Page 11 of Get Me to the Starting Line
“The one standing in the corner. Dark curly hair, brooding, shirt and pants five sizes too small.”
She looks around and I see when she makes the connection. A smile blooms across her face and she waves.
“Paige,” I hiss. “Why are you waving?”
“That’s Julien,” she answers. To my horror, she’s beckoning him over.
“The goalie?”
I’ve heard her talk about Julien before, but I guess I was picturing a blond little puppy dog by the way she described him. Not this brooding mammoth who hates children.
The hairs on the back of my neck raise and I know he’s coming up behind me. His presence charges the air, and I have to suppress the urge to drive my elbow backwards as hard as I can, right into his gut. I think the only reason I don’t is because of the almost asleep toddler in my arms.
“Hey, Jules,” Paige greets him cheerfully. I scowl before the brute moves into my line of sight.
“Congratulations.” His voice is deep and a little husky. I notice a slight accent I must’ve missed earlier in my anger. Of course he has an accent.
“Thanks! Have you met Leah?”
What is she doing?
Julien turns to me, catching me glaring at my sister. It’s an effort to appear nonchalant even though my rage has been simmering at this man the entire evening.
“Briefly.”
“Oh good! Leah, I think Julien is the only one in the wedding party you haven’t met yet.”
I almost drop my son.
“What?”
Her brightness dims a little as she finally notices my apprehension. She looks between me and Julien, her brows pinching. Not wanting her to be upset at her own party, I quickly school my features.
“Sorry, I meant, what?! I didn’t realize you’d asked everyone already!” Am I overcompensating? I feel Julien’s eyes boring into me, but I don’t turn, keeping my focus on Paige. I can see she’s a little confused and doesn’t buy my fake cheeriness for a second.
It used to be so much easier to fool her, but then she turned sixteen. She’s given me a run for my money ever since.
She gestures to the building of a man beside us. “Yeah, I think Julien was the last one on our list. I asked Isabel, Shay, and Jake as soon as we got back. And Adam asked Mateo, Liam, and Simon yesterday.”
I nod, unable to speak. How the fuck am I supposed to be cordial to this guy? I’ll do it for Paige’s sake since I don’t want to cause unnecessary drama for her wedding, but fuck. This guy has a problem with me being a single mom. He’s been scrutinizing us all night. Every time Levi makes a sound—hell, even when I’m rocking him back to sleep—I can feel him judging me with those deep, guarded eyes and that face.
That’s a fuck me face if I’ve ever seen one.
Except you won’t catch me fucking that face. Nope, there is no way this man with a god-like physique could make up for the fact that he’s got an issue with single mothers. And a shitty personality.
He can go fuck himself.
Thesunrisesoverthe grey skyline, the buildings glowing with illuminating light as the rays stretch over Lions Gate Bridge. That first morning sun, whether hidden by clouds or shining brightly, calms my heart rate, even as my feet pound the pavement.
There’s something about sunrises that feed my soul and make me feel small in a way I don’t experience once the world’s awake. There’s hardly anyone on the paths this morning, just the way I like it. I don’t have to focus on the ground to avoid eye contact, run different routes, or move to the side so women aren’t intimidated by me.
Not that I mind—I want people to feel safe while they’re running. But it gets tiring, making myself smaller so people aren’t uncomfortable. I’m forced to run between two women as the path bends and my skin tightens as though my body is trying to shrink. Hopefully they didn’t think I did that on purpose.
I keep a slow, steady pace, barely breaking out of a seven-minute kilometre and enjoying the feel of the pavement under my feet. My thoughts are jumbled this morning. Not getting enough sleep does that to me. But I tossed and turned all night long—the disdain ofa watchful pair of green irises must have cursed me with a sleepless night.
Knowing I deserved it, I forced thoughts of Leah out of my head. There was no point. Sure, she’s so fucking beautiful she made my head ache, and I hadn’t been able to keep my focus from straying back to her all night. Especially when she had her son. She must be strong to carry her kid around. He looked heavy.
All I wanted to do was offer to help, but after my temper exposed the worst of me, there was no way in hell she would’ve let me. Not to mention I’m a complete stranger to her, so even if I hadn’t been an asshole, it would have been weird to offer.
