Midnight Run

by Charity Hillis

  There was something about the place, Kingston realized as joined the crush of runners at his start time. It might not be the fairy tale of his youth, but when he ran down 42nd street and realized that the electric billboards surrounding Times Square were still flashing, even in the pre-dawn hours, he grinned broadly. This is what drew me here, he thought as he tried to keep his pace steady. The lights, the grit…there’s nowhere quit like it.

  The course looped through the city, and Kingston thought it just might be the best way to see New York; the streets, famous for their traffic and noise, were strangely silent with all the traffic blocked off. The only sounds Kingston could hear were the cheers from the spectators lining the course, the pounding of the feet surrounding him, and the beating of his own heart.

  He tried to catch his breath, but it was hard to remember to breathe through the smile plastered on his face, and he noticed similar expressions on some of the other race participants. The streets still smelled like smoke and car exhaust, even without the traffic, but Kingston breathed it all in with a ridiculous grin. His feet pounded into the asphalt, and he imagined that he could feel the thrumming pulse of the city with every step he took.

  Kingston had no idea how many people had run the half that morning, but he felt like he was connected to each and every person there; they’d all been witnesses to the surge of emotion he’d felt while he was running around Manhattan, and that intimacy made Kingston feel like all the other runners were his closest friends and family.

  By the time he reached the finish line, he felt like his chest was about to burst open, but it wasn’t strictly due to exertion. Despite his allergies, despite his wounded heart, despite everything, Kingston had fallen back in love that morning, and this time, he didn’t think he’d be falling out any time soon.

  This time, he’d fallen in love with the city.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  Colleen’s son had arrived in a private car with a driver, but Nora was too excited about the race to really enjoy the thrill of riding through New York behind tinted glass. When they pulled up to the park, Nora popped onto the curb and bounced on her toes.

  “These feel great,” she said, grinning at Colleen and her son. “Seriously the best shoes I’ve ever had.”

  Colleen smiled. “I know it’s not ideal to run in a brand new pair, but I’d hate to think of you missing your first half.”

  Her son passed a stack of Band-Aids to Nora. “You might want these, just in case.”

  She smiled and tucked them into her arm band. “Thank you. And thank you both so much; I still can’t believe I actually get to race today!”

  Colleen and her son smiled matching smiles as Colleen leaned over to close the door. “You deserve to make your dreams come true. Now, go run like you’ve never run before!”

  Nora waved and hurried over to the registration table. The crowd was considerably smaller than she expected, and she wondered if most of the other runners had started earlier. A woman at the table looked up at her and motioned her forward with a smile.

  “Hi,” Nora began, rocking back and forth in her new shoes. “I was registered to start at six, but, um, I had a work emergency.”

  “Happens all the time. Name?”

  “Nora Willson.” Nora held her breath, but the woman just skimmed the list and smiled.

  “Here’s your number,” she said, passing a square of paper across the table to Nora. “You can start in the next group; they’ll be going in five minutes. Is that okay?”

  Nora grinned. “Perfect!” She pinned the number to her shirt and moved over to one side. She was too keyed up to do any kind of pre-race stretching, but she figured she’d take it slow, just like with the running group, and treat the first mile or so as a warm up. When the group lined up, Nora was in the front, a wide smile on her face.

  It was strange for her to be running in the park in daylight; she’d gotten so used to her midnight runs that she might as well have been running in a totally new place, and her eyes drank in the springtime scenery. Trees that had looked like skeletons at night actually had green buds on their limbs, and a few early birds were singing, despite the chill of winter that still lingered in the air. Nora kept an easy pace, focusing on the familiar sound of her feet on the asphalt and ignoring the speed of the other runners around her. Instead of looping the park twice, the route veered off into the city, and tall buildings flashed by as Nora ran along the barricaded streets. People lined the path of the race, cheering and waving to their friends, but Nora was too focused to really notice them.

