Page 22 of Ruck Me Harder
“I guess I better scoot,” he says to the women. “It was nice meeting you.”
“You too,” Vanessa echoes with a warm smile.
Vivienne scowls.
“Why don’t you walk your friend out?” Ceci says pointedly.
“He’s not my friend,” she says.
“But you know him.”
“He’s barely an acquaintance.” Vivienne shakes her head. “He’s just another in a long list of mistakes.”
ten
. . .
Viv
Halfway through my ten-mile run, the sun has just started peeking out through the clouds, sunbeams lighting the dark gray sky. It’s been raining the past few days, the ground slick beneath my feet. My breath comes in soft pants as I try to regulate my breathing.
Kiana, running beside me, has barely broken a sweat. Me? I’m covered in sweat from head to toe. I don’t mind it when I’m on the rugby pitch or lifting weights in the gym, but other than that, it is not my favorite sensation.
“Are you going to talk about it?” Kiana asks.
“Talk about what?”
“Whatever has your brain so twisted.” She slows to a stop and turns to stare at me, her hands on her hips.
I stop also. “I’m not twisted.”
“You’ve been off for a few days,” she points out. “Your game hasn’t been on point, either.”
I’ve been playing particularly badly in practice. It’s like I’ve entirely forgotten how to rugby. I’m missing tackles, fumbling passes, and generally being a hindrance on the pitch.
“I’ve been… distracted,” I admit with a wince.
She looks at me, waiting. “Yeah. By what?”
When I don’t answer immediately, she pokes me in the shoulder.
“Come on, you used to tell me everything. Does it have anything to do with that super hot guy from the shelter?”
“No.” The word comes out hushed and harsh.
A slow smile spreads over Kiana’s face. “It does! That’s why you’ve been so weird!”
Grumbling, I stub the toe of my shoe into the ground. “I ran into him last night.”
Her eyebrows go up. “And?”
“And nothing. I was with some friends, so was he. His friend was totally obnoxious.”
“Are you seriously that freaked out he’s Cari’s brother?”
Not really. Do I love that he’s related to my teammate? No. Would it be enough to stop me from pursuing him? No.
Except that he’s…
