Page 23 of In the Long Run
Something slippery coils through me at the thought of Knox being my friend.I bat it away, shuffling into the kitchen.
Caleb’s already stocked the coffee maker and left a mug under the spout for me.Anyone who says you need a lot of friends has clearly never had a truly platonic soulmate.Though part of that is accepting they will tease you at every opportunity.Caleb has added a body to the printout of Knox’s Army ID on the fridge, and let’s just say the muscle-to-camouflage-loincloth ratio is chef’s kiss.
I stuff a few tissues and the spare key I keep looped on a hair tie into the waist pockets of my running tights while I wait for my coffee, tidying away the clean dishes and watering the plants along our windowsill.
When the coffee machine beeps, I take my drink out on to our front balcony.Morning colours streak across the sky and a misty haze hangs above the water.The scent of sage and rosemary from our balcony herbs mixes with the faint trace of lavender from Eugene’s courtyard.It’s quiet and picturesque and perfect.
Then I seehim.Holy moly, a person could find religion watching Knox stretch.
He’s folded his body in half, his fingertips touching the ground between his splayed feet as he leans to one side, stands and repeats the motion.Everything about him screams power and strength.My coffee sits untouched on the verandah rail as he jogs on the spot and adds in some arm circles.Every motion iscontrolled, precise.He moves with a surety and confidence that can’t be anything other than attractive.
Madeleine and Chouquette sniff the ground around him, and he stops to talk to them, scratch their heads.When he pushes a foot in front of his body and drops into a low lunge, I do my best to not stare at his ass.
And by my best, I mean I do absolutely nothing.
He tilts his hips and thrusts forward and I reach for my coffee but end up with a handful of freshly planted tarragon.
‘Get it together, Gen,’ I whisper to myself.I ignore the tiny voice in my mind that sounds an awful lot like my mother and whispers something about how maybe with the right person, things would just be right?But how can I trust myself to make a decision like that when I’m still living with the aftermath of my last two mistakes?
I stow my backpack with Meredith’s flyers under a leafy gum, glancing around the crowded park in front of me.
‘Are there always this many people?’Knox asks as we line up for the pre-run briefing.
‘Pretty much.’It’s a guess.I’ve only been to parkrun a few times.Social running’s still a new concept for me.I fiddle with my watch, getting ready to record the activity.
The Run Director gives a brief speech about the course – it’s an out and back, which isn’t my favourite; I’ll take a loop every single time – and the standard run through of safety information and rules.
I survey the group around me and spot the Annas, noticing that I’m not the only one watching them.
‘What’s your plan?’Knox asks.
I haven’t gotten any further than: ‘run’.Bernie’s still working on my marathon training program, and I always do my long run on Sundays so today’s five kilometres is going to be a cruise along.
‘I’m going to take it easy,’ I say.‘Don’t feel like you have to run with me or anything.’While most of my thoughts about Knox’s quads have revolved around how they’d make an excellent shelf to sit on, I’m also confident I won’t be able to keep up with him.Embarrassing myself in front of Knox isn’t on today’s agenda.
‘My buddy’s over there.’He points and there’s Brody standing next to the Annas.He’s not the only guy hanging around the willowy blonde bombshells either.When Knox catches Brody’s attention, he starts making his way over to us.
‘How are my favourite lovebirds?’Brody asks, slapping Knox on the back and lifting my hand to kiss it.
‘We’re fine.I mean, I’m fine.We’re not a “we”.’There goes the plan to not embarrass myself.My hand flops back to my side.‘Do you normally come to parkrun?’
Brody slings an arm around Knox’s shoulder and pulls him into a headlock, ruffling his hair.‘Couldn’t resist spending time with this bonehead.Gotta bank as much time as I can before he leaves again.’
‘And bum a free breakfast afterwards?’Knox pushes away from his friend.
Brody’s grin is instantaneous.‘If you insist, mate.’
‘Eugene’s not up to cooking,’ Knox warns.
‘As if I’m going to pass up a chance to watch him make you his bitch boy in the kitchen.You should join us, Gen.Word on the street is Forty rocks an apron.’
Their easy friendship is endearing, but I don’t want to intrude.‘I have some work to do, but thanks,’ I say, thinking of the pile of papers I brought home from Eugene and Knox’s last night.Not to mention the influx of invoices that need to be settled for my new bookstore clients.I want to get a head start on them before end of the month busyness begins.
The starting horn goes off and everyone jogs forward, arms rising in unison to activate sports watches, because does a run even count if there’s no record of it?Two hundred metres from the start, Knox is still next to me.Brody took off like a gunshot, throwing a confident ‘See you at the end’ at us.
‘Don’t let me hold you back,’ I say to Knox, waving him forward.‘I’m fine on my own.’
In fact, after the last few years, I’ve learnt it’s much safer that way.
