Dead Running Read online

  The first couple of miles went by in a blur as I played catch up. I forgot everything Damon had told me about finding a comfortable pace and waiting until my muscles were warm to increase my leg turnover. All I could think about was defending him from the psycho chick running by his side.

  Dodging through clumps of runners, who also seemed intent on keeping up with Damon and Elizabeth, I hardly noticed when we passed the three-mile mark. I gave it everything I had and heard somebody call out “Mile Four,” as I pulled parallel with Damon. I could see Jesse’s striated calves a hundred yards ahead of me. Did he really have a cluster of tattoos down there as well? Everything about the man confused me.

  “Hey,” I gasped to get Damon’s attention.

  Damon’s head jerked towards me. “Cassie? You okay?”

  I held up an okay symbol rather than waste the oxygen to reply.

  “Maybe you should slow down. I don’t think you’ve trained to sustain this pace.”

  “I’m good,” I muttered. How did he know what I’d trained? So he’d seen me run and it wasn’t a great performance, but I proved I could conquer mind over body. How many people can claim they’ve pushed so hard they’ve passed out? Those were bragging rights.

  Hot Redhead glowered at me, but there was nothing, short of tripping me, that she could do to displace me from Damon’s side. We flew on, my legs churning up the distance like champs. Well-maintained houses with chipped wood in their flowerbeds streamed past us. I’d never been so proud of myself. We passed mile marker five. I let out a breath of relief. One more mile. I could handle one more mile.

  But that mile started to handle me. My head spun as I forced my legs to keep rotating and hold even with Damon and Elizabeth. I have no clue how Elizabeth ran so effortlessly. She had half the stride length of Damon and she not only kept up, she also made cute comments and laughed at everything he said. If I didn’t dislike her so much I would have been impressed.

  Damon worried over me. He asked me how I was doing so many times that I almost told him to shut up again, but I was grateful to be by his side so I kept my mouth closed. I sensed he wasn’t giving this race his all but I didn’t care. I was staying with him and Elizabeth and that was all that mattered.

  I suddenly felt extremely uncomfortable in the nether regions. I ran harder and prayed the urge would go away. We had half a mile left and I pumped my arms and lifted my legs in full sprinter’s mode. Elizabeth glanced over at me and upped her pace. Damon and I kept time with her quick strides.

  The dizziness was stronger now and the urge to lose my bladder close to unbearable. I focused on one thing. Beating Elizabeth.

  I saw the finish line looming ahead. I dug deep. My poor legs groaned through the pain and responded to my brain’s commands to go faster. Raquel was right. I did have horse legs. I guess all that strength training must be good for something. I kept moving, but the lactic acid accumulated at sonic speed. My muscles burned like they would never be oxygenated again.

  Twenty yards to the finish line and suddenly I felt wetness running down my legs.

  Holy schnikies! I kept running, but the shock of urinating on myself stole my thunder. Damon sprinted ahead, Elizabeth right behind him. I crossed the finish line trailing both of them.

  I should’ve been proud of my time: forty-two minutes for a 10K. I never would’ve believed that was possible a month ago. But all I could think about was the fact that I had disgusting wetness pooling in my shoes. I had peed on myself. How gross was that?

  I slowed to a walk, pondering my options. I could stick with Damon and Elizabeth and risk them smelling my misfortune. Or I could run and hide. Then I saw the perfect alternativean irrigation ditch.

  Damon circled around and came back to me. Elizabeth trailed him. He squeezed my shoulder. “You did great, Cassie. Man, you are tough. I didn’t think you were ready for that kind of speed.”

  I shifted uncomfortably, watching him inhale and imagining that he could smell my stink and would soon run away. “Thanks,” I said. “Um, excuse me for a minute, I’m really hot.”

  Damon and Elizabeth’s faces registered confusion. Sure, we’d worked up a sweat, but it was still an early summer morning in Northern Utah. The temperature couldn’t have been above sixty-five.

  I walked away from them, bent down to untie and slip off my shoes and socks, and plunged into the irrigation ditch. The cold water rinsed me off. I’ve never felt so relieved.

  A tanned hand extended from the grassy bank. “Cassidy?” Jesse questioned.

