Page 20 of Only You

“Do you have everything you need now?” She was clutching her things against her chest, which was a good thing too, because he suspected she was braless under her pajama top.

“Yes. I’ll leave so you can go back to sleep.” Kayla moved toward the door.

Thinking it was safe, Jack uncovered himself, but at the last second, she turned around. He yanked the covers over his lower half. “Now what?” he muttered.

“I just wanted to say, see you later.”

“See you later,” Jack repeated.

Kayla went out the door and closed it behind her. Jack slapped his forehead. “Idiot!” He wasn’t sure what was more irritating, that he’d put himself in this position or his physical reaction to her.

He lay there a while longer, listening to her move around the kitchen until she left. Then it struck him—he hadn’t given her a house key. Jack whipped off the covers and ran out of the bedroom, anxious to catch her before she drove away. He grabbed the spare key off the kitchen counter and swung open the front door. Kayla was about to get into her car. “Wait!”

She jerked her head up, looking shocked to see him there.

Jack dangled the house key in the air, and she came up the walkway to the door. Her gaze skimmed down his body, and he remembered he was still in his underwear. At least, he wasn’t aroused anymore, and since she’d already seen him like this, he didn’t bother covering himself.

Jack handed her the key. “I meant to give you this last night. I might be going out, so you’ll need it to get back in.”

Kayla slipped the key into her purse and nervously glanced around. “Aren’t you afraid someone is going to see you?”

He chuckled. “Nobody goes out this early on a Sunday morning.” His neighbors on the right were an elderly couple who rarely left their condo. A young married couple lived to the left, and he’d never seen them before noon on the weekend.

“Thanks for the key.” Kayla turned and strode back down the walkway.

“Be careful driving,” he called.

“I will, honey,” she tossed over her shoulder.

Jack stood in the doorway until she got into her car and drove away. Then he heard someone loudly clearing his throat. He turned to the right and saw Ralph, his elderly neighbor, staring at him. “Morning,” Jack said, giving him a friendly wave.

Ralph raised one hairy gray eyebrow. “Morning.” He reached down and scooped a newspaper off the porch. Then he went inside without another word.

People still get a newspaper. Go figure. Jack went inside and locked the door behind him. This was the most eventful Sunday morning he’d had in a long time, and now he was wide awake.

Go about your normal routine, Kayla had insisted. Typically, on a Sunday, he’d lounge around, drinking coffee, and scrolling through the newsfeed on his phone. Today, he was too restless for that. Padding back into his bedroom, Jack picked up his phone from the nightstand. He brought up the messaging thread with Ryan, and typed, Go for a run? His friend was an early riser, and sure enough, Jack’s phone pinged back right away.

Is this Jack, or did someone hijack your phone?

Jack chuckled. It’s me. I woke up early today.

Obviously. Where and when?

Rochester Park in half an hour?

See you then.

Jack put on his running clothes and went into the kitchen. He made a cup of coffee and toasted a bagel. Half an hour later, he arrived at the park.

The men greeted each other in the parking lot.

“This is a surprise,” Ryan said as they shook hands.

The two ran together a couple of times per week, but it was usually after work. Jack shrugged. “Like I said, I woke up early.”

The men stretched before taking off down the path that threaded through the park. For a while, they didn’t speak, letting their bodies acclimate to the crisp morning air.

“So, what’s new?” Ryan asked.