By the time I reached the front door every muscle in my body screamed in protest, reminding me I’d overdone it…again. After pulling double duty most of the week, teaching classes I usually didn’t teach, then a night out trying to walk in those ridiculous torture devices Josie referred to as shoes, then a really long run, it was going to take more than a steaming hot shower to ease the pain today.
After I’d bathed, I changed into a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, grabbed my keys and phone, and headed back out the door. I mightn’t have to teach today, but the paperwork never ended. Thanks to Julie and Mackenzie’s illness this week, it’d piled up and now I was behind again. A couple of hours ensconced in my office was needed. Walking towards the tram station, I checked my phone, only to be surprised by the number of missed messages. No one ever messaged me.
Josie: U get home ok???
Josie: Mia??? Where R U???
Josie: Fuck me Mia! R U OK!!
Josie: I’ll call Mum!
I couldn’t help but giggle. If I’d have been ignoring her on purpose I’d find it hilarious. I love that she threatened to call Mum on me. Even after all these years, Josie didn’t realize that I was the responsible one. The one who followed the rules. The one who didn’t break curfew or go home with strangers. I wasn’t the daughter that caused Mum and Dad sleepless nights while they paced the house worrying.
As much as I enjoyed seeing Josie worried about me, I quickly sent her a text confirming I was home and alive. It didn’t take long before she came back with a typical Josie response.
Josie: Bout fucking time. I was going 2 have 2 come check on u.
Mia: Mum & Dad would love 2 c u.
Josie: Um not today.
Mia: ???
Josie: Sick.
Mia: Sick? Hung over? Or still drunk?
Josie: ???
Mia: Hahaha.
Josie: Shut up bitch!
Josie: What u up 2 anyway? Bring me burger?
Mia: Can later if u want. Heading 2 work.
Josie: WHY?
Mia: Paperwork.
Josie: Nerd.
Mia: Love you too. See u in a couple of hours.
Josie: Thanks.
Josie: & don’t forget my chocolate shake.
Mia: Never <3
The tram arrived and I was pleasantly surprised to see it was almost empty. Slipping into a seat, I put my ear buds in and settled in for the journey. Soon enough I’d need to concentrate, but for now, my mind could wander to the man with the hazel eyes that seemed to see straight through me. That thought alone scared the living shit out of me.
Chapter 7
Derek
A loud bang woke me with a start and I found myself sitting bolt upright. “Zoe?” I called out as I vaulted from the bed, tossing the comforter across the room and yanking the door open so hard it almost came off its hinges.
“Yeah?” she asked, unsure.
Stepping into the kitchen, I saw what she was doing. Zoe was attempting to bake. Swallowing down my laughter, I felt the relief swamp me. I hadn’t realized how damn scared I was for her until the moment I thought something happened again. Turns out she’d dropped the cookie tray on the floor, sending it and the raw cookie dough clattering down.
“Nothing. Nothing at all.”
“Shit, Derek, did I wake you?”
She looked nervous, scared even. It made my stomach turn. That was the absolute last thing in the world I ever wanted…Zoe to be afraid of me. “It’s fine, Princess. It was time for me to get up anyway.” I tried to reassure her, but the look on her face didn’t make me think she believed me at all. Not even for a second. “Whatcha doing?”
“Not sure really. I felt like cooking so I’m trying to make cookies.”
“What sort?”
“Chocolate chip. They were…” Her voice trailed away and her eyes dropped. She didn’t have to say it. We both knew. They were Spencer’s favourite. Anytime a batch was made he’d inhale half of them before anyone else even got a look in. A chef she wasn’t. The whole kitchen was covered in evidence of that. She’d used every spoon, every bowl, and every inch of bench space was covered by a fine film of flour. Not to mention the streak of smooshed dough across her cheekbone. She looked adorable. Sad, but adorable. I hated it. Jumping off the stool, in two strides I was around the bench and yanked her into my arms, crushing her against my chest.