  I grasped his hand and let him pull me out of the water. “Thanks!” I beamed, loving the way his deep-brown hair curled around his temples.

  “Are you okay?” he asked.

  “I am now.” I winked, loving each chance I had to be near this man. “Great race.”

  “Thanks.” He grinned at me. “You did well.”

  I looked up to see Damon and Elizabeth at the edge of the ditch, staring at me like I was insane. “Cassie?” Damon said. “You okay?”

  I smiled at Jesse, clung to his hand, and waddled up the bank. Damon’s focus on our clasped fingers forced me to release my grip on Jesse. Dangit.

  I punched Elizabeth in the shoulder. “Good race.”

  “Ouch.” She shifted away from me. “What was that for?”

  “It’s what friends do when they kick it hard together. You’re an amazing runner. Great job.”

  She looked at me like I was insane. Good heavens, I’d given the woman a compliment. “Would you prefer I slapped your butt?” I asked.

  Jesse’s cheek twitched as he hid a grin.

  Elizabeth glanced at Damon. “Did you see what she did?”

  Damon shook his head. “I’m staying out of this one.”

  “She punched me.” Elizabeth rubbed her shoulder. “Thinks she’s going to slap my butt,” she muttered in disgust.

  I stuffed my socks into my shoes. Water dripped down my legs. My feet were accumulating dust. I didn’t care. The semi-clean water had cleaned me off enough so I didn’t stink. I could deal with the rest later.

  “Hey, Cassie,” Damon said, acting like Jesse didn’t exist. “Walk with me. We’d better get some food in you before you dive into any more dirty water.”

  I had a hard time prying my eyes from Jesse. “I’ll see you later,” I murmured, almost wishing he’d demand I go with him instead of Damon.

  Jesse nodded once and stalked off into the crowd. I debated going after him, but I still had some pride. Damon obviously wanted me around. Jesse was still an unknown. “Lead the way. Do you want me to smack you too?”

  Damon’s eyes flickered after Jesse before he turned to me with a smile. “Maybe later.” He winked at Elizabeth. “Great race, Elizabeth. See you around.”

  We walked away from Hot Redhead. I glanced back to see if she pouted. Her scowl looked more like intense concentration. She’d probably never lost a man to a lesser specimen than herself and was planning how to remedy the problem. I didn’t let it bother me. Actually nothing could bother me right now. I’d rocked in that racewell, minus the peeing down my legand I’d gotten the guy. I searched the crowd for Jesse, wondering if I’d succeeded in obtaining the wrong guy.

  * * *

  “I don’t want a girl’s night out. I want to be with Damon.”

  “Obviously Damon doesn’t want to be with you,” Tasha said.

  I shoved her. “That is totally untrue. He referred to ‘us’ several times today. Like we’re a serious couple.”

  Tasha rolled her eyes. “You need a break from Damon.”

  Raquel appeared by my side, offering her plastic card to the man behind the counter of Cache Valley Fun Park. “Why does she need a break from Damon? They’ve only gone out a few times.”

  “Thank you,” I said. I flung a hand towards the cash register. “And thank you. You don’t need to pay for this . . . thing we’re doing.”

  Raquel smiled. “It’s Jared’s card.”

  “Oh, in that case, you’d b
etter pay.”

  “Cassidy?” A deep voice questioned behind me.

  I whirled around and had difficulty breathing. “Jesse.” He wore a long-sleeved white T-shirt, a nice contrast to his dark coloring, and jeans that fit him perfectly. Why did this man always look so appetizing to me? “What are you up to tonight?” I tried to act nonchalant, it came across as demanding.

  He placed his arm around the shoulder of a tween girl. “This is my niece, Alisha. Tonight’s our monthly date.”

  “Hi.” The cute brunette greeted me, then turned to smile worshipfully at her uncle.

  “It’s nice to meet you, Alisha,” I said.

  A throat cleared, several times.

  “Oh.” I gestured vaguely. “These are my friends, Tasha and Raquel.” I didn’t clarify very well, hoping he wouldn’t remember who was who and ask for Tasha’s phone number. Jesse shook each of their hands and exchanged pleasantries. I watched closely for signs that he lingered over Tasha’s fingers. Satisfied that he didn’t, I grinned at him. “We’re playing laser tag. Want to join us?”

