Page 24 of The Run Option

Now I have the groom, but all of those plans are thrown out the window. My surprise announcement to Granny Mae and my parents will almost ensure they don’t approve. My proposal happened in aconference roomand I said yes over text. Our wedding will be small, so I guess that’s something. But there will definitely be no honeymoon of any kind, and as far as our living situation goes…I’d rather avoid that train of thought for as long as possible.

I glance at the time on my phone. My stomach flips. Looks like I’ll have to address things soon, since Jason should be showing up in ten minutes. My reflection makes me look much more put together than I feel. My makeup is simple and elegant. A wash of silver shimmer on my eyelids to complement the gray color of my irises, a berry lip color that’s perfect for fall, and my beautiful black dress that manages the perfect balance of sexy and classy. Or at least that’s what I think.

What will Jason think?I shake my head and turn away from the mirror. It doesn’t matter what he thinks. None of this is real. This isn’t a real date. It’s more like a business meeting. Somehow, that mindset only increases my nausea. I don’t know if I can do this.

A knock sounds at my door and my pulse skyrockets, racing away like a wild horse. I head to answer the door. I’d thought he might text me that he was here, but no, he has to show up early and come to my door. Jason was here just last night, but it feels different having him come by like this. I’m not half-asleep and injured like I was last night. My hope was that I’d sleep the events of the night off. Instead, they followed me into the day and disrupted my entire life.

I pull open the door. My mouth goes dry at the sight before me. Jason is standing outside my door in olive-green dress pants and a white button-down with the top two buttons undone. He’s in the process of rolling up his sleeves, exposing tan, muscular forearms. His head lifts and I watch his forest-green gaze darken as he takes me in.

“You look beautiful,” he rasps.

My face warms at his compliment. “Thank you. I was about to slip on my shoes and grab my bag.”

“Don’t rush on my account. I know I’m early.”

I hesitate. He seems to be content where he’s at, but… “Would you like to come in while I finish up?”

He raises his eyebrows in surprise. “I don’t mind waiting out here.”

I shrug. “Either way is okay with me.”

“Then I’ll come in.”

He walks through my front door and I watch as he looks the space over. My apartment was dark last night, and he didn’t stay long. I’m sure he didn’t notice much. Now he can see everything in the light.

I twist my engagement ring around my finger. It’s quickly become a habit in the few hours I’ve worn it.

“I like how you decorated everything,” he says, looking over at me.

I’m sure he’s wondering why I’m just standing here, but a part of me wanted to know what he thought. “You do?”

A faint smile tugs at the corners of his mouth. “Yeah, it’s cozy.”

I let out a breathy laugh. “That’s another word for small. I’m sure it’s different from whatever bachelor pad mansion you live in.”

I walk past the kitchen toward my room, listening as his footsteps sound behind me. I don’t particularly want him in my bedroom, but it would make things more awkward than they are for me to tell him to stay in the living room.

He chuckles. “What does a bachelor pad mansion look like?”

“Something with too many TVs and not enough blankets,” I say as I walk into my bedroom. His laughter follows me. I’m glad he can’t see the smile on my lips.

“I’ll be happy to prove you wrong. I may have been a bachelor, but I have plenty of blankets and only one TV, though it’s a fairly large one.”

My eyebrows raise at his admission. Interesting, and not at all what I expected. His use of past tense when talking about his single days isn’t lost on me either. It has my abdomen tightening.

“Either way, I’m sure it’s bigger than this place,” I say as I grab my black flats out of my closet.

“Sure, but when I said cozy, I didn’t mean small. You’ve made this place a home, and it shows.”

His words catch me off guard again. He seems to be doing that a lot lately.

“Thank you. I did my best to make it feel like a sanctuary.”

After sliding on my shoes, I look up. Jason watches me from the doorway, leaning against the frame. My heart flutters in a way I don’t appreciate. Just because he’s pretty doesn’t mean what happened in the past is erased. I might be marrying him,but I have no plans of falling in love or even having a crush on him.

“My bag is on the kitchen island,” I tell him.

He steps back so there’s room for me to pass by. When I do, his fresh-out-of-the-shower scent envelops me and I bite the inside of my cheek to distract myself. A man who looks good and smells good is a lethal combination.

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