Page 75 of Worth the Want
“I’ll figure it out, Indie. Let me make us some food, and then we’ll go on your run.” I wink, and she nods, smiling.
I make us scrambled eggs, sausage, and toast. A simple but high protein breakfast, and after the dishes are done, I change into shorts and a T-shirt. Indie goes back to her place to change, and I’m already missing her and the peace that her constant chatter brings me. I look in the mirror and find a smile on my face. Just a few months ago, I would have been thrilled with a few hours of quiet and alone time. Now, I want all my alone time to include her.
I look through the window toward her house and see her jogging back this way. I smile seeing she’s wearing my hat again. I put two filled water bottles in one of mysmaller backpacks and slip it on before walking out to meet Indiana on the porch. As she gets closer, I try to make out the words on her oversized T-shirt. D.I.L.F.? I feel my eyebrows shoot up to my hairline.
Upon further inspection, I notice it’s covered in…frogs? Then I read the words underneath: Damn I Love Frogs. I laugh.
“I think this one is my favorite,” I tell her as she stops in front of me.
“Your favorite what?” she asks, smiling up at me from beneath the bill of my old ball cap.
“Shirt. All your shirts say something on them. Usually something funny, the other day it was a little obscene.”
“Obscene? I do not have a shirt that’sobscene,Mr. Holloway.” She presses her hand to her chest in mock shock before adding, “I think your age may be showing.” It’s her singsong tone that may be giving hers away at the moment.
“A few days ago, your sweatshirt had a crossword puzzle on it that, if you solved it, read Looking To Get Laid,” I tell her.
“While I’m flattered that you stared at my boobs that long, I wouldn’t call that obscene.” She smirks.
“No? And what would you call it?”
“The truth, and it looks like it reached its target audience,” she teases.
“Is that so?” I ask, pulling her to me.
Her smile is sweet and a little shy when she answers. “If last night is any indication, then I would say yes. Absolutely.” I kiss her once on the mouth, then both sides of her neck. Her laugh has me smiling into her skin. “Are you ready to go for our run?”
“You know, if this is just about exercise, I can think of another way to get a workout in,” I tell her, and she giggles.
“Running isn’t just about the motion for me. That’s a big part of it, but usually when I run, it's a way for me to clear my mind. Although today, I’m not sure I’ll be able to think about anything but more of last night.”
“Are you sure you want me to come with you?”
“Are you sure you can keep up, old man?”
I huff a laugh and give her cheek a kiss before stepping back to stretch. “Give me everything you’ve got, Indie. I want your legs shaking.”
“You asked for it,” she taunts, grinning at me before taking off down the driveway. I follow after like there’s an invisible tether pulling me toward her. I would chase Indiana across the state just to be near her, to be close to the golden light she radiates. “Just do your best, Knox. Don’t push yourself too hard. We don’t want an injury at your age,” she calls over her shoulder. I laugh, hoping she never stops giving me shit about my age.
When we started, three miles didn’t sound like a lot, but I would be lying if I said thatmylegs weren’t the ones feeling a little shaky.
“You did good, Knox,” Indie tells me from her spot in the middle of the wildflower field between our houses. She’s sitting down, reaching for one of her feet, stretching out her muscles.
“High praise,” I mutter, and she laughs.
“Maybe next time, we’ll bump it up to five miles?”
“Maybe,” I say.As long as there’s a next time.She leans back, lying in the tall grass.
“God, it’s beautiful out here. How do you do anything but just be here?”
“Mostly I would say it’s the three-year-old.” I grin.
She chuckles. “I bet Hazel loves being outside.”
“She does, but she’s also been very into being a ballerina lately,” I muse, dropping to the ground beside her.
“I’ve noticed that. All the twirling we did last week almost made me nauseous.”
