As he was discussing tent size with the mother, a voice said, She knows you’re sick.
Gray’s brows lifted. His voices had never sounded so…halfhearted.
He sent the family on its way and found another couple to help. His shift was uneventful but ticked by in infinitesimal increments. He wanted to find a trail and go running. Really badly.
Finally, he clocked out. Driving out of town, he had no idea how he’d find a trail. He just kept going.
He should stop somewhere. Freemont was surrounded by lakes of all sizes, and a river cut between Freemont and West Creek. No one who really wanted to hike a trail had to leave city limits. But just any trail wouldn’t do today. It was like he’d handed over the control of his car to another power. It should scare him, but finding the right trail was critical.
An hour later, he pulled into an empty trailhead that also functioned as the parking lot for a campground that could only be accessed by hiking.
There. The perfect trail. How’d he known that?
Realization struck him and he stared at the dirt path disappearing into the trees. This must be where he’d gotten hurt.
No, that didn’t seem right, but it was the perfect explanation. His subconscious was trying to fill in those missing days.
With a smile that made him glad no one else was around, he got out and went through his warm-up routine. Taking off at an easy gait, he followed the path. It was more rugged than he’d expected. No wonder he’d sprained an ankle. He should be wearing trail shoes.
He kept his pace slower than normal and slowed further when he spotted a rustic cabin.
A jolt of fear went through him, but it was more like an echo of what he’d felt at one time. He must’ve had his spill here and worried about getting back to his car.
Yeah, that made sense.
What about the eyes as pale as an iced-over lake? His wife’s eyes hadn’t been blue, so why was he dreaming of a mystery woman with those eyes?
He shook his head and walked the rest of the way to the cabin. Déjà vu grew stronger the closer he got.
“Hello?” he called, just in case. If someone lived here, and the overgrown wildflowers and weeds didn’t make him think there was, they had to be used to the occasional hiker happening upon them.
No one answered. He went up the steps and tried the door, jumping when it swung open.
He took a hesitant step inside.
Dust and must was all he smelled, but… It was the feeling. He liked being in here. He didn’t want to leave. Perhaps he’d crawled here and was grateful he’d had a shelter over his head?
Could the mystery woman have stumbled upon him and helped him?
That made so much sense. She’d helped him. So many times. He didn’t know any of the ways but was more desperate for answers than he’d thought.
Wandering through the sparse building yielded no further clues, just feelings. A flush worked its way up his neck and… Hell, was he turned on?
She must’ve been something to elicit such a reaction when he couldn’t even recall who she was. Had they swapped numbers? He checked his phone. No new contacts.
Dang.
With a sigh, he spun and strode out. He shut the door with purpose but left his hand resting on the knob.
This is over. I have my answers, as much as I’ll get.
He couldn’t allow a foolish pursuit like this to plague him any longer. Jogging back, he cleared his head. Tomorrow was Friday. He had the weekend to explore other trails. Should he call Cassie and invite her and Jace over for supper one night?
Stopping in front of his car, he circled around in a three-sixty. This area was so familiar. Perhaps it was the call of the wild. He’d loved the woods and hiking, but after his breakdown, he hadn’t dared step foot in them, never knowing if it’d act as a trigger.
But he looked forward to exploring more trails. The woods called to him. They were peaceful, in a different way than how he’d constructed his uneventful life. Tie it in with self-care and the lack of paranoia he’d experienced over the last two weeks, and he just might have found a new hobby for himself. Hiking.
***
“Oh, hey,” Cassie greeted. “How’s it going?”
Just like the last three weeks, Armana sensed a deeper meaning to Cassie’s casual question. Each time, Armana edited her actions and anything she said to disguise how often she thought about Gray.
“It’s going well,” Armana said. “Have a fun night planned?”
They were outside the lodge, and Cassie was dressed in cotton shorts and a purple tee.
“Jace is bringing the car around. We’re going to Dad’s for supper.”
Armana forced a smile. “How lovely. Has it been difficult for you, pretending…?”
Cassie blew out a breath. “So hard. It’s not just pretending that nothing happened to Dad, but doing it in a way where he doesn’t think I’m hiding something.”
“How is he?” Armana had been dying to ask that each time she saw Cassie. It had required much restraint not to chase after her, repeating the question until she got a damn answer.
But restraint she had. She’d stayed away from Gray’s part of town. She hadn’t suddenly started shopping in the store he worked at or taking evening strolls in his neighborhood. But trying to avoid thinking about him proved useless. His well-being and safety were as much her priority as seeing after her son and his mate, or her daughter.
The pathetic part was that they all could take care of themselves and she had nothing to do. She’d taken to running a lot. Running her wolf through the woods around the lodge was doable, but there were getting to be so many Guardians and their mates that it often wasn’t the exercise in solace she hoped for.
Jace pulled out of the garage and idled around to them. He nodded at her. Armana loved seeing how his gaze softened when it landed on Cassie, but did it have to cut glass when he looked at her?
He’d been gone a lot for work, so they hadn’t had many chances to chat. She wanted to make progress in their relationship, but for him, Cassie came first, then work, then…well, she didn’t know where she stood.
