Elise hummed a tune as she walked out of the interview room and entered a warm beige corridor. She was smiling as she sauntered into reception. She signed out and smiled at the receptionist and almost skipped through the glass doors out into the car park. It was a good job, not as prestigious as her previous one, and the salary was less, but this was Escafield not London and the pay was enough to give her a good life. She was buzzing as she crossed the car park and drove back to her flat. A quick change into her running clothes of half black leggings and a pink and black top and she headed out of the flat.
She started off with an easy jog downhill towards the park. The sun was shining, but there was still a chill in the air and she increased her pace to warm up more quickly. Joel kept coming into her mind, the set of his jaw, the delicious way his lips felt on hers. She missed him.
Jogging had always been a time for her to think, to let her mind find the truth of any situation. It was almost like a meditation in motion. As her feet flew across the ground her heart ached for Joel, for the passion they had shared. For the hundredth time she wondered if she had made the wrong decision, when she had run away. Giving up her good job because she felt used was childish, she should have stayed. The ground leveled off and she skirted the lake, before facing a long quarter mile hill to around the half way mark of her run. As she tackled the hill she dropped her head and shortened her stride, and remembered the betrayal she had felt. The track was gravel and her feet slipped, it seemed appropriate. She had slipped when she had agreed to sleep with him, his kind were only after one thing. She regained her footing taking her eyes off the trees and lake and putting them back in front of her. Her breath was labored now as she neared the peak of the hill, but she had conquered it, as she had conquered all the problems in her life. She now had a good job. The only one who had lost was Joel. He had lost his best designer and he had lost her, he was the loser here. She burst over the top of the hill, gasping for breath her legs screamed out their protest at the steepness of the slope, but she felt good, exhilarated and alive. She slowed to a walk and panting heavily wandered over to a bench to rest before the journey home.
“Hello stranger.”
Elise turned to see David, her high school friend. He looked good in black runner’s leggings and a green and black fitted top that hugged his muscles.
Leaping from the chair she launched into his arms, hugging him tight. “It’s so good to see you,” she said as he pulled her close.
“You too. You looked like you were racing the devil as you came up that hill.”
Elise laughed. “I think I was.”
The friends walked together, both turning towards Elise’s flat, chatting as if they had never been parted. She told him about the new job, but not why she had come back.
“Are you seeing anyone,” he asked a neutral smile on his face.
A momentary panic ceased Elise’s heart, what was it with men?
“Don’t panic. I was just going to ask you to dinner. Maybe we could catch up?”
“Sorry,” she said smiling to hide her embarrassment. “Pick me up at six?”
“Great, we can go to that Indian you used to love.” Before she had chance to say anymore he turned, winked and jogged away down the street.
Elise watched her old friend run away. He looked as good from the back as he did the front. She wondered why they had never dated. They had been good friends but somehow it had always seemed the wrong thing to do.
***
Elise opened the door to see David smiling back at her. He looked wonderful. His blonde hair caught the light and radiated sunshine and there was a twinkle in his light blue eyes.
“I hope you’re hungry, because I am starving,” he said. “Come on, let’s go.” He grabbed her hand and guided her from the flat.
Wearing a slate grey suit, he looked like a panther sleek and yet powerful. Elise looked at him in a different light, was this because she had lost her virginity, was she seeing every man as a potential mate now? Or had he just grown up while she had been away?
The meal was fantastic, even better than she remembered. The rich curry full of flavor and yet so creamy it set her taste buds on fire and then soothed them in the same mouthful. David was great company and they had spent most of the meal catching up. He had told her about all her friends and what everyone was doing.
“I have a proposal for you,” he said a glint in his eye.
Elise felt a stab of worry, was he going to ask her on a date?
“Someone did you a serious wrong. Don’t worry you will always be safe with me and the proposal was a race not a ring.”
Elise felt a wave of heat rise up her body and flush her face. “I’m sorry. I guess I’m a little skittish at the moment.”
“That’s okay. I thing the best thing for you... would be to do the Escafield half marathon in two weeks.” He winked and pulled a boyish face.
Elise found herself laughing at his funny faces. She reached out and grabbed his hand. “Thank you. You are a really true friend.”
“Can I take that as a yes?”
She laughed again and found herself saying yes before she had time to think. “I just hope I’m fit enough.”
“We can train a few times a week. How far did you run today?”
She thought about it. It had been over a year since she ran that route, but it must be over six miles. “Six and a half miles I think, but some mornings I ran eight in London.”
“Easy peasi,” he said. We will have you up to thirteen miles in no time. “Just remember Escafield has hills and London is flat, we need to do plenty of hill work for you.”
David drove her home, talking about training runs and hill work and how good it was to see her again. Elise arranged to meet him in two days to start her training and kissed his cheek to say goodnight. She smiled to herself as he blushed and rushed away. He was such a good friend and it was good to be back. As she closed her door her phone rang. “Hello.”
“Elise, you finally answered,” Joel’s rich voice crossed the miles.
Elise wanted to throw the phone across the room, but she controlled herself and switched on the kettle. “What do you want?”
“To talk. I don’t want to leave things like... this.”
She sighed. “Forgive me Joel, but what does that mean?”
“I would like to meet up with you and talk, can we do that?”
Elise heard something in his voice, he missed her. She clamped her jaw that was stupid, he was playing with her and just wanted to see if he could sleep with her again. “You do realize I’m not in London… I’m home?” Let’s see what he says now.
“I know. I could drive up and see you, maybe we could have dinner?”
Elise suddenly felt tired, so tired she could almost fall over and she did not want to deal with this now. “Joel, just leave me alone. I’m not a play thing and you hurt me badly. Goodnight.” She hung up and turned off her phone, sinking into a chair, she felt warm tears slip out of her eyes and down her cheeks.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter (posted early because of the Easter holidays) I will post the next one next Friday if you want to get the whole book now it is available on Amazon for just 0.99
Enjoy and have a great easter.
