Love on the Run: Romance about Running

By Ava Catori

Gem is a certified couch potato with a fierce love of climate control. Her idea of fun is sprawling on the sofa with a glass of wine. The only hobby she has is stalking Cole Parker, the man she has a massive crush on.

When Gem's best friend convinces her that running just might be the ticket to Cole's heart, she's tempted to lace up. Though, that means going out the front door and actually running.

In a fun sports romance comedy about runners, Gem tackles her lack of athletic skill in pursuit of her dream man. She hopes to make a good impression since the last time she saw him, she nearly knocked him out with her clumsy moves. He probably forgot about that. Right?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ava Catori Books
• Release date: Nov 4, 2019
• ISBN: 9781393453932

Book preview

Chapter 1

My thighs sat in a pool of sweat, stuck to the leather sofa. I’m pretty sure I’ve lost five pounds in the last hour. Of course, if the air conditioner was working, that might not be the case. They said they’d be here to fix it on Friday, but Friday came and went—a long, sweaty lifetime ago. Bitter? We’ll see what the scale says.

I was barely clinging on when Kimber burst through the door. She should have been breathless, but instead was full of energy and oxygen. Unlike me.

You’ll never believe who I just saw on my run.

Santa Claus? I couldn’t hide the sarcasm.

Yeah, sure, because he has nothing better to do with Christmas only being six months away. Her deadpan performance was extraordinary. If I had the strength, I would have given her a slow golf clap. But you know...my strength has been sapped, and what’s left of me is in a puddle on the sofa.

You’re not even going to guess? She groaned.

I guessed. You just weren’t happy with my answer.

Fine, be that way.

I had no play left in me. It was too hot, and what little energy I had left I needed. To open the door for the air conditioner guy—if he ever showed up.

Cole Parker! She was more than pleased with herself.

I perked up, Cole? Cole Parker was only the hottest guy I’d ever laid eyes on. Just hearing his name was enough to perk me up.

Yeah, I thought that might get your attention. She smirked. Anyway, I didn’t know he ran, but I passed him on the trail today.

Really? My interest was growing leaps and bounds, but still I sat drenched and unmoving.

I was thinking that this might be the perfect time for you to start running. I know you’ve been talking about it. She really said that with a straight face. Right at me. Like, seriously.

Horrified, I gasped. "Talking, only talking about it. You know how I am. I don’t actually do things; I just talk about wanting to do things. People like me don’t run... Slugs don’t run. I am a slug."

"Cole Parker, the guy you’ve had a crush on forever is out there running, and this would be the perfect chance for you to accidentally or not so accidentally bump into him. You could be all like, I didn’t know you ran too, and then bam you’re on your way." She saw it as the perfect plan. There was just one problem. It entailed me moving.

Great plan in theory, but there’s just one problem. I don’t run, nor do I have any desire to start, especially with summer heating up. I’m barely keeping myself alive without air-conditioning. I’ll be dead if I sweat anymore.

Come on, Gem, you’re not even going to try? This is perfect, you could ask him for tips if you bump into him, and have a perfect opening, she nudged.

The fact was that I just wasn’t athletically gifted. I’m pretty sure I’ve got two left feet, and as much as I crush over the guy, I just didn’t see this as my in with him. As soon as he saw me attempt to move, he’d bend over in laughter.

I sighed, I don’t think so, but thanks for thinking of me. I mean, sure, if I was a gazelle, great, maybe I’d impress him. But me running? No thank you.

She wouldn’t take no for an answer. You’re not even going to try? Come on, I’d love to have someone to run with, and oh...oh, wait a minute. Maybe I could run with Cole... she trailed off.

Kimber, you wouldn’t dare! My eyes shot wide open.

Wouldn’t I? I did give you first dibs, she teased, knowing she was pushing every single one of my buttons.

Fine, I groaned. I will attempt this thing you call running, but we’re doing it my way, and at my pace. I need to go slow.

Kimber grinned, Deal.

Cole Parker was about the only thing that could get me thinking about running right now. I swabbed the back of my hand across my forehead slicking off the newly formed beads of sweat. At least if it absorbed into my hand, I’d have that ounce of hydration forced back into my body somewhere else. It was going to be a long week.

Kimber grinned, We'll get you fitted for proper running shoes this week.

I have sneakers, I said.