  Her left foot felt like it was starting to blister by the time Nora finally neared the finish line, but she ignored the sharp pain and pushed herself for one final sprint. A race volunteer ran up to her with a cup of water as soon as she cleared the finish line, and Nora swallowed it quickly before bending over to catch her breath. Her lungs felt like they might burst, and her feet hurt in the unfamiliar shoes, but Nora was exhilarated. I really did it! She thought, sucking in air and starting to look around the finish line.

  Someone barreled into her, and Nora let herself be pulled into a tight hug. “There you are!” Carl grinned at her. “I was worried you broke your leg or something.”

  Nora shook her head, sweat dripping into her eyes. “No, just lost my shoes.”

  Before she could tell him about her morning, she caught sight of Lynne and some of the other midnight runners over his shoulder. Carl let go of her, and she hurried over to the group.

  When Lynne saw her, she grinned. “You finished!”

  “You, too!” Nora said, raising her hand to give her five. “God, that feels good.”

  Lynne laughed. “That running high never gets old.”

  Nora nodded as she caught her breath. “How was your time?”

  Lynne’s smile stretched wider. “My personal best. What about you?”

  “I haven’t checked yet,” Nora admitted. “I just got done.”

  “Well, don’t let me stop you! We’re still waiting on a few more from the group, but then we’re all going out to celebrate. You in?”

  Nora nodded. “Of course! I’ll be back as soon as I check my time.”

  Pushing her way through the crowd of weary runners and their friends and family, Nora finally spotted the table with the race officials, but a pair of familiar broad shoulders made her falter. Kingston was standing there, his back to her, and for one moment, Nora actually considered skipping it and not finding out her race time. She hadn’t seen him since their odd confrontation at the coffee shop, and she wasn’t sure she could handle another rude encounter with him. But this might be your last chance to see him, a little voice whispered in her mind, and her heart clenched at the thought.

  Squaring her shoulders, she made her way to the table, but she didn’t bother checking her time. Standing on the tips of her toes, she tapped him on the shoulder.

  He turned around, but his smile slipped when he saw Nora. “You made it,” he said, his twang sounding flat.

  Nora nodded, suddenly shy. “You, too.” She bit her lip, but then she took a deep breath. “I need to tell you something.”

  Kingston shook his head and stepped away from the table. “You really don’t. It’s all in the past.”

  “But I--,” Nora stuttered, “I can’t stop thinking about you!”

  Kingston paused, his gray eyes searching hers. “Why?”

  She hesitated. “I’ve thought about you ever since we met. At the coffee shop,” she added.

  He raised his eyebrow. “You admit that was you?”

  “I never denied it,” she said. “I just didn’t think you meant me.”

  He put his hand under her chin and tipped her face up. “Why wouldn’t I mean you, Nora? You’re enough to set any man’s heart racing.”

  Her mouth was dry. “That’s just the half marathon,” she tried to joke, but the words sounded stilted. Kingston’s hand lingered on her face, and his touch was making it hard for her to think straight.

&nb
sp; Kingston shook his head. “No, hon, that’s just you.” He leaned closer to her, and for one breathless moment, Nora thought he was about to kiss her, but then he pulled back, dropping his hand. “But what about your boyfriend?”

  Nora laughed nervously. “Not my boyfriend; Carl’s my best friend.”

  “It sure looked like you were clinging to him,” Kingston said, his face unsure.

  Nora reached up tentatively and wrapped her hands around his neck. “I’ve known Carl all my life,” she said, slowly and deliberately. “He’s the best friend I’ve ever had, but we’ve never dated. And,” she added thoughtfully, “if all goes well, he’ll be back together with Reggie soon.”

  Kingston raised an eyebrow. “You’re telling me that all this time, you were available?” His hands circled her waist, and Nora tightened her grip on the back of his neck.

  “No,” she said softly, “all this time I was waiting to be yours.”

