Muskoka Shores by Carolyn Miller

Author:Carolyn Miller
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Carolyn Miller

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The week passed in a blur of conferences, August weddings, and early morning walks—interspersed with occasional bouts of jogging when she thought no-one was looking. She spent time with Joel again on the next Monday, making the most of the Muskoka sunshine as she fought against Joel-appeal while she followed his instructions on finding a rhythm and learning to steady her breathing as she jogged. This wasn’t about him anyway. This was about getting fitter and making the most of Muskoka in this beautiful weather.

Sunlight filtered through the golden leaves as her sneakers slapped the pavement. A smile peeked out. Look at her, trying new things, making changes. If only Hope could see her now. Her nose wrinkled. Actually, scrap that. It probably was a good thing Hope couldn’t see her now. There was no need to provide a target for more of her special brand of criticism. But hey, at least she was improving. She still thought Joel’s idea of registering for the Muskoka running event was dumb, but maybe he was right, and she might possibly manage the five k.

She heaved out a breath, laboring to match his pace. How unfit was she? She might die if she had to keep this up! Air sawed through her nose and lungs, her mouth tasted of blood and metal, black spots danced—

“Hey, it’s not a race,” he said, slowing.

She wheezed to a stop, forced herself to stand upright, wishing her puffing didn’t make her sound like a steam train—how red was her face?—before muscles spasms ripping along her side drew her gasp. “Ow!”

“Do you have a stitch?”

She grimaced and nodded. “Hurts.”

“Stretch it out, lean over one side then the other.”

She obeyed, and the cramping slowly eased. “I need water,” she managed to say between puffs.

He drew out a small bottle of water from the back of his short’s waistband and handed it to her. “I haven’t touched it,” he promised.

Yeah, but the bottle had touched him. She shuddered, hating how her thoughts betrayed her loyalty to Toni. But surely a sip from his water bottle wouldn’t hurt?

“So, are you going to register? You know you don’t have to race,” he said, after she handed the bottle back. “It’s supposed to be a fun run.”

“Fun?”

He grinned. “Hey, it’s good to have challenges that motivate us, right?”

His words sparked memories of other words: Never going to change. Never will amount to anything. Yeah, maybe this was the motivation she needed to prove a certain someone wrong.

She gritted her teeth. “Okay, fine. But only if I can get the day off work. It’s a Saturday, so there’s probably a wedding scheduled, but I’ll see.”

“Awesome.” He lifted a hand to high-five her and after a second—or five—she reluctantly slapped his hand.

No, this wasn’t awesome. The challenge wasn’t just about whether she could prove things to Hope or run for five kilometers or even finish. The challenge was whether she could do so with an intact heart.

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