Derailed

Chapter Eight

After kicking Ben out around one a.m., I got three hours of fitful sleep in before waking up screaming in a cold sweat. The nightmares were worse and seemed endless.

The dreams usually followed such a set pattern, but that night they almost felt like a movie stuck on replay. Just as I was ready to hit the water, I'd be back where I started. Then to make matters worse, images of my dad entered the fray. I'd never had dreams featuring both of them before.

Leaving Boston might have been a way to avoid memories of Adam, but I couldn't stay in my childhood home without thinking about my dad. I idly wondered if I was being punished for actually enjoying myself. With relief, I pulled myself out of bed and got dressed.

Heading out for another run, I decided to take a different route. I wasn't about to take the chance of running into Mr. Mathews again considering his son had just left my bedroom a few hours before. I headed up a few blocks, running along the beach, but in the opposite direction. The downside was that I was running into the wind when it was earlier and cooler out. At least I hoped that, when I was exhausted on the way back, it would be easier.

I saw a figure a little way ahead of me and contemplated hanging back so I wouldn't come up on him. I changed my mind when he stopped. I would just have to pick up the pace and pass him. It was definitely a him—broad shoulders and extremely tall. I realized exactly who it was as I got close. He was still retying a shoe lace when I ran past. I hoped I would go unnoticed.

"Molly?" My first thought was whether I could pretend not to hear him, but the wind wasn't that loud. Reluctantly I slowed down and stopped, turning to face him as he jogged to catch up with me.

"Hi, Gavin."

"Hey. I never see anyone on my runs; nice to know I'm not the only one crazy enough to get up at the crack of dawn for exercise." Gavin seemed to be in his natural element, and I doubted he really considered himself crazy.

I kept the fact that I hadn't actually chosen to get up to myself. "I usually take another route."

"Oh, okay. Do mind if I join you?"

"Sure, why not?"

"Great." He started moving again, and I matched his pace. I assumed he was going slower for me, so I gradually sped up. He followed.

My body was exhausted from lack of sleep, but it felt nice to stretch my muscles. Trying to show up Gavin forced me to push myself a little harder than usual, which was probably a good thing. I didn't mind his company too much, although I was definitely aware of him looking over at me several times.

"This is me," he said about two miles further up the coast.

"Oh, well, nice seeing you." I stopped. It was as good a time as any to turn around and start back. I was supposed to be at work at six forty-five, so I had plenty of time, but I didn't know how far I could push myself.

He wiped sweat off his forehead and shook out some of the moisture from his shirt. "So have you thought about dinner?"

And I thought I'd escaped it. "Sure, but only as friends, it's not a date." I'm not sure why I said yes; maybe because I couldn't think of a rational reason not to. Besides, if I didn't get out with other people, I'd probably spend all my nights hooking up with Ben, and that wouldn't be smart.

He grinned. "Great. Thursday night at six-thirty?"

I got a little suspicious at how detailed he was. "You didn't already make reservations somewhere, did you?"

His smile grew even bigger. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"You're impossible."

"Have a great day. I'll see you soon!" He waved, sprinting toward the road.