  He claimed her lips before she could say anything else, and Nora melted into the kiss. Pressing her sweaty body against him, Nora kissed him back for all she was worth as his hands slid down to cradle her hips, tugging her more firmly against him. Tangling her hands in his hair, Nora broke the kiss and pulled back to look into Kingston’s gray eyes for a moment, and she smiled before pressing her lips to his again.

  This is so much better than anything I could have dreamed.

  Dear Reader,

  I’ve always been a bit obsessed with fairy tales, and I’m having so much fun coming up with new ways to imagine the magic of some of my favorite stories with the Once Upon a Desire series. I decided to start with “Cinderella” since that story is one with the most wide-spread appeal: did you know that there are over three hundred versions of this fairy tale from all over the globe?

  If you enjoyed Nora and Kingston’s story, I hope you’ll consider leaving a review of Midnight Run at your favorite eBook retailer. Your feedback is important to me, and your thoughts might help other readers who are thinking about starting this series. If you’ve got a chance, visit my Smashwords page to learn more about the series.

  There are plenty of fairy tales that inspire me, and I’ve included a sneak peek of the next book in the series, Cutting Loose, on the following pages. I hope you’ll enjoy it!

  Be on the lookout for Cutting Loose, coming out later this year.

  Here’s to happily ever after!

  Best,

  Charity Hillis

  Discover other titles in the Once Upon a Desire series by Charity Hillis:

  MIDNIGHT RUN

  CUTTING LOOSE (coming Fall 2015)

  PRINCESS SUITE (coming Winter 2015)

  Ready for a sneak peek of the next book in the

  Once Upon a Desire series?

  CUTTING LOOSE

  By Charity Hillis

  Coming Fall 2015

  CHAPTER ONE

  When Amy wandered into The Desert, she had no idea what to expect.

  Christmas lights were strung haphazardly across the ceiling, and peanuts crunched on the floor underneath her black leather stilettos. Wrinkling her nose, she crossed the dirty floor to a decked-out tiki bar at the other end of the room. A chalkboard sign over the bar proclaimed "Oasis", and Amy rolled her eyes. Could this place be any kitschier?

  "What can I get you?" The bartender, a woman of indeterminate age who looked like she'd lain out in the sun for one too many years, snapped her gum and grinned at Amy.

  "I'll have a Manhattan," she said, aware of how ironic it was to order the quintessential city drink in a dive somewhere in the middle of Vermont.

  The bartender didn't seem to notice the irony. "Any food, too?" She asked as she began mixing the drink right at the counter.

  Amy raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow. "I didn't know there was a kitchen."

  "There's not, but Pop's next door will always send over some fries or a pizza while you wait." The woman grinned, flashing a glimpse of her chewing gum. "Handy about setting up business in a small town; if you're nice and play by the rules, folks go out of their way to help out." She turned the martini shaker over a glass with an expert flick of her wrist and slid the drink across the counter to Amy.

  "And if they aren't nice?"

  The woman chuckled. "Won't last very long anywhere in Vermont, that's the truth."

  God, it sounds like my version of hell, Amy thought, taking a sip of her drink. She glanced at it in surprise; it was nearly perfect. A little too much vermouth, but otherwise, pretty good. Maybe it was stereotypical of her to have been expecting the drink to taste like cat piss, but nothing about The Desert made her think she'd be able to get a decent cocktail. Looks like this weekend won't be so bad after all.

  When Sharlene had emailed her out of the blue a few months ago, Amy had initially been pleased. They'd roomed together in college but lost touch over the intervening years, and it was a nice blast from the past to catch up with her old friend. And then when Sharlene announced her engagement, Amy had repressed a twinge of jealousy while offering her congratulations. It seemed like everyone she met was thinking about marriage if they weren’t already married, and the closer to forty Amy got, the more she started to resent things like wedding invitations and baby showers. But Sharlene had insisted she come to the wedding in May, and even though Amy wanted to find a way out of it, part of her was eager to see her old friend again. Even if I did have to drive to the back end of beyond for the wedding.

