Who started eight whole minutes ahead of her.
It is almost unbelievable.
"Miguel, buddy!" A sweaty palm lands on my shoulder. "Are you about to retire? I haven’t seen you race since Chattanooga where you barely cracked the top ten." I turn to see Stan Nowak, who works for EPIC Athletics in their partnerships group. I've seen him around the sport for years but never wanted to sign with the guy. Something about him just rubs me the wrong way.
"Yeah, you win some and you finish far back in some." I laugh humorlessly as I widen my stance and cross my arms. I don’t have any interest in telling this guy I’m here because I’m coaching a new athlete to the field.
I know she wants a sponsorship.
But I won’t let her get one from this guy.
Ignoring Stan, I turn back to look over the fence. I'm expecting Laney around the final corner any minute now.
"You hanging around the woman's race for any particular reason?" Stan asks as his small beady eyes scan the competitors.
"Waiting to see my friend finish." Except the label tastes sour on my tongue. I can't very well call her my athlete, or my girlfriend, although maybe at this point, she is. We’re training together, sleeping together, and enjoying each other’s company, immensely.
Last night I almost admitted to feelings I didn’t even knew I had.
Plus I feel uneasy not having my eyes on her.
I tried to be in the spots where Laney would need the encouragement most. The distances loop around on themselves so I was able to see her a few times from the same location. I felt a pull to her, like I knew instinctively when to look and she’d appear. I hated that I wasn't at her side like I am while we're training.
Dee agreed to be at the few points in between so we could cover more ground instead of sticking together.
"It's not a bad view, check her out." Stan says with an elbow to my side. I blink to refocus from my daydream of Laney to see her coming around the turn. She is glistening with sweat and I can see the exhaustion in her gait. She's not picking up her feet like she does at the start of her run.
I step up to the fencing and clap loudly. "C'mon Laney, finish!" I yell and clap again. She doesn't look over but I can see the micro adjustment she makes to roll her shoulders down and lift her legs just an inch higher as she strides.
"Is that your friend?" Stan asks.
"Yeah, Laney Matteson."
"Can you introduce me?" He asks, almost licking his lips.
"For business or personal reasons?"
"With her I think it'll be a little bit of both." He says as he turns again and watches her steadily glide to the finish line. "I bet she's got endurance in bed, too."
In one quick motion I push him by the shoulder so he's facing me and fist the front of his shirt.
"What the hell man?" He tosses his arms in the air.
"Don't talk about her like that." I growl.
"Whoa, whoa, I get it, she's your friend. There's no need to be so possessive of afriend." He lowers his arms from their surrender position. "Unless…are you hitting that Mikey?"
"That's none of your business."
"Jesus, what is she like ten years younger than you?"
Thirteen. But I don't tell him that out loud.
"Leave her alone, if I catch a whiff of you anywhere near her, I'll end you."
"Shit man, fine. Chill out. Is she looking for sponsorship though? I noticed she didn't have a logo on her suit."
"She is but not from you." I tell him as I let go of his shirt, turn, and walk away.
