Page 101 of Ten Day Affair
My ponytail is damp from the hard run and flippedover my head as I continue to bend deeply into my stretch. Beads of sweat drip into the sand, making little sand balls.
My phone buzzes in the zipper pouch on my running shorts. I tug it out and pause the music.Don’t Take the Moneyby Bleachers is still mid-chorus, echoing in my head as I swipe to check the screen.
There’s a missed call from Arden. Shit, right. I need to call her back.
I pull my right knee to my chest and hold the stretch.
A drink sounds good. So does not being alone, and not sitting here wondering what my neighbor is doing.
I hope Arden isn't in the middle of some PR mess and is free. I need her to clean me up right now.
I head up the steps and tap her name, lifting the phone to my ear.
"Sam."
“Hey. Sorry I didn’t call you back earlier. I needed a run.”
“As you know, I only run when being chased by a bear, which is never, so I don't understand the need for a run. But I know this is something you do, so I respect it.”
I smile and take a seat on the bottom step and stare out across the water. “Please tell me you're in town. I need a diversion.”
"Is that all I am to you?"
"No, of course not. So, are you here or not?"
“For you, always. What do you want to do? I'm at your service.”
“I need a drink. Away from here.”
“Swifty’s?”
“Swifty’s works.”
Immediately, I picture us there the other night. That table he hand-picked, perfectly situated to hear and see theband, but not too close to drown us out. And that heat, the way he looked at me like I was his.
It's probably a bad choice. But I need to claim it back, make Swifty's mine again.
“Can you give me thirty minutes? I’ll jump in the shower, but I can be quick.”
“Sure, I'm sitting on go. I'll meet you in thirty.”
I hang up and slide the door open. The blast of AC hits me hard, slicing through the sticky warmth still clinging to my skin. Goosebumps rise instantly, a full-body jolt after the heat.
The breeze liftsthe edges of the cocktail napkins, and Arden slaps her hand over hers before it flies off the table.
"I still can’t believe I missed the Dave Matthews cover band. I’ve been talking about that night all summer,” Arden says as she picks up her drink.
“You didn’t miss much,” I lie.
She lifts a brow. “You’re going to downplay it now? You told me it was amazing. You were practically cooing on the phone.”
It had nothing to do with the venue or the set list.
I look down at my glass. “It was a good night. That much is true. I just meant they didn't play all of our favorite late-nineties and early naughts hits.”
Arden settles back in her chair and takes a sip. “You two had a connection. I'm glad I got to have that time with you and him on your deck the night before. I'm proud of you for giving that to yourself. Everyone needs a hot and heavy, short affair.”
“It was always temporary. We both knew that.”