  "Ames!" A voice that hadn't changed despite the years echoed out across the murky room, and Amy looked up with a smile. Sharlene was still a bundle of energy. Amy tugged on the bottom of her fitted leather jacket and grinned at Sharlene.

  "Only took us fifteen years for that reunion!" She joked, opening her arms for a hug.

  Sharlene barreled into her, squeezing her tight. "You haven't changed at all!"

  Amy laughed, forgetting to feel out of place in the dive. "You've always been a terrible liar."

  Sharlene smiled at her. "You're still my Ames. I'm so glad you could come!"

  "I wouldn't miss it for the world," Amy said, surprised to realize that she meant it.

  "I can't wait for you to meet the girls...and you'll flip when you see the groom!"

  Amy checked the neon clock over the door. "Speaking of girls, didn't you say this party was starting ten minutes ago?"

  Sharlene laughed. "Everyone moves a bit slower up here than you're probably used to. Still disgustingly punctual, huh?"

  Amy smoothed a loose strand of blond hair behind her ear. "That's what makes me so successful!"

  "It's what makes you a nerd, that's what it is." Sharlene smiled, and Amy couldn't help grinning back.

  Before she could fire off a snappy comeback, squeals erupted from the door to the bar, and Sharlene turned, adding her own squeal to the melee. Three women bee lined toward them, and someone was hugging Amy before she could prepare herself.

  "Oh, my gosh, you're Amy! Sharlene hasn't stopped bragging about you this week!" A short redhead with a frizzy pixie cut let go of Amy and grinned at her.

  "Um, thanks?" Amy shifted uncomfortably. Falling back into the familiar warmth with Sharlene was one thing, but a random stranger hugging her wasn’t usually on her agenda. She took a cautious step back, but the redhead didn't launch herself at Amy again.

  A tall brunette slapped the redhead's hand away. "God, Carol, scare her why don't you?"

  Carol rolled her eyes. "She's fine."

  Trying to recover the situation, Amy held out her hand. "Nice to meet you."

  Sharlene laughed and threw her arm around Amy's shoulder. “No need to put on the big city act with them. This is Carol, Joanne,” she nodded at the brunette and then tipped her head toward a curvy woman with raven hair, “and Roxy. By the end of the night, they’ll be just like your sisters.”

  Amy doubted that; it had been a long time since she’d had any girlfriends she thought of as sisters. Not since college, really, she realized, but she forced herself to smile despite
her hesitation. “Does that mean it’s time to get the party moving?”

  Roxy laughed. “I like this girl already. Come on, ladies, let’s make Sharlene’s last night of freedom one to remember.”

  “Second to last,” Sharlene reminded them as she led the way to a pair of sticky tables near a stage that Amy hadn’t noticed. Pushing the tables together, Sharlene grinned at her. “I’m not dumb enough to have my bachelorette party the night before the wedding like that girl in college…what was her name?”

  “Carly,” Amy supplied, wincing at the memory. “Dumb enough to get married with a wicked hangover.”

  “Well, we’ll all be able to sleep this one off tomorrow.” Carol plopped down at the table and looked around expectantly, as if she was waiting for a drink to materialize in front of her.

  “I’ve got the first round,” Joanne called over her shoulder as she headed up to the tiki bar. For a moment, Amy wondered if she should offer to help her carry the drinks, but Sharlene patted the rough wooden chair next to her and smiled.

  “We’ve got way too much catching up to do this weekend, girl. What have you been up to the last decade or so?”

  Amy sat down gingerly, wondering what kind of residue might be lingering on the chair. “Just work, really.” It might have sounded like a brush off, but it was the truth. Amy had made her career the center of her world years ago, and that dedication and drive had finally paid off; she’d just been made a junior partner at her banking firm, but she didn’t think Sharlene or the others would really care about the minutiae of her work. Sadly, however, that drive and dedication had also left her with precious little social life, and she always ran out of small talk rather quickly, unless she was with other bankers.