Running Forever Read online

  “No, mommy. Bailey hot.” Bailey swatted the sippy out of Bree’s hand. Her light brown hair, damp with sweat, clung to her pink cheeks.

  Bree took in a breath, still thinking what her next move would be. She needed to get Bailey somewhere cool and off the busy highway.

  Bailey’s little lip puckered out. “Daddy.” She whined and tugged on her straps, trying to free herself.

  Bree looked in the rearview mirror, waiting on a break in traffic. If they were going to be stuck here, maybe they should get out and get some fresh air. When she finally climbed out, Bailey’s cries grew louder.

  “I’m getting you, Bails, hold on.” Bree hurried around the car, a vehicle buzzing by honked, startling her just as she was opening the back passenger door.

  “Hey, honey!” a guy with a backwards cap and sleeveless shirt hung out of a window as the car buzzed past.

  She rolled her eyes before dipping in to retrieve Bailey, who, by now, had a steady stream of tears along with sweat pouring from her. Bailey wasn’t happy that Bree reached for the sippy cup sitting on the cluttered floor board before pulling her out of her car seat, either, a screech coming from her like something out of a horror movie.

  With her ears ringing, and cup balanced between her side and elbow, Bree unbuckled Bailey, who lunged at her and gasped for air like she’d been under water as soon as she was free.

  “What are we going to do now, Bails?” Bree sat her on her hip and looked around. The grass was itchy on her flip-flopped feet. The pavement smelled like it was burning and her skin was sticky against Bailey.

  “Daddy?” Bailey said, sure Garrett would come save them.

  “Daddy’s at practice,” as if Bailey would understand. Even if Bree did call him, he wouldn’t have his phone on the field. Bailey took the sippy cup offered to her this time.

  The sun seemed to only be getting hotter. Balancing her toddler in one arm, she pulled out her cell phone.

  She hated to do it. Earlier, when Spencer had told her he had a study-date, she’d teased him about it. Then he teased her about being jealous. This would look like she was.

  When Bailey tossed her sippy to the ground and cried again, Bree knew she couldn’t put it off any longer. She swiped across Spencer’s million-dollar smile and brought the phone to her ear.

  Another car whizzing by honked and a couple more guys hollered.

  Just as she always could rely on him, Spencer answered right away, “What’s up?”

  “I don’t want to bother you.” Bree felt like she was shouting over the traffic and the giggles in the background on Spencer’s end.

  “What’s going on?” he said as the laughter behind him faded.

  “My car broke down.” She bit her bottom lip.

  “Where?”

  “Just outside of Indian Acres on the highway.” She breathed a little slower, keeping her voice steady, though she did feel like crying as hard as Bailey was. “But if you want to finish your date first …”

  “I’m on my way.” Then he was gone.

  Bree’s gut twisted at breaking up his date. Not like the girl was going to be the one or anything, just another one in a long line of girls that were in and out of his apartment. Spencer lived near the school and she wasn’t far from there. In fact, if she didn’t have Bailey with her, she would have walked back.

  “Daddy,” Bailey whimpered. She not only needed to be somewhere cool, but she needed a nap, as well.

  “Shhh, Spence will be here soon.” Bree tucked her phone in her back pocket and pulled Bailey tighter to her, kissing the top of her sweaty little head.

  ****

  Bree couldn’t remember feeling more relieved to see that red Mustang. Spencer whipped in right behind her beater. Her arms burned from holding Bailey for so long, but it wasn’t like she could sit her down this close to traffic and climbing back in the scorching car was out of the question. Bree spent most of the ten-minute wait crouched beside her car, though the prickly weeds irritated her skin.

  Spencer didn’t look like he’d even broken a sweat as he climbed out of his Mustang, smiling his playboy smile under his reflective shades and spiky hairdo.

  Bailey squealed, “Pence,” and wiggled in Bree’s arms, trying to break free at the sight of him. Still, Bree wasn’t comfortable letting her down, which made Bailey cry again.

  “Hey there, pretty girl.” Spencer strode toward them, his smile pinned on Bailey, who squealed in reply.

