Page 45 of The Backup Plan

Why do you even bother running when everyone’s judging you anyway?

Jared’s uninvited voice slips back in, sharp and familiar. The comments about my form. My clothes. The way parts on me jiggle when I run and how that isn’t exactly attractive.

I grit my teeth and shut the noise out, which is much easier said than done.

Fresh start, Em. Jared no longer holds any power over you. He can’t demean you to make himself feel better. He can’t—

He. Can’t.

The ring has been off my finger for some time. Now I just need the lasting effects of him to be gone too.

Lucas checks in. “You good?”

“Yeah,” I say and mean it.

“Well, we’re going about four miles. We can go left and get another two in or go right and add only one. Your call.”

“Go left,” I say, breathless but determined.

“A woman with stamina and grit,” he says. “I like that.”

I don’t know why his throwaway compliment means so much to me, but it does. It settles deep in my chest and wipes away some of the fatigue.

“Well, I may have both,” I say, “but I still hate running.”

“It’s the best way to start the day. Just you and the world before it wakes up and someone else ruins it. You can think. Can rehearse your side of a conversation you have to say to someone later. I can run the playbook through my head. It’s a fresh start.”

He’s not even puffing and this is his second run.

“Are you always this positive?”

He snorts. “Not when my aim is off, I’m not.”

“I’ll remember that.”

And somewhere between mile four and five, it hits me that this was not how I expected my morning to go.

Running beside a man I’m supposed to have a professional relationship with. Laughing. Breathing in sync. Feeling comfortable in a space where I’ve never really felt comfortable before.

And it begs the question, do I loathe running because of how Jared made me feel while doing it or do I actually dislike it? I haven’t run with a partner since our breakup, so I haven’t really tested the theory until now.

Until Lucas with his easygoing nature and non-judgmental encouragement.

The man has seen me in a way worse state than red-faced with a bit of jiggle in my leggings, so maybe that’s it.

Or maybe he’s just a good guy who makes me feel at ease.

“And we did it,” he says as we come to a stop in front of the apartment complex, and he holds up his hand for a high five.

Both of us are sweaty, flushed, and breathless as we walk the last twenty feet to stand in the shade of the complex.

Lucas bends over, his hands on his knees, breath coming heavy. “See? Not so bad.”

I wipe my forehead, glad I pushed myself, but I’m well aware my muscles are going to punish me later for it. “Don’t get cocky, Hale.”

He straightens up, eyes bright. “Too late.” His grin says it all.

And I know he’ll get a ton more during practice, but he ran again for me.