  Jesse looked to his niece.

  Alisha wrinkled her nose. “Only boys play laser tag.”

  I flung a hand in the air. “That’s exactly what I tried to tell them.”

  Alisha stared at Tasha and Raquel then shook her head at me. “Sorry they tricked you into laser tag.”

  Jesse laughed and squeezed her shoulder. “Guess that means no. Hopefully we’ll see you later.” He gave me one more slow smile before turning with his niece towards the skating rink.

  We all watched them walk away. Tasha gave a low whistle. “You have been holding out on me. From dry spell of the century to two fine men after you.”

  I shook my head. “Jesse isn’t after me. He’s never even hinted he wants to take me out.” I glanced quickly at her. “But that doesn’t mean you have a green light.”

  Tasha smacked her lips. “Honey, I’ve never seen a man less interested in me than that wowzer of a specimen.”

  I studied her closer, not sure if I trusted her to not compete. “He’s a plastic surgeon.”

  Her perfectly arched brows lifted. “Hmm, maybe I’d better try harder.”

  My eyes narrowed. Negative info, negative info. “His entire upper body is covered with tattoos.”

  Tasha licked her lips. “I’m drooling here. You know I love a good tat.”

  “It’s not just one. You can’t even see his original skin color.”

  She clucked her tongue. “He’s got bad boy, rich honey written all over him. Loving the possibilities,” She rolled the L with a look that I knew had years of experience convincing men to fall for her.

  I clenched a fist, trying to think of something to dissuade her.

  Raquel stepped between us. “Enough slobbering over Jesse. It’s our turn to play.”

  The front desk kid escorted us towards a darkened waiting area and started fitting vests on us and dishing out instructions I didn’t pay attention to.

  “Why are we playing laser tag?” I asked. “Isn’t this something little boys do for birthday parties?”

  As if to prove my point a gang of boys burst through the dark curtain screaming and pointing.

  “I killed you like twenty times.”

  “Oh, yeah, then why do I have 6800 points and you only have 1900?”

  “The stupid corner things got me. I would’ve won.”

  “Ah-loser.”

  The boys put their finger and thumb on their forehead and all started to scream, “Loser, loser.”

  I tilted my head towards the invigorated young men and lifted my palm toward Tasha. “To prove my point.”

  “You’ve never played laser tag?” she asked.

  “You seem to keep forgetting I’m an adult.”

  “A boring adult.” Tasha shoved me into the darkened room with white lights that lit up my button down white shirt like a billboard. Shoot me, shoot me, my shirt shouted.

  “You’re going to love it,” Raquel yelled behind me, squeezing her trigger repeatedly.

  My vest buzzed. I looked down at my gun, it wasn’t working anymore. “Hey.”

  Raquel giggled and raced past me. “Gotcha.” She pointed at some target in the corner, pumped another round into the green neon circle, and activated an annoying siren. “Don’t let those things get you, remember?” Then she was gone.

  No, I didn’t remember. I hadn’t paid one bit of attention to the instructions. The red light on my gun registered again. I looked around and called, “El? Tash?”

  My jacket buzzed and my gun went dead. I gave myself whiplash trying to find one of my backstabbing friends. I whirled around and realized the target had zapped me.

  “A thousand negative points,” Tasha called out as she sailed past me, shot the target, and went into hiding behind one of the dozens of fluorescent-lit poles.

  “Dangit.” I ran to hide behind a pole and waited for my gun to regain power. It flashed red and I decided enough was enough. I went berserk. Sprinting between safety posts, my finger pumped so quickly I could hardly see which targets I hit. I screamed and dove and giggled when they hit me. After a few minutes I realized Tasha was right. “This is fun,” I yelled.

  I saw Raquel dodging in front of me. Firing pell-mell, with no hint of aiming, I heard my gun say, “Good hit.”

  “Woo-hoo,” I yelled. “I got you. I got you!”

  I flew off to find Tasha, shooting some things on the wall for extra points.

  Tasha ran towards me. I shot her, cackling when my gun confirmed the hit. She didn’t run away.

