Read Online Breathe, Annie, Breathe by Miranda Kenneally - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Miranda Kenneally
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with Justin Bieber’s face on them. I still don’t know what was so funny about that.
“How old are you, if you don’t mind me asking?” I ask.
“Thirty-two,” she says with a sigh.
“You seem younger.” That makes her smile. She’s very glamorous, with brown curls, full lips, and fancy sunglasses specifically for running. I wanted a pair of those, but I had to decide between them and gas for my car.
“So why are you running a marathon?” Liza asks. “You’re the youngest person on our team by a long shot.”
I look at her sideways and pull a deep breath. The only person who knows why I’m here is Matt—Coach Woods told him—and I want to keep it that way. When I don’t say anything, I guess she takes a hint because she changes the subject.
“I just moved to Nashville in January. I’m from New York.”
I’ve never driven that far north before. “Wow, that’s a big move.”
“My law firm transferred me down here for a major case.”
“And you have time to run?”
She glances over for a sec, then averts her eyes. “I don’t really know anybody except people at work. I needed to get back in shape and I wanted a fun way to meet people, so here I am.” She wipes sweat off her forehead. “But it’s getting harder and harder to make the time for these long runs. Last weekend, I was so pooped after that ten-miler that I just went home and watched TV the rest of the day. I didn’t do any work. I better be careful or I’ll lose my case.”
“Running d-does take up a lot of time.”
“You know what the worst part was, Annie? I was watching that movie Sweet Home Alabama on TNT. The one with Reese Witherspoon? And I was so tired, I bawled like a baby when Reese gets back together with her sexy ex-husband.”
I smile at Liza. I like her personality, and her rambling keeps me nice and distracted.
She goes on, “I guess the movie got to me—the whole realizing-who-your-true-love-is stuff and all that.” Liza suddenly goes really quiet, and I get the feeling she has more to say. “The training is good. I’m finding that it’s healthy for me to get away from the office. It clears my thoughts.”
“Running does that for me too.”
Liza chatters on about the case her law firm transferred her for. It’s a huge sexual harassment lawsuit filed by a bunch of women at a nationwide communications company.
“I can’t discuss the case specifically,” she starts, “but let me tell you, Annie, I never thought I’d have to use the word penis so much.”
She says it matter-of-factly, and it occurs to me that she wouldn’t be telling me about her job unless she thought I was mature enough to hear it. I smile.
“Hello,” a voice says. I look over my shoulder to find Andrew, this tall, middle-aged guy on our team. Instead of wearing a fanny pack, like Liza, or a CamelBak, like me, he carries a thick, plastic water bottle in his hand. He falls into step beside us.
“You’re gonna get in trouble with Matt for wearing those headphones,” I tease.
“Why are all you ladies so into him? Matt says this, Matt says that ,” Andrew jokes.
“Um, have you seen him?” Liza asks.
“He’s not my type,” Andrew says. “I’m into short, curly-haired brunettes.”
God, is he hitting on her right in front of me? She raises her eyebrows at me, and I shrug. He’s okay looking, I guess, for somebody who could be my dad.
Matt jogs up next to us. Andrew yanks his headphones out, hides them under his shirt, and Matt smirks and shakes his head.
“Annie, let’s finish your run together,” Matt says. “We need to talk.”
I gasp. Does he know I hooked up with Jeremiah last week? My body tenses.
“You have to breathe while you’re running or you’ll pass out,” he says.
I remember to breathe.
“C’mon, Annie,” Matt says. “Let’s do some speed bursts. They’ll make you stronger.” He gestures for me to pass Liza and Andrew, and then he shoots off like a bottle rocket. “Let’s
“How old are you, if you don’t mind me asking?” I ask.
“Thirty-two,” she says with a sigh.
“You seem younger.” That makes her smile. She’s very glamorous, with brown curls, full lips, and fancy sunglasses specifically for running. I wanted a pair of those, but I had to decide between them and gas for my car.
“So why are you running a marathon?” Liza asks. “You’re the youngest person on our team by a long shot.”
I look at her sideways and pull a deep breath. The only person who knows why I’m here is Matt—Coach Woods told him—and I want to keep it that way. When I don’t say anything, I guess she takes a hint because she changes the subject.
“I just moved to Nashville in January. I’m from New York.”
I’ve never driven that far north before. “Wow, that’s a big move.”
“My law firm transferred me down here for a major case.”
“And you have time to run?”
She glances over for a sec, then averts her eyes. “I don’t really know anybody except people at work. I needed to get back in shape and I wanted a fun way to meet people, so here I am.” She wipes sweat off her forehead. “But it’s getting harder and harder to make the time for these long runs. Last weekend, I was so pooped after that ten-miler that I just went home and watched TV the rest of the day. I didn’t do any work. I better be careful or I’ll lose my case.”
“Running d-does take up a lot of time.”
“You know what the worst part was, Annie? I was watching that movie Sweet Home Alabama on TNT. The one with Reese Witherspoon? And I was so tired, I bawled like a baby when Reese gets back together with her sexy ex-husband.”
I smile at Liza. I like her personality, and her rambling keeps me nice and distracted.
She goes on, “I guess the movie got to me—the whole realizing-who-your-true-love-is stuff and all that.” Liza suddenly goes really quiet, and I get the feeling she has more to say. “The training is good. I’m finding that it’s healthy for me to get away from the office. It clears my thoughts.”
“Running does that for me too.”
Liza chatters on about the case her law firm transferred her for. It’s a huge sexual harassment lawsuit filed by a bunch of women at a nationwide communications company.
“I can’t discuss the case specifically,” she starts, “but let me tell you, Annie, I never thought I’d have to use the word penis so much.”
She says it matter-of-factly, and it occurs to me that she wouldn’t be telling me about her job unless she thought I was mature enough to hear it. I smile.
“Hello,” a voice says. I look over my shoulder to find Andrew, this tall, middle-aged guy on our team. Instead of wearing a fanny pack, like Liza, or a CamelBak, like me, he carries a thick, plastic water bottle in his hand. He falls into step beside us.
“You’re gonna get in trouble with Matt for wearing those headphones,” I tease.
“Why are all you ladies so into him? Matt says this, Matt says that ,” Andrew jokes.
“Um, have you seen him?” Liza asks.
“He’s not my type,” Andrew says. “I’m into short, curly-haired brunettes.”
God, is he hitting on her right in front of me? She raises her eyebrows at me, and I shrug. He’s okay looking, I guess, for somebody who could be my dad.
Matt jogs up next to us. Andrew yanks his headphones out, hides them under his shirt, and Matt smirks and shakes his head.
“Annie, let’s finish your run together,” Matt says. “We need to talk.”
I gasp. Does he know I hooked up with Jeremiah last week? My body tenses.
“You have to breathe while you’re running or you’ll pass out,” he says.
I remember to breathe.
“C’mon, Annie,” Matt says. “Let’s do some speed bursts. They’ll make you stronger.” He gestures for me to pass Liza and Andrew, and then he shoots off like a bottle rocket. “Let’s
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