Jude nods, eyes narrowing. “Do you really want to know how all this works? Because I can go for hours.”
“Well,” Cynthia takes a sip of her beer and gives him a wink. “It’s obvious you love doing this. You listen to me talk about work all the time. I think it’s a fair trade.”
“Okay…” Jude shakes his head, grinning. “You asked for it.”
Hailey meets with her agent, Tony three more times before they can iron out the particulars of what she’s doing with the non-profit. Lots of lawyers are involved. Long meetings. She’s not even sure if it’s worth it.
In the meantime, she also meets with a rep from Stretchers a couple of times. The company had contacted Tony to ask if she and a couple of other elite athletes would be interested in promoting a new line of fall and winter gear. Hailey gives full disclosure about her ties with her non-profit, which also gets turfed to another legal department.
During one of the meetings, Hailey proposes that it would be a great idea to have additional support with the campaign, not just well-known athletes, but genuine coaches and instructors as well. The creative team takes a shine to the idea and gets to business. Hailey enlists the aid of her seventy-three-year-old yoga instructor in Lakesville and her friend who owns the Pilates studio in Corden. It’s agreed that the shoot will be held in Freemon at the Stretchers Headquarters in mid-may, which is roughly around the tail-end of Dance Off this year.
All in all, she’s ridiculously busy leading up to the Dance Off, meeting with Jude only when they dance. The one and only exception is when Eric and Camille have a group of friends over for dinner, and they’re both invited. Cynthia was supposed to come, something Jude wasn’t too keen on because he has yet to introduce her and Hailey, but she had to cover a shift at the last minute and had to back out.
Instead, Jude picks up Hailey promptly at six, and they head over to Eric’s lake house which is about half an hour away. The conversation is steady as they both have pre-Dance Off plans to solidify, plans after the tour, and then what exactly she has to do during the tour.
“Wait. Let me get this straight. They expect you to go to campuses on your off-days or even travel days, to talk to students?”
Shrugging, Hailey nods. “Yeah, it’s all kind of crazy. It’s only three talks right now because most universities will either be out of session or in the middle of finals. I don’t think they fully grasp how limited my schedule is.”
“Have you told them? I mean, that’s crazy. Straight up. You’re pretty talented and all, but I don’t think you’ve mastered time-travel yet.”
“No, that’s next year.” Hailey sighs. She looks out the window, confused with the direction he’s taken. “Hey weren’t you supposed to turn left back there?”
“Yes,” Jude replies, driving onwards. “Remember that surprise I mentioned about a month ago?”
“Yeah…”
He turns up a gravel path that leads them along a winding road. It’s been over a week since it’s snowed, so the terrain isn’t too challenging to cover. When he pulls into an open clearing, he throws his truck into park and unlocks the doors, climbing out. Hailey follows suit, intrigued. He leads her a little farther through the clearing until he stops suddenly, Hailey nearly smacking into him.
“Excuse you,” Jude replies with a grin. “I believe the correct etiquette is to knock when entering someone’s home.”
Genuine confusion crosses Hailey’s features as she looks around, taking a step back. They’re on a rolling embankment which leads down to the lake, still mostly frozen, and the clearing is densely lined with naked trees, save for a spectacular view of the lake. Slowly it starts to sink in what he’s saying, but she’s not quite sure she gets it.
“Wait… all of this is yours? I don’t understand.”
He laughs at her reaction, “I’ve been storing money away for a while now. I saw this lot for sale last year when a bunch of guys and I came out for a beercation. Scouted out the property, figured out all the important things like if there’s a gas line, do I need to have a well, all those things. So, yeah. I signed the papers a couple of weeks ago.”
She keeps spinning around slowly, scanning the area, taking in his news. Jude owns this. All this land is his. That view is his. That tree is his. This stupid rock she’s kicking is his. Holy… wow.
“I can’t believe it,” she shakes her head, still in a state of disbelief. Glancing up at him, she realizes he’s been watching her closely, waiting for her reaction. She wears the brightest smile she’s got and gives him the tightest hug imaginable.
“This is amazing. I’m so proud of you. So proud. This is huge! I can’t believe it. I thought you wanted a farm, though?”
“Oh, I have some acreage a little more inland that I can have for that kind of thing, but after finding myself loving firefighting so much, I decided that I should stick with what I know for right now.”
He studies her some more, watching as she walks over to a tree, runs her hand up along the bark, pulling at a twig until it breaks free. She seems shocked, not necessarily in a bad way, but thrown all the same.
“Well,” she turns to him, holding out her arms. “Give me the grand tour, Mr. Jennings. Where is everything going to be?”
He grins widely and jogs over to the edge of the clearing and picks up the driest stick he can find, then uses it to plot out his future home. By the time they get to debate as to how large his back porch should be, they’ve become officially late to dinner, and he gets a concerned text from Eric.
They arrive at Perry’s five minutes later, flushed and apologetic. Jude drops the news that he will be their neighbor within the next three years, much to everyone’s delight.
Mostly everyone’s, but Hailey keeps mum. She doesn’t know how she feels.
Dinner is delicious and full of good humor and cheer. It’ll be the last meal Hailey and Jude share with their friends before they go on tour, so they both take their time to savor the moment, reveling in the laughter and conversation.
When Jude drops off Hailey, she says something to him that seems innocuous at the time, but when he’s going to bed that night, her words pop in his head again. Sometimes, he can’t tell if it’s her voice or his conscience; they both sound similar in his mind. Regardless, these words ping and clamor in his mind: Look at all you’ve accomplished! You’ve done so well for yourself. And now you have everything you could ever want.