Perhaps she should visit Maggie. Get out of her funk by getting out of her minimal routine. Then she’d go job hunting. She hadn’t worked in West Creek before, and since she needed a place where people didn’t know her or her age, that’d be a good place to start looking. The commander had hooked her up with new documents and a resume to show that she was thirty-five-year-old Armana Miller with nothing but adequate computer knowledge and office skills.
Let the job search begin. But first, she might pick a trail along the river to run tomorrow. It’d be good for her. Get her out of her rut.
Chapter Eleven
Gray went through the motions of his warm-up as he eyed the trail. This was a new one. He’d stayed in town today, but the trail by the cabin he’d gone to last week was a siren’s call. He wouldn’t go there more than once a month. Any more frequently and it’d be a sign he was deteriorating. It’d be heartbreaking after celebrating doing so well for the last few weeks.
His dinner last night with Cassie and Jace had gone well. He paused in his stretch and frowned at the ground.
She had been quieter than usual. Even odder had been Jace’s participation in the conversation. He’d never sat and said nothing during their visits, but he usually had to be prodded. Gray had learned that the guy’s mind was as sharp as his stare, but he wasn’t loquacious. Any questions about finances and the stock market and Jace would talk until all of their eyes crossed.
Gray would’ve asked him why he’d gone into private security instead of the financial industry, but his appearance spoke enough. People would be more willing to trust Gray with all of their money and it’d been close to thirty years since Gray had dealt with numbers beyond his own bank account, and that had been math classes in college.
If Jace opened up shop and promised the savviest investing and highest return, people would assume he had mob connections. An
d Gray had never heard rumors of the mob in Freemont.
A few other cars were in the parking lot. It was early morning on a Sunday. Gray chose this time because the running paths would be quiet and the heat of the day wouldn’t chase him back to his AC.
His gaze landed on a black sedan. There was nothing unique about it, but he stared at it for far too long. A passerby might worry that Gray was going to break into it.
He shook his head and took off. He planned a punishing run for the day. He’d tackled trails all week had taken it slow so he wouldn’t injure himself. Today was for a workout.
A poster for a marathon had caught his eye at work. Twenty-six point two miles were twenty too many for him, but a half marathon would be cool to work toward. When was the last time he’d committed to something other than keeping his job and not losing his mind?
He’d mentioned it to Cassie last night and her genuine smile had boosted his confidence. Yeah, it was time he do something for himself outside the realm of self-care. A steady training schedule fell in line with that, but it was also for him.
Feeding off the invigoration flowing through him, he pushed his pace. He followed the paved path parallel to the river, and the alternating views of glittering blue river and green leafy trees were a balm to his spirit.
He went faster.
A small voice in his mind asked him why he was speeding up until his chest heaved and his lungs burned. The voice was his own, and that lessened the physical exertion. He sucked in air and blew it out, pumped his arms, convincing his tired legs to keep turning over.
He passed only a few other joggers, and they were all heading back to the parking lot. Flying down the path, he maintained the fastest speed he could. When he spotted a woman jogging, her long, lean legs apparent even from the few hundred yards between them, a jubilant cheer echoed in his mind.
Finally.
Without giving himself a chance to wonder why it seemed like he was chasing down a stranger, he closed the distance. She was running at a good clip, but he was faster. He made sure of it.
She must’ve heard his approach because she slowed to a walk. He was almost to her when she cautiously turned.
Those eyes. The palest of blue and as keen as… How odd. She had eyes almost as crystal blue as Jace’s.
But hers glittered as brightly as the river next to them under the bright July sun. Her shirt was a fitted green material. She was nature personified.
“Hey,” he wheezed. He should’ve forced himself to pass her and continue his run. A sweaty, gasping man probably wasn’t welcome, or worse, would scare her.
But the look on her face wasn’t fear or irritation. Her eyes were wide and her lips parted. Astonished was the best word he could think of.
“H-hi.” She tore her gaze away and looked around. But it wasn’t the darting look of a woman making sure she wasn’t alone with an unknown man who’d charged up on her. Was she looking for someone in particular?
“Gorgeous morning for a run.” He fell into step beside her but missed the view of her swaying hips in her black leggings. The neon detail along the seams only highlighted the sensual grace of her movement.
“Yes, it is.” Her rich voice filled him with a craving best left alone until he at least knew her name. Those feelings were dangerous for him. He’d get excited about the prospect of a real relationship only to remember he was mentally ill and dread took over.
She glanced at him again with her deer-in-the-headlights look, like he was a car roaring down on her and she wasn’t sure which way to run, or if she should. He hoped she didn’t.
Wait…she wasn’t acting like she knew him. Was she not the one who’d helped him?
“Do we know each other?” He might as well get it over with and not suffer the awkwardness of the does she know me or doesn’t she question.
She peered at him, concern flitting through her gaze. Great. Was he coming across as pushy, or worse, crazy?
“No, I don’t believe we’ve ever met.” Her pace picked up, her stride clipped.