  “Raquel’s down,” she screamed.

  “I know. I shot her a second ago.”

  “No.” Tasha grabbed my arm and pulled me with her.

  “Hey,” I protested. “You can’t pull me into some ambush. Be a good loser. I am kicking some serious bum here.”

  Tasha stared at me, her eyes wide. “Cassie. Raquel's in trouble. She’s on the ground. She’s hurt.”

  It finally sunk in. “No.” I stopped resisting and ran alongside my friend, ripping off my vest and dropping my gun. “Where is she?”

  “Over here.”

  We rounded a corner and saw Raquel’s dark shape. She knelt behind a post, both hands cradling her stomach. I dropped to the ground. “El? What’s going on? What happened?”

  She looked up at me. “I don’t know. I pulled something. I’m cramping and . . .” She grimaced. “I feel like something’s coming out.”

  My insides gelled. “From down there?” I pointed below her rounded stomach.

  Raquel nodded.

  “Fluid or . . . ?”

  “Fluid,” she confirmed.

  I grabbed her arm. “We’ve got to get you to a doctor.”

  She groaned in pain but let me slip off her vest and lift her from the floor. I wrapped my arm around her waist and ushered her out of the darkened playing field. Jesse and his niece were hovering over a video game in their roller skates.

  “Jesse,” I cried out.

  He whipped around, studied Raquel clutching her abdomen then refocused on me. “The baby?”

  I nodded.

  Jesse flung his roller skates off. “Alisha, go get our shoes and meet me at the front door.” He hurried to my side. “What happened?”

  I elevated one shoulder. “She’s cramping and bleeding.”

  Jesse swept Raquel into his arms. Tasha and I rushed to keep up with him. We burst through the double doors. I looked down at Jesse’s stocking feet. He didn’t seem to care he was ruining a pair of socks.

  Jesse glanced at me. “Cassidy, reach into my back pocket and get my keys.”

  I flushed with embarrassment, unable to ignore the surge of excitement as I fished in Jesse’s pocket for the keys.

  “Having fun there?” Tasha asked.

  I glared at her, pulled the keys out, and clicked the unlock button. A tan Denali lit up a few cars away. I should’ve known he’d have a sweet ride.

  Jesse loaded Raquel
into the front seat. Tasha and I climbed into the back. I handed over his keys, feeling another thrill as our fingers brushed. Alisha ran to us, climbed in back, and tossed Jesse’s shoes over the console.

  “Thanks, Lish.” He slipped his shoes on without tying them, yanked the vehicle into gear, and floored it out of the parking lot. “Are you having pain?” he asked Raquel.

  She nodded, bending forward and clutching at her stomach. “Cramping.”

  “How far along are you?”

  “28 weeks.”

  Jesse dialed into his cell phone and demanded, “I need Celeste.” Seconds later, he said, “Celeste, this is Doctor . . .” He glanced at me, cleared his throat, and then gave a forced chuckle. “Yeah. You know who I am. Hey, I’m bringing someone in. She’s 28 weeks, hemorrhaging, and cramping. Back door? I owe you. I know, the list is long.” He hung up the phone. I wondered who Celeste was.

  Within minutes we barreled into the emergency room parking lot. Jesse jerked the SUV to a stop by a door that said, “Authorized Personnel Only.” He ran around to unload Raquel. “Will you park my car and meet us inside, Cassidy?”

  “Of course.” I’d do anything he asked. It only took a minute for Tasha, Alisha, and I to rush into the emergency room waiting area, but the glowering receptionist would not let us see Raquel.

  “B-but,” I stuttered. “I’m her sister.”

  The girl tossed her highlighted mane. “Please wait over there, ma’am.” She pointed towards a row of uncomfortable-looking chairs. Her maroon nails had dragon stickers on them. “I will let you know when I have some information.”

  After I called Jared, Tasha and I paced the open area praying for good news. Alisha sat down and thumbed through People Magazine, a bored girl stuck in a hospital waiting room with strangers.

  I gnawed at my thumbnail. All I could think about was the baby. Jared and Raquel wanted him so badly. Heck, I hated to have it be all about me, but I wanted the little one too. He had to be okay. He just had to.