“It’s okay to miss him, Zoe. I do too. We’ve just got to smile when we do and keep going. That’s what he’d want.”
“I know,” she huffed, pulling back.
“What’s wrong?”
Something was off. In all the months since Spencer’s death, Zoe had never once been the first to pull back out of my arms. God, some days I’d had to pry us apart just so I could go to work. Today she had. Today she’d pushed me away. Part of me was proud of her. Maybe she was getting better. But another part of me was nervous. What if she didn’t need me anymore? And now I sounded like a whining woman.
“Ummm…” She didn’t form words, but every inch of exposed skin turned pink as she blushed heavily.
I couldn’t hide my frustration. “What?” I snapped, harder than I’d intended.
Taking another step back, Zoe’s eyes went wide and it felt like a punch in the stomach. “Can…can you put some clothes on, Derek?” she whispered so meekly that I barely caught her words.
It took a moment for them to sink in, but the moment they did, I looked down and realized why she’d jumped back like she’d been bitten by a snake. My snake was trying to escape the confines of my boxer shorts. I’d been so worried when I’d woken up I hadn’t given even a second’s thought to what I was wearing. All I had on was a pair of black socks and Superman boxer shorts.
“Shit, Zoe. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean…” I was fucking humiliated. It was the last thing she needed. Without a word, I dropped my hands in front of me as I backed out of the room towards my bedroom.
Just as I was about to shut the door I heard the uncontrollable giggles break out and I couldn’t help but to feel overcome with relief. I hadn’t emotionally scarred her for life. She was already damaged enough, I didn’t want to make it any worse. Pushing the door shut, I walked back to my bed and flopped down on it, running my hands through my hair. What a fucked-up way to start the day. But hey, at least she was laughing.
After throwing on some clothes, a pair of baggy grey sweat pants and a t-shirt that had seen better days, I stuffed my hands in my pockets and shuffled nervously back out into the kitchen. I wasn’t trying to be stealthy, but I didn’t know what to say, either. Instead I just stood there like an idiot as Zoe bounced around the kitchen. It made my heart soar to see a smile on her face again. It had been a long time. Too long. I didn’t want to say or do anything stupid to take it away. When she spun around and spotted me, our eyes met and she nodded softly. To anyone who hadn’t been inducted into the Zoe religion, they wouldn’t have noticed. To me it was like fireworks. This nod meant that everything was all right. As it should be. That we were fine.
My mouth fell open, but before the words could escape, my stomach growled aggressively, earning me yet another giggle.
“Someone’s hungry.”
“Starving, actually.”
“Want pancakes?”
“Who wouldn’t?”
“Sit. Tell me about your shift last night. It must have been late when you got in, I didn’t even hear you…”
Zoe was babbling. She did that when she got nervous, and although I could still hear her voice forming words, it was still revealing that she hadn’t heard me come in. Usually she heard every little sound and jumped at each of them.
“Well, Derek?”
“Sorry. What did you say?”
“Typical male.”
“Hey now,” I defended meekly. There really wasn’t a defence I could mount. I hadn’t listened. “I’m sorry, Princess. Please, repeat your question,” I requested dramatically, dropping my gaze to the flour-covered bench
between us.
“I asked how your night was.”
For the next ten minutes I gave her a rundown of what the night was like, leaving out details she didn’t want or need to know. She didn’t need to know I’d rather watch paint dry than have to endure night after night of the same sleazy guys using tired, worn out pick-up lines on women who were either way too young or way too good for them. She didn’t need to know that last night I’d picked up a curvy brunette from the floor after one too many shots of tequila and half carried her out to a cab before sending her home, paying for it myself, in hopes nothing bad would happen to her while she was too drunk to notice. There was just some stuff that Zoe was better off being kept in the dark about. Things I’d never tell her. And it didn’t occur to me until I was stuffing a forkful of fluffy pancakes into my mouth that Mia had fallen into the need to know category. A thought that once I recognized it, surprised me.
