Chapter Seventeen
Sophie
Once registered, Sophie found a spot near the back of the pack of runners. Denver told her that the pop of the gun signaled the fastest runners to start.Let them go. You know your own pace.She glanced at her watch, both willing time to speed up so she could get going and yearning for it to slow down so she could ease her frayed nerves.
I can’t do this.
Sophie found herself retreating through the mass of runners as her flight instinct took over. She weaved her way backwards until she was no longer among the pack. With ten minutes until start, she hopped off the road and slipped down a tree-covered dirt trail she knew well.
Her pace quickened until she was jogging.
Hardly two hundred yards away, she came to a jarring halt. Ed stood across the path, staring right at her.
“You again?”
The resemblance of the cartoon Ed on the board game to the real one was uncanny.Denver did that. For Caroline.
“You’re not going to let me escape this, are you?”
Ed took a step forward, reminding Sophie that he was a wild animal first, and a lovable icon second.
“Okay, okay. I’m going back. But later, we’re going to have words.” Sophie backed up, maintaining eye contact until she left the cover of trees. The second her feet hit the pavement, the start gun popped off.
“Sophie!” Denver’s voice rang out above the bustling crowd, too faint to locate among all the cheers. “Sophie!”
“Mommy!”
She spotted them, there on the sidelines. Her best friend and her daughter, standing together. The runners in front of her moved in waves. She only had a minute left. Two at most. “Hey!” She waved at them, both relieved to see Denver and torn. He loved her, but he wanted her to marry him.
“I was wrong,” Denver hollered.
The runners around Sophie shuffled forward. She weaved her way against the current to the rope at the edge of the road. She wrapped Caroline in a quick but tight hug. “What are you doing here?”
“Had to bring your number one fan to wish you good luck,” Denver said. “Soph, I know you only have a few seconds, but I was wrong. You don’t have to give me an answer today. Or any day. It wasn’t fair of me to put that pressure on you.”
“I have to go,” she said, realizing if she didn’t get moving, she’d be the very last person to cross the start—and possibly the finish—line.
“Clear your head,” Denver called. “We’ll see you at the finish line.”
“Good luck, Mommy!”
Sophie tried to push all the jumbling thoughts out of her mind. Twenty-six miles was too far to run with all those cares weighing her down. She managed for the first few miles while she eased into a pace she felt she could keep up forever. Her feet felt light, her breathing even.
Mile 3:So far, so good.I’ll think about everything later. After this is over.
For the first several miles, Sophie didn’t think about anyone else at all. She enjoyed the quiet amidst the mountainous scenery, as the marathon route took them along the highway out of town. Alaska was her home. Some days she still had to pinch herself to believe it was all real.
Mile 7:I have to gohowfar yet? Ugh! Denver loves me. He bought me a ring. Run, Sophie. Empty your head.
Sophie popped an energy gel tab to restore her depleted glycogen and drank some water. Her attempts to zone out and simply run slipped out of her grasp.
He wants to marry me.
Catching herself increasing pace, she forced herself to slow it down. It was much too early in the race to burn through so much energy.
But he betrayed my trust. He interfered.
He only wanted to help, and he did. He found answers.
