He laughs. “If only that were my name.”
“There’s Conrad, and I really can’t come up with any others right now.”
“It’s not one of those,” he says.
I laugh. “Then that leaves the other twenty-five letters of the alphabet. How about Uriah?” I say, going for the least-used letter first.
“I thought my name was bad, but that one is worse.”
I try to keep a straight face and say, “Say that to all the Uriahs in the world.”
“I kind of like this game,” Burton says, grinning at me.
“Leonard. Atticus, Jeremiah. Bob.”
We both start laughing at that one. “The way you said that was hilarious. Random name, random name, Bob.”
That makes us laugh even more.
“I’m glad I can amuse you. Should we pick up the pace?”
He gives me a look that says he has bad news. “Would it be terrible if we just kept walking? My muscles are dead from the long week, and I’m liking our conversation.”
I grin at him. “Absolutely. I was kind of hoping for that too. My motivation is at a three right now.”
Burton puts his hands out to the sides and says, “At least we’re already up and walking. I’d say your motivation is at a six already.”
“Well, since we aren’t using the coupon for an actual run, feel free to redeem it a second time at a later date.”
With a grin, Burton says, “Sounds like a plan.”
I smile, trying to think through our conversation so far. It’s been easy and fun, full of laughter.
I can’t complain about this start to the day, even as my brain knows I’m treading in unknown territory.
CHAPTER 13
BURTON
Saturday comes way too early, and I’m not sure if I have the motivation to go to the service project. As Laney says, I’m probably at a two.
We’ve either gone on a walk or done an easy jog every day since Wednesday, and it’s the part of my day I look forward to the most. Yes, sometimes we add a few sprints onto the end, and I’ve realized that she let me win that first time we raced.
If I were getting up to walk or run with her right now, I’d be a solid eight or nine. Not a ten, because it’s still early, but I don’t have to work at the restaurant later, so that’s a plus.
But I know helping someoneelse out will be good for my inner self, so I push myself out of bed and get changed. I grab a protein drink on the way out, hoping they have some kind of lunch planned for this service thing. I might have to get some takeout after we get dropped off. Most people don’t need the calories I do in a day.
The drive to the meeting spot is only about fifteen minutes away, which I’m grateful for. There aren’t many cars on the route there right now, and traffic is light.
I park by several other cars and look up to see a school bus pull into the parking lot. I’m not sure what I expected, but a school bus makes it feel like I’m ten years younger and still battling acne.
There’s a woman with a clipboard, and she’s checking off a line of people. To be honest, I didn’t expect this many men and women on an early Saturday morning.
“Name?” she asks when I get to the front of the line.
“Burton.”
She goes down her list and says, “Courtney Burton. Welcome aboard.”