  Bree stood up, wiping the grass and dirt off the back of her legs while trying to balance Bailey as she twisted and fought to get free. “I’m sorry I ruined your date.”

  When Spencer was close enough, Bailey threw herself at him. He chuckled, “It’s okay, you saved me, actually. She was hot, but annoying.”

  Bailey chattered like Spencer was her best friend, though she was barely understandable.

  “Really.” He cocked an eyebrow at Bailey and she nodded her head, the mess of hair bounced. Then he nodded to the car. “What’s going on?”

  Bree sighed and turned, catching a glimpse of her scary refection in the side of the car; her messy hair and sweaty tank top. She hated being seen like this, and wondered just what those boys that were honking at her were thinking. Maybe that’s why they didn’t stop. “It started smoking, so I pulled over.”

  A little bit of sweat started to bead on Spencer’s forehead. “Put her seat in my car. I’ll call you a tow.”

  “That’s not … I don’t have the money for a tow truck. Just a ride back to the school. Garrett can help me when he’s done at practice.”

  With Bailey still perched on his hip, he whipped his phone out of his pocket. “I got it.”

  “Spence …”

  He swiped his thumb across the screen and held the phone to his ear, waving her off.

  Bree sighed and opened the car door, knowing that Spencer wasn’t going to take no for an answer. She wrestled with the seatbelt, something sticky kept it from coming undone.

  ****

  Bree was hesitant, but also thankful when Spencer brought her to his cool apartment. “I’m not making you wait for Garrett at the school,” he’d said. And she wasn’t about to have him drive her all the way home. She didn’t want to put him out anymore by making him drive her all that way, but she also felt bad for intruding on him, especially when she saw the text books and journals splayed open on his coffee table, reminding her of the girl he just had in here.

  As soon as she sat Bailey down, she toddled toward the books.

  Bree rushed to the table, gathering the mess. “Sorry.”

  He laughed and went straight for the fridge. “That’s okay.”

  “I think I lost your place.” The books were jumbled and heavy in her hands, so she sat them on the counter.

  Spencer’s back was turned toward her and she only let herself look at him for a second before turning back toward Bailey, who was climbing the leather sofa.

  “The words were all floating together anyway.”

  “Are you sure that was the problem?” Bree rested her elbows on the counter and folded her hands under her chin, turning her eyes from Spencer, back to Bailey, who was now peeking over the back of the leather sofa.

  He craned his neck around to look at Bree, his hand still on the open fridge door. “Uh … I wasn’t expecting … you two. I only have beer.”

  “I can put tap water in Bailey’s sippy.”

  Spencer pulled a couple dollars from his wallet. “Not while I’m around,” he waved the money at her. “Vending machines are downstairs. I’ll be right back.”

  “Really, you don’t …,” but before she could stop him, he was out the door.

  Bree turned toward Bailey, who was being way too quiet, and found out why. Bailey stood on the edge of the sofa, beer bottle clutched between her hands. “Drink.”

  “No,” Bree shouted as she dove for her, making Bailey flinch.

  “Pence,” Bailey whined as Bree snatched the beer from her. “Show.” With big tears
, Bailey pointed toward the giant television mounted on the wall.

  “I’m sure Spencer won’t care if you watch your show.” Bree glanced down at the empty coffee table for the remote, but it wasn’t there.

  “Bailey watch show.” Bailey planted herself in the middle of the sofa, her little toddler legs straight out. Bree was relieved Bailey had a short nap in Spencer’s car, but now it only meant she was recharged enough to get into everything in this non-childproofed apartment.

  “I know, I’m getting it,” Bree said as she glanced around for the remote. It wasn’t sitting on either arm of the couch like Spencer sometimes kept it. It wasn’t on the side table, either, which only housed the brass lamp and a water-ringed coaster with a logo for the bar where his oldest brother was a bartender. Must have been where Bailey got the drink from, which was still cool in Bree’s hand and half empty. There was a lipstick ring around the rim and Bree didn’t even want to think about where else that girl’s mouth had been this afternoon.

