Page 30 of In the Long Run
Please, God, no.Now that I’ve had more time to think about it, I might’ve come across as too vanilla, because I could be adventurous with the right person.Notgroup sex adventurousbut other stuff … Although any chance he’d ever think about me like that has surely evaporated.
‘Should Alizée’s get a coffee cart?Then we could come to things like run clubs and try to generate extra business?’
‘Or’—I swap sides, both loving and hating the stretch it brings to my tired body—‘to save on investing in something new, theRun Club could meet in Alizée’s car park each week, and then afterwards members could just go in.A lot of people would buy a coffee and something to eat, like ham and cheese croissants, or something sweet.This could bring in extra cash/income and doesn’t involve any extra outlay.’
‘And Alizée’s could make a donation, some percentage of any profit from that day, to the charity of the week, too.’Knox’s eyes light up.‘It’s win-win.Do you think your sister would go for it?’
I look over to where Meredith and Bernie stand, holding flyers with a QR code on them and reminding everyone to sign up for the run club newsletter.
They want to build a community.
Knox wants to save Alizée’s.
This could be something.
And it would give me and Knox even more reason to keep spending time together.I push that thought away.
‘We could call the club Croissants and Kilometres.Make up loyalty cards and offer something free with every tenth purchase or whatever,’ I say, and a huge grin breaks across Knox’s face.It’s brighter than the sunrise and as flutters erupt in my stomach, I know it’s going to be just as addictive.
He jumps to his feet and pulls me up to mine.Big, strong arms encircle my body as he drags me in close, his chin resting against my forehead.
He should smell bad, right?He’s worked hard.But he doesn’t.A masculine, fresh scent clings to his skin, and his heart thumps steadily underneath my cheek.He sighs, relaxing into the hug, his hands grazing the small of my back.
‘This could be the change we need to really turn things around.Thank you, Gen,’ he says.
‘You’re welcome.’My words are muffled against his chest, but I don’t make a move to pull away.
A car door slams behind us and Knox’s hands slip from my back to my waist before his grip tightens.‘We have an audience,’ he mutters.
‘Was that …’ I ask, already knowing the answer.
‘Brand?Yeah.’
Awesome.
‘Smile!’Celeste says as she holds up her phone and slowly pans it around us.
‘What are you doing?’Knox asks, twisting his body to shield my face.
‘Doing you a favour.You can thank me later.’
12
KNOX
It’s been a long time since I’ve had so much riding on a meeting.I tap my phone, waking it up.Four minutes to go.
The front door of Get Fit, Get Strom bursts open and Gen rushes through it.‘Hi,’ she manages between choppy breaths.‘I lost track of time putting together a new business proposal for a prospective client and thought I was going to be late.Have you been waiting long?’
Waiting long?No.Wondering about what other books she’s been reading lately after her comment at run club last weekend?Trying to figure out how I can get her to tell me more about the things she might like or the kind of guys she’d normally go for?See if I could be one of them?Yes to all of those.But ‘no’ is what I say.
She brushes her hair off her face and pulls it up into a messy knot on the top of her head.A few strands escape immediately, and they dance around her face as she walks over to where I’m sitting.Heavy bass thumps through the wall behind us.Each time the music dips, Meredith’s voice leads a countdown.Whatever’s happening in there doesn’t sound fun.
‘They’ll be done soon.If you ever want to regret every decision you’ve ever made, you should go to their body pump class.’Gen folds herself into the seat next to mine.The big brown canvasbag she had on her shoulder slips down her arm and she places it between her feet.‘How’d you go with the bank?’she asks.
‘I spoke with the financial hardship team and they’re going to come up with a payment plan for Alizée’s.It’ll give us a chance to get back on our feet while we increase our profits.’
‘That’s great.’Gen pulls out a notepad and jots something down.