But does he?
It’s two days before Jude leaves for the tour, and things aren’t going that great. He had a rough day at work, got his ass chewed by his captain for being somewhat of a cowboy, then had a ridiculous argument with Cynthia after having a wonderful dinner with her and her father. As a result, he’s at his place, instead of enjoying the last of his time with her for three weeks.
Things have been pretty great between them. Slowly she’s been opening up more about her childhood and her estrangement from her mother. He knows she misses her brothers, but from the way she tells the story, she wouldn’t even be able to enter the state without having to deal with her mother, which in her current state of pre-board exam stress, she cannot handle at the moment. He decides to hold off until after her exams before delving into that topic.
The other issue is job placement. She was offered a job at the same hospital in Lakesville, but she also applied to work at the same facility as her father in Corden before she even met Jude. Granted, they’ve only been dating for six months, but he hopes she’s aware of how invested he is in this relationship and that he would greatly appreciate it if she would stay in Lakesville. That, he decides, is something she should know before he leaves on tour.
Around one in the morning, Sunny shoots up in bed and barks, growling when a petite red-head removes her jacket and shoes and climbs into bed beside him.
“I’m sorry I was such a bitch earlier. I have absolutely no excuse.”
Jude reaches out and tucks her into his side. “I understand, but please don’t shut me out. I can’t
help what I don’t know. And you don’t make it very easy for me.”
“I know, I know. I’m working on it, I swear. I just… Give me two more weeks until after my boards. We’ll get away after you wrap up your tour. I promise.”
Staring at the ceiling, Jude takes in a slow breath and exhales. “Okay. After the tour and your boards, we’ll get away. You and me.”
“And Sunny.”
She barks once in agreement. Jude sighs. Cynthia giggles.
All he has to do is make it through the tour, no harm, no foul.
The End.
Thank you for reading “The Starting Line “. I hope you enjoyed this little jewel as much as I took the time to write it. If you loved this story please leave your honest review on Amazon.
Click Here !
My New Release !
Second Chance Desires Boxset
Rediscover the pleasure of passionate love, pregnancy, billionaire, friends to lovers, enemies to lovers, second chance romance Books.
Check it out
Book 1: - Perchance To Dream
He’s every teenage girl’s dream.
But everyone tells me that we’re meant to be.
Knox is a renowned pop star.
And me?
I’m an ordinary events coordinator.
We aren’t supposed to be together.
But can opposites attract to the point where the impossible becomes possible?
Book 2: - Aftercare
I’d given up on love before I met this dominant stranger.
He’s swept me off my feet.
But there’s no way I can trust him with my heart.
A random hook-up was never my thing.
Now, I wonder if I’ve made a mistake.
Can he break down the walls I’ve built around myself?
Or will true love really never happen for me?
Book 3: - The Miles Between Us
I never let anything come in the way of my ambition.
And he’s my biggest distraction.
The star in the movie I’m producing.
Beathan is an older actor and he’s bad news.
His name is synonymous with drugs and depression.
Can I hold it together long enough to finish this movie?
Or will I give him my heart and come to regret it forever?
Book 4: - Tangled Hearts
He’s my best friend but our love is a game.
I’ve wanted him for years.
It all began with a mutual love for professional tennis.
I put the game first, but the reality has shifted.
We’re both at the pinnacle of our careers.
Would now be the best time to confess my love for him?
Book 5: When Hearts Collide
We used to be friends with benefits.
Today, he’s offering to help me raise someone else’s baby.
The baby’s dad walked out of our lives.
But Liam has stepped up, wanting to be a team and co-parent.
We’ve been a team before, but as dancers in competitions.
So now, can we come together and make it work in the world?
My New Release!-
This is one of my most popular, most loved, hilarious books. Hope you will enjoy ittoo!!
Aftercare
Regina’s life has been defined by a series of missed connections, disappointments, and broken hearts.
Despite her secret yearning for love, she had long since abandoned the idea of finding the perfect man: that is until he walks right into her bed and sweeps her off her feet.
When an impulsive one night stands with a gorgeous dominant stranger who takes charge and gives her pleasure as she has never experienced before leads to something unexpected, Regina is filled with fear and self-doubt, her past romantic encounters keeping her from entrusting him with her heart.
Will Mr. Right make her fall for him despite her inhibitions? And will Regina finally accept the love she truly deserves?
Check it out!!
Other Books By Jennifer Hartley
Second Chance Desires Boxset
The Heart Of You
Tangled Hearts
Perchance To Dream
Back To you
Aftercare
The Miles Between Us
You Are Mine
Marine For Dinner
The Starting Line
A Distance Spark
The Restless Heart- Coming Soon
The Arrangement- Coming Soon
The Strong Hold – Coming Soon
Want your Romance Books for Free or Discounted?
Get yourself on our Mailing List!
Claim Your FREE Bonus!
As a token of appreciation for downloading my book, I would
like to give away a FREE BONUS, Just for you!
CLICK HERE TO CLAIM YOUR FREE BONUS!
Plus, by signing up to our subscription, you will also receive
FREE KINDLE ROMANCE BOOKS and OUR NEWLY
RELEASED ROMANCE BOOKS FOR DISCOUNTED
PRICES.
CLICK HERE TO CLAIM YOUR FREE BONUS!
See you on the inside!
JENNIFER HARTLEY
The Starting Line: Friends To Lovers Page 20