  “Show,” Bailey whined.

  “Hold on, Bails.” Bree opened the drawer on the side table, with beer still in hand. She had to find that remote and entertain Bailey before her curious toddler decided to explore the place and found who knew what.

  Bree breathed a sigh of relief when, in fact, the remote was in the drawer. When she picked it up, a small envelope with her name scribbled on it in tiny letters floated to the ground. Why would there be a letter for her in Spencer’s side table? Then again, it didn’t have her full name, maybe it was another Bree. She tried to think. Had he gone out with a Bree lately? She would’ve remembered if he’d told her, though. She pointed the remote toward the television. As soon as it came to life, she typed in the channel; it was hard to tell what Spencer had it on. The jingle of Bailey’s favorite song started up and Bailey sang along, bobbing her head back and forth.

  Bree picked the envelope up. Was it for her? If it was, she had a right to look at it. Maybe she didn’t want to look at it. Things were good as they were. Spencer was one of her closest friends and that’s all she wanted right now. If she was ready for a relationship, it’d be with Garrett. Wouldn’t it?

  Maybe it didn’t have anything to do with that.

  Maybe it was something else entirely. It had to be.

  If it was for her and he never gave it to her, then nothing would change.

  The door swung open and Bree jumped and tossed the envelope in the drawer before she slammed it shut. The beer in her hand splashed her wrist.

  “Your booty call left her beer within Bailey’s reach.” She held up the bottle, but couldn’t look him in the eye, as she made her way to the kitchen to dump it out. At the rate she was going, she wouldn’t be looking anyone in the eye by the end of the summer.

  This morning, when she ran into Garrett’s dad in the kitchen fixing a cup of coffee, she mumbled a good morning, but shuffled back to her room with her head down.

  “I kicked her out too fast to think about it,” Spencer strode toward her, a bottled water hanging from each hand. “Got the good stuff now. By the way, if someone crazy short blond ever shows up while you’re here, don’t answer the door.”

  “I don’t even want to know.”

  “I thought she was going home for the summer like the rest of them.”

  “Like you did?” Bree tossed the beer bottle in the trash.

  He shrugged and twisted off the cap. “Where’s her cup?”

  “I think we left it in the car.” Bree gripped the side of the sink as she turned toward Spencer, her mind still on that stupid letter.

  “She can drink from the bottle right?” He twisted the top off.

  Bree looked away. “If you don’t care if she spills it.”

  “It’ll be all right.” Spencer strode to the sofa with the water in hand.

  “What did you do to her, anyway?”

  “Who?”

  “The crazy short blond.”

  He held his shoulders up and his eyes grew wider as he handed the drink to Bailey, who was more than happy to have a big girl bottle. “Nothing.” He scratched the back of his neck and shrugged. “I didn’t call her.”

  “Spencer.”

  “Like I said, I thought she was going home for the summer,” his voice squeaked.

  “I’m not going to help you get rid of this one like I did with Madison.”

  “Madison.” He smiled. “Now she was hot.”

  “And crazy as well.” Bree walked around the sofa.

  “Maybe I should give her a call.”

  Bree let out a loud laugh. “No, remember how she stalked you for weeks?”

  “Yeah, but that one night …”

  “I had to pretend to be your crazy baby-mama.” Bree would do anything for Spencer, one of her closest friends, so when he asked her to show up with Bailey claiming he was a deadbeat dad to get rid of a girl, she did it.

  “That was funny. Your hair was all,” he held his splayed fingers above his head. “And your eyes were all scary … you almost had me believing it, too.” He propped down beside Bailey, who smiled up at him. He draped his arm across the back of the sofa. “Seriously, you should be an actress. You’re hot enough for the job.”

  Bree felt her face flush. No, she wasn’t. “And what part am I qualified to play, Teen Mom?”

  “Sexy teen mom.” He quirked a smile at her.

  Bailey tipped the bottle up with both hands and dumped water down the front of her.