“I’m really sorry. I thought… You’re so familiar.” He chuckled and tipped his head back to blink at the sky. The color only reminded him of her eyes. “I must’ve worried you, coming up to you like this.”
He was rewarded with a small smile. “No, it’s fine. You didn’t scare me. How…how do you think we’ve met before?”
He chuckled, more in derision toward himself than with real humor. “This is going to sound like a stretch, but a few weeks ago, I sprained my ankle so badly I was given pain meds. I was out for days—it was so bad that I don’t even remember what happened.”
“That’s awful,” she murmured, staring straight ahead. He should look away before his staring got creepy, but she was breathtaking, and probably too young to be interested in him. The lighter brown tones of her mahogany hair glowed under the sun and her ponytail showed off her graceful neck and strong frame. She carried herself like she wouldn’t be scared of him.
He’d better finish his story or she was going to think he was a stalker. “At least I think I found where it happened.”
She whipped her head toward him. “What?”
He nodded. Maybe she’d had the same thing happen and could understand how easily he’d forgotten. “I found this trail outside of Freemont a ways, and it was a little rougher than I’m used to. I’m guessing I fell and made my way to this little cabin that was up the trail. I thought maybe I remembered you from that cabin, like maybe you had called an ambulance.”
A flush crept into her cheeks and she looked away. “I don’t hit the trails that far from home.”
“Oh.” What else could he say? She wasn’t the lady he remembered. But he didn’t want to leave. “I thought that since you were out running today, it must’ve been a small-world thing. I should get back to my run.”
Only his legs were shot. Lungs, too. He’d pushed it really hard. A bad way to start a new training program, but he’d been a man on an unknown mission. Or she’d been the proverbial carrot he’d been trying to reach.
That was absurd. He wouldn’t have known she would be out here.
“Small world, indeed,” she said. “You’re all healed now?”
He could fist-pump the sky that she’d opened a new line of conversation. “Much better. I gave it two weeks of solid rest. It complained a little after the first few times I ran.”
As if the joint sensed him talking about it, it sent a twinge of pain through his lower leg. He grimaced, bringing her gaze back to him.
“I think I pushed it too hard today, though.” How far back to the parking lot was it? He had to walk or run back and since he didn’t want any setbacks to his recovery, he’d better not jog.
“It’s hurting?” She stopped. “Where are you parked?”
He pointed behind him. “The parking lot next to the marina.”
She turned and he spun with her. “I’ll walk back with you. So, this trail. Is it one you usually run on?”
“No, that’s the weird thing. I’ve…” He couldn’t say he avoided anything close to the woods because he was afraid his paranoia would rage. “I stick to the treadmill. Running was just for fitness. A git-’er-done thing. But this summer, I’ve rediscovered the refreshing thrill of running outdoors. Picking different trails, bike paths, dirt roads, or sidewalks. It’s only been a week since I’ve been exploring. I’m not letting my sprain-induced blackout stop me.”
She smiled, but her eyes were touched with sadness. “That’s really great.”
How fun would it be to have someone to explore with? He couldn’t go down the road of imagining it with her. They’d just met. “I’m Gray, by the way. Gray Stockwell.”
Indecision crossed her face one moment and was gone the next. “I’m… Amy. Amy Miller.”
He stuck out his hand—after checking that it wasn’t gross from sweat. “Nice to meet you. Thanks for walking me back. I feel like I owe you one.”
“You don’t owe me anything, Gray.” There. T
he way she said it made him feel like they knew each other.
Was that his disease affecting him?
The voices were still subdued, but his paranoia wasn’t dependent on the phrases screamed in his head. It was a feeling encouraged by the voices.
The walk back to the parking lot took an hour. He’d run over three miles at what he estimated to be close to a six-and-a-half-minute pace. Not bad for an old man.
Tinges flared in his ankle as they strolled back. He’d take the next couple of days off running. His job required him to be on his feet, so it’d work out. He’d finish mapping out his training plan and pick some places to run while he rested.
“Well, here we are.” He hated seeing the parking lot come into view. Amy was easy to talk to. She was in between jobs at the moment and had two grown kids, which surprised him. She must’ve been a young mother, but he didn’t inquire further. He told her about Cassie, and his pride threatened to make him explode with confetti. Amy’s throaty laugh would stay with him for days.
“How’s your leg?” she asked.
He shrugged. “As long as I don’t run for a couple of days, it’ll be fine.” They reached the edge of the parking lot. Should he ask her out?
“Good. It was nice to meet you.” She smiled and started to head in another direction.
“Do you want to get coffee sometime?”
She paused and her brow creased. “I shouldn’t…”
“You don’t drink coffee?” Because he didn’t. The caffeine worked against his calm and he couldn’t take the risk.
Her lips quirked. “I don’t mind the drinks that are more like desserts.”
He tried an easy grin, hoping it didn’t look like he was pleading. “We should meet for real dessert then.”
She chuckled and brushed a loose tendril of hair behind her ear. “I still shouldn’t.”
His heart sank straight to his running shoes. “I understand. Either way, it was still nice to meet you, and thank you for the conversation.”
He dug his key out of his pocket and concentrated on opening the door and not staring after her.
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