Page 51 of Chasing Hope

It’s been over a week since the phone call that ripped my heart to shreds and made me hate waking up in the mornings. Since the phone call that irrevocably changed the relationship with my mother.

Making my way down the stairs, it feels odd to leave my bedroom and it seems I’m not the only one feeling discombobulated by it. Matteo does a double take from his desk before jumping out of his office chair.

“Dove!” he shouts in surprise.

He meets me at the bottom of the stairs, both of us coming to a halt as we take in one another, unsure of what to say or do.

Clearing my throat, I let out a mere, “Hi.”

“Hi,” he breathes with such relief it’s hard not to feel guilty for worrying him.

Matteo…my saving grace.

I don’t know what I would have done without him this past week. He was my anchor in the storm, and if it weren’t for him, I would have been swept away, forever lost at sea.

At the reminder of the torrent of emotions, I swallow thickly and declare, “I’m going for a run.”

Matteo blinks before nodding furiously. “Okay, let’s go.”

“You don’t have to come. You’ve done enough. I figured I’d just?—”

The look he sends my way has my jaw snapping firmly shut.

“I’m coming,” he says gruffly, his tone leaving no room for argument. As he raises his arms above his head, groaning through his stretch, it takes everything in me not to look down at the sliver of exposed skin along his abdomen.

At least I know my libido is still alive and well.

I keep my eyes firmly on his, and that’s when I see his lips twitch.Bastard knows I’m trying not to look.

“I’ve been at my desk for most of the morning. I need to get my body moving.” His gaze trails down my body as he lowers his arms. “The new running gear looks good. How does it feel?”

I rock back and forth on my heels, testing the new shoes. “They feel good, supportive. I suppose I won’t truly know until I run, though.” I smile, though it feels like a chore to keep it plastered across my cheeks. “Thank you for the gear. It means a lot.”

His hand twitches at his side, lifting then dropping, before he gives me a thin-lipped smile back. “No worries, I hope it runs well.” Moving to the front door, he grabs sneakers off the shoe rack before slipping into them.

“You’re not going to change?” I ask, trailing behind him. The black shorts he’s wearing look more like lounge shorts than activewear.

“I’ll take my shirt off as I get going.” He lifts hishead, a twinkle shining in his eyes. “That, and I’m worried you’ll change your mind if I take too long.”

I shrug. “Valid.”

“Have any particular trail in mind?” he asks, rising to his full height. I’m not short by any means, but my five-foot-eight frame beside his six-foot-five one makes me feel tiny.

“No, I plan to just…run.”

Matteo’s gaze sears through to my wilted soul as he steps forward and wraps an arm around my shoulder, steering me to the front door. “Come on, Dove, let’s see if you can fly.”

My legs grew numb at mile six.

I started ignoring the blisters on the back of my feet from my new shoes at mile seven.

Settled into a good breathing pattern at mile eight.

We’re coming up on mile ten now, and if Matteo is tired, he doesn’t say it, just keeps pace beside me. Him being here with me, laying his hand on the lower part of my back every time my eyes well with tears, means more to me than any words he could say.

Because no matter how far I run, I stop her voice from ringing through my mind. Unfortunately, music doesn’t drown her out either.

Sorry, Evie, but I don’t believe you.