After we finished eating and Zoe was wiping down the bench, she looked up at me with wide eyes, and I knew a request was coming. It was written all over her pretty little face. She wanted something. Either that, or she was up to no good. Since it was Zoe, it had to be the first.
“So, I was thinking…”
“Here we go. Yes, Zoe, what were you thinking?”
I watched as she swallowed deeply and ran her fingers through her messy hair. She was nervous. “Would you be able to drive me to the gym? There’s a couple of classes I want to do this afternoon.”
“On one condition.” I didn’t want to be a bastard. She was coming out of her shell and I, for one, was over the fucking moon. But I needed to keep pushing her. I needed her to keep trying. “You’re driving.”
Her eyes went wide and the colour drained from her face. “Okay.”
Hearing her agreement shocked me, but filled me with pride. She was trying. It didn’t matter if she could do it or not, she was trying. That was enough. “And we’re taking Spencer’s truck.”
Zoe shuddered.
I felt like an ass.
I heard her suck in a breath before it hissed back out between her clenched teeth. Her knuckles were white as she gripped the bench.
She didn’t say a word.
My stomach did a somersault, instantly regretting the pancakes.
With slow, deliberate steps I moved towards her, my eyes never breaking the connection. She looked like a freaking deer caught in the headlights. I hated it. I hated that I was the asshole responsible for putting that fear there. I should have just said yes. I should have been happy she wanted to leave the house. I shouldn’t have pushed. Now it was too late. Too fucking late.
“I’m sorry. I’ll take you. And I’ll drive my car.”
“No!” she snapped defiantly as she pushed off the counter and swept past me. “I’m driving. Can we leave in fifteen minutes? I don’t want to be late.”
“Sure.” I didn’t know what else to say. It wasn’t like I could say no.
I watched as Zoe disappeared down the hall and waited until I heard the click of a door closing before I slumped forward and clasped my stomach. It quite literally made my stomach hurt to see Zoe in that much pain. I promised myself there and then I’d never do it again. At least I’d try not to.
A few minutes later Zoe was standing before me, changed into her gym clothes with a bag slung across her shoulders. She was trying to look tough but I could see right through her act. That didn’t mean I was going to call her out on it though. If that’s how Zoe needed to do this, then that’s what we’d do.
She drove like an old lady. Slow. Calculated. Risk free. But I kept my mouth shut. She was doing great. The ten-minute trip took twenty, but I didn’t give a shit. How could I? The moment she’d pulled into a vacant parking spot out the front of the gym and killed the engine, a wide, honest smile broke out.
“I did it,” she sighed as her whole body sagged under the weight of relief.
“Fuck yeah, you did!” I swore proudly.
Without a word, Zoe launched herself into my lap and wrapped her arms around my neck tightly. Maybe a little too tightly. Struggling for my next breath, I untangled her arms and looked her straight in the eyes. They were full of relief. She’d done it. Another barrier had toppled over. It may have hurt her to do it, but she’d done it. This little firecracker was a tough nut. And one day, one day some lucky bastard was going to see that and deserve her. Until then, I’d look out for her like she was my own. I owed Spencer that much.
“Thank you,” she whispered against my neck, her warm breath tickling my hair.
“Anytime, Princess. Anytime.” I kissed her cheek and hugged her again. We hadn’t been this close―ever. As embarrassing as it is to admit, I’d watched her be like this with Spencer since school and a part of me had always been envious. Not of Zoe specifically, but more what they had. It was this bond that I didn’t understand back then, and probably still didn’t now. Even though I’d seen it over the years hold them tighter together than superglue, I’d also seen the pain and devastation it caused when the rope frayed. It’d frayed so many times we’d all assumed it was nothing more than a pile of tattered threads now, but Zoe and Spencer were something else. They had something strong. Stronger than any of us ever understood. And for a moment, while she was wrapped in my arms, I felt like I was the one she had that with now.