  “Don’t say that in front of Bailey.” Bree glanced at the drawer. Before, she always took it as Spencer just being Spencer, but now, with the thought of that envelope with her name on it, she wondered if there might be some truth in what he was saying.

  “What, that you’re sexy?” he laughed.

  She glared.

  Then he patted the space on the other side of him. “Come on in and make yourself comfortable. You’re going to be a while, right?”

  Before, she thought nothing of sitting by him on the sofa, even with his arm propped up behind her.

  Not now.

  She should have just taken the envelope, shoved it in her pocket, and pretend to have to use the bathroom. Now that was all she was going to think about, it sitting there, taunting her, and she couldn’t mention it to him, because what if it did say something about his feelings? Would he expect her to respond with the same thing? It could ruin everything they had. They’d talked about it once before, and agreed being just friends was best.

  Chapter 7

  “Let’s pick up the pace, Light,” Coach shouted and clapped as Garrett jogged passed. Practice dragged on today. All he wanted to do was get back to Bree and talk to her again. After missing a few plays, coach sent Garrett around the track.

  Garrett was convinced this new coach hated him. Finally, when his laps came to an end, everyone else already in the locker room, the coach shouted for him to go get out of his sight like he was a dog.

  If practice hadn’t been bad enough, he picked up his phone after his cold shower - since he was the last one in, there was no hot water - the text from Bree that she was at Spencer’s apartment made his day that much worse. He clenched his fist.

  “Hey man,” Hudson Ley, the quarterback Garrett also played in high school with, cupped his shoulder. “We’re all going out tonight for a drink.”

  Garrett knew this was more of an invitation than just a statement. “I can’t.”

  Hudson hesitated, bobbing his head, almost as if he was waiting for Garrett to change his mind then he said. “Okay.”

  “Bree’s car broke down. She’s at Spencer’s with the baby.”

  Hudson lifted his eyebrow. “That’s why you’re in a hurry.”

  Spencer was a jerk and everyone seemed to know this but Bree. Any time Garrett tried to bring the subject up to Bree, she’d tell him he was just being jealous. Maybe he was a little bit.

  “I’ll go with you next time.” Garrett shrugged into his tee shirt, which clung to his damp stomach. Taking the time to
dry off completely would only mean more time Bree spent with Spencer. That was something he couldn’t take the chance of happening. The thought of how close he was to getting her back, would one afternoon with Spencer set them back?

  “Sure you will.” Hudson laughed and tugged his shirt over his head as well.

  His teammates shouted after him as he stalked out of the locker room. “Where you going?”

  “If you moved that fast at practice …”

  He didn’t stick around to hear anything else. The door slammed shut behind him.

  The apartment was near campus. He could’ve walked if he wanted to, but he chose to speed over there instead.

  His heart thumped in overdrive as he took the stairs two at a time. He pounded on the door.

  It was only a few minutes before Spencer opened the door, a sideways, cocky smile across his smug face. Garrett wanted to punch him.

  “Daddy!” Bailey squealed as she jumped off the sofa and toddled to him, pushing past Spencer. Bree unfolded herself from the couch as well. Bailey’s cartoons blared from the giant television.

  Garrett scooped Bailey in his arms and looked at Bree, completely ignoring Spencer’s presence. “You ready?”

  Bree glanced at Spencer and bit her bottom lip. Garrett didn’t like her looking at him like that. And though he had liked the tight tank and short shorts on her this morning, now he hated them. The thought of Spencer sitting beside her on that sofa, staring down at her long, bare legs made him want to punch him.

  “Yeah,” Bree said, tugging on the hem of her tank.

  “Bye, Pence,” Bailey waved from Garrett’s side.

  Bree picked up a bottle of water and grabbed the diaper bag and back pack, tossing them over her shoulder. “Thanks again, for helping me.”

  “Anytime.” Spencer winked at Garrett.

  Holding Bailey was probably the best thing right now, because he wasn’t sure he wouldn’t punch him between his eyes if he wasn’t holding her.

  When Bree walked out the door, Spencer didn’t move and she had to squeeze against him to leave.