Page 34 of The Escape Plan

“Wh-what does it”—she pants heavily—“look like I’m doing? I’m running.”

“But what are you running away from?” I ask with a teasing grin, still charmed by those red cheeks and flashing eyes.

“What? No! I’m running for…” She heaves another big breath. “Fitness.”

“Aquarobics wasn’t cutting it anymore, huh?”

“Shut it, McCarthy!” She glares at me before she leans forward and puts her hands on her thighs, still puffing hard.

“You doing okay over there?” I ask, enjoying myself thoroughly.

“I’m dandy. Just one mile to go.”

“You going to make it?”

She looks at the truck longingly for a few beats, before she looks back down at her sneakered feet. “I’m sure I could, but…” She pauses, looks at the sidewalk stretching out ahead of her, and seems to consider something. Then, her jaw sets. “Maybe you could give me a ride.”

“Excuse me?” I blink, wondering if too much cardio can deprive someone’s brain of vital oxygen or if she really just asked the question I think she did.

In response, she looks at me like I’m very, very slow. “Give me a ride. Like… I would get in the truck. With you. And you would drive me home.”

“Oh!” I say with a sputtered laugh.Wait until Callan and Eoin get wind of this one.“Wow. Well, let’s just say that particular sentence has averydifferent meaning where I come from. We’d call that a ‘lift home.’ And of course I can give you one of those.”

As Keeley grins at me in thanks and comes around to the passenger door, I find I’m delighted by the unexpected turn this morning has taken.

“Thanks, Beckett,” she breathes as she sinks into the seat. “Hope I’m not interrupting any plans.”

I wave a hand. “Not at all. I was actually just driving around looking for tired runners to collect.”

She smirks at me. “My Gramps always taught me not to get in cars with strangers in case I get murdered or whatnot, so I guess it’s lucky for me that we’re friends now, huh?”

“More like lucky for you, I’m not in a murderous mood today.” I gesture towards the pavement, which is currently radiating. “It’s too hot for gratuitous violence. I can’t believe you were out running in this insane heat.”

She pulls at the hair tie holding back her ponytail so her long hair cascades down her shoulders for a moment, before quickly pushing the stray hair off her face and beginning to retie it. “Me neither. I don’t know what I was thinking. I guess I hoped a run might help me clear my head.”

“Did it?”

A smile. “No.”

I smile back as I put the truck in drive again and steer onto the road. “Fasten your seatbelt. I’m still getting used to driving on the wrong side of the road.”

Keeley gasps theatrically and grabs the door handle. “Is it too late to change my mind about this?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, in that case, you do realize that you’re going the wrong way?” She jerks a thumb over her shoulder. “Our building is that way.”

“I know.” I look over at her and waggle my eyebrows. “I need your help with something quick before I take you home.”

“That sounds ominous.”

I nod at the GPS pulled up on my phone sitting on the dash. “Just a little trip to Spring Foods.”

She grins. “Oh, you can close that. I’ll direct you.”

“A true local.”

“Born and bred.”

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