“What time do you want me to pick you up?”
“Can I text you?” she asked nervously as she climbed off me and back into her seat.
“Of course.”
I watched as she bounded out of the car and bounced right up to the door. Yanking the door open, I caught a glimpse of a pixie blonde wearing a confused, wounded expression.
Chapter 8
Mia
I had no right to be pissed off. Or hurt. Or jealous. I had no claim to Derek. Hell, I’d only met the man twice and spent less than half an hour in his presence. Knowing all of that and convincing myself to believe it was proving quite a challenge. I’d seen the truck pull in and was on alert instantly. I hated cars like that. They were big, bulky, and belonged on a farm. I’d sat there like an idiot unable to tear my eyes away. I watched as Zoe and Derek sat in the front wrapped up in each other. It was true, he didn’t kiss her like he would a girlfriend and he didn’t treat her like anything other than a best friend, but it still got under my skin and pissed me off.
Zoe stepped through the door and offered me a half smile as she punched in her code before vanishing through the doors. I couldn’t figure that one out. When she’d joined, it seemed almost reluctantly. This was the fourth time I’d seen her this week. I know I shouldn’t have paid her any more attention than I did the others, but there was something about Zoe that fascinated me. And it wasn’t just her flat mate, although he was pretty fascinating. Forcing my thoughts back on the job at hand, I scooped up the pile of papers from the reception counter and made a beeline for my shoebox of an office. This paperwork wasn’t going to do itself, unfortunately.
Two tired hours later, I’d had enough. My eyes were aching and my brain had left the building ages ago. The numbers on the screen were blurring together and making no sense. I’d look again tomorrow. Now, I’d sneak in and join the last fifteen minutes of the boxing class. Punching something always made me feel better.
Yanking off my sweater, I tossed it on my chair, grabbed a clean towel, and headed down the hallway, following the sound of Mackenzie’s voice as she barked out orders. Pausing at the door, I listened for a few beats as she spat commands. Mackenzie wasn’t the most perceptive person when it came to human emotions, but she knew her way around a gym and what to look out for. She was a damn good trainer and had impossibly high standards. Stepping inside the room, I noticed everyone was paired off, taking it in turns punching out combinations on the practice mitts. That is, everyone but Zoe. Instead she remained in the back corner practicing her punches with a heavy bag. I wasn’t surprised to see her as the one who was without a partner, but it made me incredibly sad. Nodding at Mackenzie, I
grabbed a set of mitts from the tub and headed towards Zoe.
“Want to be my partner?” I offered.
“I’m fine. Thanks anyway,” she replied meekly, not even turning around.
I couldn’t let it go. It was one of my biggest failings. I didn’t know when to just turn around and walk away I was stubborn like that. And Zoe was today’s project. “Zoe?”
She spun around with her arms ready to throw her next punch, forcing me to step back and out of reach. “I’m so sorry…”
“It’s fine. Really, Zoe, no worries. Want to be my sparring partner?”
She looked unsure. Scared even. Indecision covered her face, and although it didn’t fade, she nodded before raising her hands defensively. I felt like a shit. I didn’t want to scare her. Hell, this whole place was designed to make women feel safe. I planned it that way. Every dead bolt, every security measure, every image on the walls, all of it. They were my choices. Ones I’d made for my own reasons. Reasons others didn’t need to know or understand. But it was definitely to reduce tears and stress. Now I was the asshole responsible for putting fear on patrons’ faces. It was a shitty feeling.
After a quick nod, I assumed the stance and threw my first punch. She didn’t flinch. A few hits later and things were feeling good. I was bouncing on my toes; my shoulders were warm and my arms were feeling ready. When it was time to switch, I planted my feet and readied myself. Zoe’s first hit came and it was pathetic at best. She barely connected, and the little that did had no substance behind it. No intention. No power. No commitment.
Running Away (Finding Your Place Book 2) Page 5
