t say no. “Fine.” I unlock the door and remove the deadbolt. “Count to twenty and then let yourself in.”

I race to my bedroom with Q on my heels happily wagging her battering ram of a tail, not quite understanding my need to rush through the apartment but happy to be along for the ride. She nearly knocks over a side table in her excitement as we race past the couch. I barely manage to shut my bedroom door before the front door opens and Adam comes in.

That was definitely not twenty seconds.

Q looks confused and then turns to me, her eyes sad and betrayed.

“Don’t look at me like that,” I whisper, kneeling to pet her. She’s reluctant at first but she’s a big softy and eventually forgives me for not letting her maul Adam and collect her new toy the second he stepped into the apartment.

I’m still damp from my shower, so I can’t put on the clothes I was planning to spend the day in. I dig through my closet to find my robe, wishing I had a thin, sleek, silky one to look a little sexier in, but it doesn’t matter.

I pull on the thick, fluffy, white robe, tie it tightly around my waist making sure every body part from my neck to my knees is hidden, and make my way out to the living room where Adam stands peering around at the pictures I have displayed everywhere.

“Leah had a baby,” he says by way of greeting, still looking at the pictures.

“She did.” I remember I told him in the email I sent a while ago.

“He’s cute.”

“He is.”

---