Page 40 of A Christmas Mystery

In a few more minutes, my suspicions are confirmed. Theo has increased his speed so he’s running faster than Greg’s new one. He’s flushed and damp with perspiration now. He’s really booking it.

What the hell? What has gotten into him? I don’t know Greg well enough to guess whether this is typical for him, but he’s always seemed so laid-back. And Theo has never been like this. He’s never fought for the top rung on the obnoxious machismo ladder.

They’ve both lost their minds.

It continues for about twenty minutes, and neither one of them will back down. Finally my patience evaporates. I say in a mild, friendly tone, “Well, that’s it on the treadmill for me. Theo, are you going to keep at it, or do you want to come do something else with me?”

Theo slows down immediately. Huffs, “Give me a couple of minutes to cool down, and then I’ll be ready.”

I give him a narrow-eyed, significant look as I climb off the treadmill. “It was good to see you, Greg. Hopefully I’ll see you around.”

“I’ll call you,” he says breathlessly with a wave, adjusting his controls to slow down his speed now too. “You really look great, Maya. I’m glad you’re doing so well.”

I wave back at him as I walk away. I find a bench in a corner and sit on it as I wait for Theo to finish cooling down.

When he finally joins me, I shake my head at him.

“What?” He’s still breathless. Such a long sprint at those speeds can’t have been easy.

“You know what. Have you seen Vince around here anywhere?”

Theo has shaken off whatever came over him on the treadmill and is his normal self again. “Yeah, I saw him come in a few minutes ago. He’s over there.”

“Okay. We’ll try to talk to him. But no alpha-male showdown this time.”

“This is a gym,” Theo says, putting a hand on the small of my back as we start walking. “This place is rife with alpha-male showdowns.”

“No wonder I don’t like it here.”

***

WE ARE ABLE TO CATCHVince and have a four-minute conversation, but he apparently has a serious girlfriend and shows absolutely no interest in me, so I mentally cross him off the list.

So far, we’ve talked to more than half our list, and Greg is the only possibility for my pen pal.

The truth is I don’t care that much anymore. It would be nice to know who has been writing me for the past year. I really like him and feel like there might be potential.

But there’s more potential with someone else. Someone right beside me. Face-to-face. Not hiding behind a screen.

If I have to choose between Theo and an unknown correspondent, I’m going to choose Theo.

No question.

Even if I’m still kind of annoyed by his stunt on the treadmill.

We’ve both showered and changed into our street clothes before we leave the club and get back in his car. I haven’t exerted myself all that much, but Theo has. He’s still slightly flushed.

Unlike me, he’s got reddish hair and a skin tone that flushes easily. I think he’s kind of cute all red in the face like this.

Not that I would dream of telling him.

“Well, we can eliminate Vince but not Greg,” I say as he starts the car.

“I guess. I didn’t see much chance of it being Greg.”

“Why not? He fits all the characteristics, and he seemed to like talking to me. He even suggested we get together.”

“Maybe.”

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