After just a few days of going through the motions, she found herself actually enjoying the rush of energy it gave her. Running alone and feeling the silence that surrounded her really gave her the time to clear her head and simply think. Now, whenever she had something weighing on her mind, she had to go for a run—it was a necessity.
Kate made the familiar drive into the city and dropped off the photos from a client’s wedding she’d done a month ago. The traffic this time of day was awful, and by the time she made it to Fairmount Park, she was anxious for a run.
Pulling on a hat and gloves, she set out on a familiar trail that she used to run when she lived there. In the past, whenever she started her run, her mind automatically went to thoughts of Scott. However, today she couldn’t get her mind off of Ethan.
She wondered if she’d ever be able to find him again. Most likely he lived in the city and that left her chances slim to none. Her best bet was just as Sophie and Elle had suggested: go to Rain every weekend and pray that he shows up. But what if he doesn’t go to Rain often? And what if I do meet him again and he’s not interested? she thought.
Her stomach twisted at the idea, and she forced herself to push the fear from her mind. Surely he felt the same connection that she’d felt. And if he didn’t … well, she couldn’t think of it. Picking up her pace, she pushed herself a little harder, hoping to dispel the unease that was creeping in.
She kept up her fast tempo for another mile and felt her legs begin to grow heavy. The stretch and pull of her tendons was invigorating, and she welcomed the slow burn as she continued at a steady rhythm. Climbing a small hill, she drove herself upward, her breath coming out in gusts of white in the cold air. On her way down the slope, she felt the loose gravel crunch beneath her feet as she slipped over the unsteady surface. Before her mind could register what was happening, she was falling. She attempted to steady herself, but felt the familiar sharp pain in her ankle as it twisted beneath her. Her leg gave out and her body went down. The momentum from her fall left her tumbling down the incline, rolling over branches and rocks until finally coming to a stop.
At the bottom of the hill, she lay panting, trying to catch her breath and assess the damage to her body. She already knew from the throbbing in her ankle that she’d twisted it. Taking a calming breath, she tried to sit up, but when she did, she felt a searing pain in her side. Glancing down, she noticed that her shirt was dirty, ripped, and stained with blood. She wasn’t sure how deep of a cut she had, but from the way it felt, it was bad enough. She contemplated making a trip to the hospital and having Dr. Williams take a look.
When she and Elle had moved to Philadelphia, she made a few trips to the hospital to visit Dr. Williams, but it was never for her own health. It was always for Elle. The first time was because she had a nasty fall and broke her ankle. All the subsequent times were for either sprained wrists or shoulder pulls—injuries that Kate wasn’t sure were 100% real. But she always kept her mouth shut and played the supportive friend. After all, she’d had her fair share of crushes over the years.
Dr. Williams was one of them. He was always so nice to Kate, and there was something about him that reminded her of her dad. And it wasn’t just his good looks, that’s for sure. For someone who looked like a model who’d walked off the pages of Lands’ End, he was extremely humble. In fact, he seemed to have no idea that all the nurses—and pretty much all of his patients—were left speechless by his presence.
After coming to the decision that going to the hospital was probably her best bet, Kate slowly stood. It took her a moment to regain her balance and took even longer to make it to her car. Thankfully, it was her left ankle and not her right, which meant she could still drive.
Kate made the familiar drive into the city and dropped off the photos from a client’s wedding she’d done a month ago. The traffic this time of day was awful, and by the time she made it to Fairmount Park, she was anxious for a run.
Pulling on a hat and gloves, she set out on a familiar trail that she used to run when she lived there. In the past, whenever she started her run, her mind automatically went to thoughts of Scott. However, today she couldn’t get her mind off of Ethan.
She wondered if she’d ever be able to find him again. Most likely he lived in the city and that left her chances slim to none. Her best bet was just as Sophie and Elle had suggested: go to Rain every weekend and pray that he shows up. But what if he doesn’t go to Rain often? And what if I do meet him again and he’s not interested? she thought.
Her stomach twisted at the idea, and she forced herself to push the fear from her mind. Surely he felt the same connection that she’d felt. And if he didn’t … well, she couldn’t think of it. Picking up her pace, she pushed herself a little harder, hoping to dispel the unease that was creeping in.
She kept up her fast tempo for another mile and felt her legs begin to grow heavy. The stretch and pull of her tendons was invigorating, and she welcomed the slow burn as she continued at a steady rhythm. Climbing a small hill, she drove herself upward, her breath coming out in gusts of white in the cold air. On her way down the slope, she felt the loose gravel crunch beneath her feet as she slipped over the unsteady surface. Before her mind could register what was happening, she was falling. She attempted to steady herself, but felt the familiar sharp pain in her ankle as it twisted beneath her. Her leg gave out and her body went down. The momentum from her fall left her tumbling down the incline, rolling over branches and rocks until finally coming to a stop.
At the bottom of the hill, she lay panting, trying to catch her breath and assess the damage to her body. She already knew from the throbbing in her ankle that she’d twisted it. Taking a calming breath, she tried to sit up, but when she did, she felt a searing pain in her side. Glancing down, she noticed that her shirt was dirty, ripped, and stained with blood. She wasn’t sure how deep of a cut she had, but from the way it felt, it was bad enough. She contemplated making a trip to the hospital and having Dr. Williams take a look.
When she and Elle had moved to Philadelphia, she made a few trips to the hospital to visit Dr. Williams, but it was never for her own health. It was always for Elle. The first time was because she had a nasty fall and broke her ankle. All the subsequent times were for either sprained wrists or shoulder pulls—injuries that Kate wasn’t sure were 100% real. But she always kept her mouth shut and played the supportive friend. After all, she’d had her fair share of crushes over the years.
Dr. Williams was one of them. He was always so nice to Kate, and there was something about him that reminded her of her dad. And it wasn’t just his good looks, that’s for sure. For someone who looked like a model who’d walked off the pages of Lands’ End, he was extremely humble. In fact, he seemed to have no idea that all the nurses—and pretty much all of his patients—were left speechless by his presence.
After coming to the decision that going to the hospital was probably her best bet, Kate slowly stood. It took her a moment to regain her balance and took even longer to make it to her car. Thankfully, it was her left ankle and not her right, which meant she could still drive.
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