Page 12 of See You at the Finish Line

That’s not to say the light shuffle isn’t running. Any pace, whether it’s slow or fast, is still running. Those who aren’t into this sport sometimes don’t recognize the slow shuffle of new runners and ultra racers as actual running. They would be wrong.

“So . . .” I start.

“So, what?” She turns the full force of her smile and brown eyes on me. My knees go weak. I can only assume my reaction to her is so visceral that my body tries to throw itself at her. And then I eat dirt.

“Oh my god! Are you okay?” She kneels at my side, and I try not to show how embarrassed I am. I’m literally tripping over myself for this woman.

“Yeah, I’m alright. Be careful, there are rocks along the path.” Luckily I braced myself mid-fall, landing on my side facing away from her. She can’t see how red my face probably is. If the heat coming from my cheeks is any indication.

She gives me a weak chuckle and helps me to my feet. My elbows are a little worse for wear but overall, no injuries. I need to be more careful.

“Do you have Band-Aids or anything with you?” she asks.

“There are a couple in the small pocket at the top of my pack.”

She goes around me and fishes out an antiseptic wipe and two Band-Aids, giving me more time to collect myself. I breathe in her scent as she cleans my war wounds and patches me up.

“Thanks, Doctor.”

She chuckles. “You’ve been a very good patient.”

“What’s my prognosis?” I ask gravely. She looks me square in the eyes and something passes between us.

With the sun beating down on our necks and a practically empty desert around us, I choose exactly this moment to fall for this woman. At least, that’s what the racing high is telling me to do.

“You’ll live,” she says with a deep sigh. “But only if you keep those big blue eyes open and on the path.”

I nod in agreement, noting the fact that she’s noticed my eyes and how that small fact makes me feel downright giddy. “You should probably keep your distance.” When she gives me a confused look, I clarify. “So I’m not distracted.”

We start running again and she shoves me a little with her hand.

“Ha! This is my fault?”

“Well, when a beautiful woman flirts with me, I tend to get distracted,” I say, laughing.

“I look at you and you call that flirting?”

“Um, yes,” I say like it’s the most obvious thing in the world.

“Okay, so to keep you alive I can’t look at you?”

“Correct.”

“Or talk to you?”

“Yup. And you can’t run in front of me either.”

She raises her eyebrows, and I point to her ass causing her face to redden as she snorts another laugh that turns into a cough.

When she can breathe properly again, she asks, “So I have to lose to keep you alive?”

“Isn’t my life worth finishing second for?”

She whips her head in my direction, and the gleam in her eyes makes my heart stutter.

“I always finish first.” Then she takes off.

I think I’m in love.

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