Chapter 8

Andrew

 

Just from running for a few minutes, I’m starting to feel better already. Of course it might have something to do with the fact that I can come home to peace and quiet tonight.

I begin to think about what that might feel like long term… coming home from a long day at work to a calm environment. What a concept.

My phone rings and I look at it. It’s my secretary, Amanda.

“Hi Andrew, I just wanted to remind you of your meeting with your new client, Mr. Prescott at 4:30. Should I reschedule or…?”

Fuck! How did I forget that?

“Hold on, let me think about this,” I tell her.

Off in the distance, I think I may have spotted Logan. But what would he be doing here at this time of day? Since he’s running in the same direction as me and I can only see his back, I increase my speed to see if I can catch up.

“I’m sorry, Amanda. Uhh, do you think you might be able to reschedule by any chance? I must not have calendared it.”

“No, that’s okay. I’ll see what I can do. Do you want me to call you back to let you know?”

Now that I’ve caught up, I can see that it is Logan. I call out to him and he stops and turns around. I tell Amanda, “Yes, can you do that for me? I’d really appreciate it.”

But instead of saying goodbye, Amanda changes from her professional voice to a more concerned tone when she asks, “Is everything okay, Andrew?”

Amanda and I have gotten close since she started working for me two years ago and it’s not out of line for her to ask me about my personal life.

She’s one of the few people with whom I’ve felt comfortable lately opening up to. We had an immediate affinity to each other when we first met during her interview for her position. A friendship quickly developed and as unusual as it may seem, I’m not only her boss, but a good friend. We’ve even spent time together out of the office, meeting for a quick bite or coffee to discuss a case or problem client.

“No… yes. I mean… hey listen Amanda, can I call you back later? I’ve just run into someone I know.”

“Alright, Andrew,” She says reluctantly. “Call me back though, okay? And I’ll text you about what happens with the meeting.”

“Thanks.”

I hang up as I approach Logan. He’s jogging in place and gives me a warm smile when he sees me.

He says, “Race?”

I nod and we take off, running side by side. Much of the darkness I was feeling earlier has diminished and I notice how good I’m beginning to feel running next to Logan. He begins to pick up the pace and I follow.

I say to him, “I’m surprised I ran into you here,” and ask, “So, how come you’re not at work?”

Just then I hear a ding sound and Logan reaches into his pocket and pulls out his phone.

I turn my head to the side and watch his hand as he holds it up, looking into the screen. The same hand that lay on top of mine just hours earlier, sending a comforting solace throughout my body.

He puts his phone back into his pocket. “Oh, yeah. I have a lot of reading and research to catch up on for an upcoming case and my boss told me it was okay if I work from home for the rest of the afternoon.” He pauses, then adds. “I was a little distracted though and knew I’d be able to think and concentrate so much better after a good run.”

“You and me both,” I ardently add.

Hmmm. So, we have more in common than I thought.

I look downward toward his pocket that he just placed his phone in. “Anything important?” I ask.

Logan looks at me, puzzled, and I begin to wonder if perhaps I’ve overstepped a boundary by asking him a personal question like that.

Seconds later he says. “Oh, I’m sorry. The text… Naw, nothing too important.”

We continue running in silence for a minute or so until finally Logan says, “That was my friend Matt, just letting me know he’s coming on Saturday.”

Wanting to keep our conversation going, as well as feeling curious, I ask him, “Is he from out of town? I don’t think you’ve mentioned him before.”

Logan then asks if we could stop for a drink of water at a nearby fountain.

As I’m watching him drink, I rest my eyes on his body and how strong his legs look and the way his shapely ass juts out as he’s bending over. I wonder how the combination of his firm musculature and soft skin would feel with my hands gliding over his ass cheeks. I get lost in the symmetry of his lower back and imagine my hands traveling up to his well-defined shoulders and down to his bulging biceps. I would grip them firmly and…

Suddenly Logan is looking at me. “Are you going to have a drink?”

As I snap out of my daydreaming, I wonder to myself if Logan caught on that I was checking him out. A part of me is excited to think he may have and that he may be doing the same with me as I’m now bending down and drinking from the fountain.

No harm in a little fantasy.

As we begin our run again, Logan begins to talk about his friend that I asked about before our water break. “Matt is my best friend and he’s going to be staying with me for a while. He’s just had a bad breakup and needs a temporary place to stay.”

I let Logan know that I’m sorry about his friend’s breakup. “It takes a lot of courage to do something like that,” I say. “How long were they together?”

I wonder if I would ever be capable of having the kind of strength it takes to go through with divorcing Maria. As bad as our marriage is, calling the whole thing off is always easier said than done.

Lately separation has been on my mind… a lot. Yet whenever I look at the cons, it scares me to no end and it becomes a huge hurdle that I’m not sure I have it in me to overcome. Perhaps I’m just a fucking coward.

Logan continues our conversation about his friend. “They were together five years. The guy was cheating on him. It left Matt devastated.”

 I say, “That sure is nice of you to take him in. You two must be very close.”

“We are,” Logan says earnestly. “We’re almost like brothers.”

Logan and I continue running and carrying on our conversation on various subject matters. Everything that has happened earlier has settled down and I’m feeling more at ease the longer we run.

After we’ve made it once around the park, Logan slows down and asks, “Are you ready to stop now or do you want to continue?”

Both of us are out of breath as we slow down and find another drinking fountain. I tell him, “Why don’t we rest here for a while and see how we feel in five or so minutes, then take it from there?”

I bend over and take a drink of water and Logan follows after me.

We find a nearby bench to sit on and watch the various skateboarders, joggers and people who are merely meandering about enjoying the day. Suddenly, Logan moves his body toward me and plants a kiss on my mouth.

And just like the first time Logan touched me and during that first kiss of ours, I feel a rush of electricity travel throughout my body. A chemical reaction that is so strong, it’s hard to deny.

Except now there are people around… they’re looking at us.

“Logan!” I shout.

I push him away, get up from the bench and run off, more confused as ever about what the fuck is happening to me whenever Logan is anywhere near me.