You have sneakers that you grabbed off the shelf at the local big box store. They are not running shoes. We need to know if you pronate or supinate. She was throwing words at me that felt like another language.

Huh? I stared at her.

Kimber shook her head. Go get cleaned up, we'll go shopping later.

You said this week, that's doesn't mean today.

True, but I realized if you're not invested you'll never do it. New running shoes will inspire you after you pay for them. Besides, the store will be air-conditioned, as will the car.

Air-conditioning has to be the best invention ever – when it works. What's this going to set me back? She had a point, I could enjoy air-conditioning somewhere else. It’s not like mine was going to magically turn back on.

Kimber hemmed and hawed, Umm...

Spit it out. Did I even want to know?

New shoes, maybe ninety to one hundred and fifty, it depends on what you get. She flinched, awaiting my reaction.

My jaw fell to the floor. You want me to not only run, something you know I won’t be good at, but also spend that much on sneakers? It was insane, or quite specific she was insane. There was no way I was putting out that kind of money on stupid shoes that weren’t even going to get me laid.

They’re called running shoes not sneakers, and yes, you'll thank me. You don't want to get injured. Just think shopping, she grinned, trying to appeal to my inner shopping diva.

Fine, I groaned. Okay, I could buy stuff. I like to shop. I'd get new, fun things, and with the right attitude I might be okay. And air-conditioning would be amazing about now. I hoped I didn't actually have to do the running stuff. That could get ugly.

**

Cole Parker, where do I start? I am going to come off totally shallow here, I know, I know, I don’t mean to be, but that guy has an insanely hard body, his shoulders and arms bring tears to my eyes, and he's adorable, like really hot. I’ve love to tell you about his personality, only I can’t. The problem is that he barely knows I exist.  I've known about Cole, okay and maybe semi-stalked him the tiniest bit to learn more about him, for a while now. From the first time I saw him, I was smitten, like some school girl with a crush. He was hot, and I don’t mean ‘oh look a cute guy’, he was drool worthy.

I met Cole at the health club, somewhere I just don’t belong. I’m the girl with two left feet that has no natural athletic ability. I’m not one of ‘those girls’ that has mastered the art of fitness classes and looks good doing it. I went on a whim – one time! I mean, I was out of my comfort zone and taking some kickboxing class I had no right to be a part of. It seemed like a good idea at the time, though I hadn’t really thought it through.

I picked out a spot early trying to look like I belonged there, and then this Zeus stands next to me and smiles. My heart started racing, and I prayed that I wouldn’t make a fool of myself. I did, and nearly took out the guy with a lopsided spinning kick.

I had this insane idea that a kickboxing class would be fun. I convinced myself I could pull it off, what did I have to do, spin, jab and maybe kick a few times? No problem. Yeah, that didn't go so well, and when I lost my balance and almost took him out, I knew this wasn't the class for me. Only he was nice about it, smiling, laughing it off, and then went about his day.

I saw him again at the juice bar. I know, most people would have run like mad hatters out of the gym, but I saw food and went straight for it. I was hoping for some combination of chocolate chip cookies and a stiff drink, but settled for a strawberry-banana smoothie. They looked at me with horror when I requested cookies after a workout. What can I say, I was about to die of starvation and needed some serious calories. Die, people, I could have died – do you know how terrifying that would have been if I died right there at the juice bar without calories?

You've got some great moves, he teased, only then he kept walking by.

I called out to him like the delicate lady that I am, Hey, hey you. Guy that I almost knocked out...

He spun around laughing, Yes?

I shot out my hand, not knowing what else to do. I just knew I had to meet him, like officially meet him. He was the hottest guy I'd ever had the pleasure of almost hurting. Gem, I said, I'm Gem Skinner.

Cole Parker, he said shaking my hand. It's nice to meet you.

You too, I couldn’t wipe the goofy grin off my face.

...and then he walked away. I wanted to go back to another class in the future, but I felt like a fool. Instead, I would just show up at the juice bar, pretending like I'd done something for a few days, just to get a glance of him, but nothing ever came of it except for my crush. It was silly really...but then I saw him at the market, and he remembered my name, well, sort of – he called me Gemma, not Gem, but whatever. And when he talked, his eyes sparkled in this sexy way that had me ready to rip off his clothes, but it seemed one sided.

I wasn't ready to give up – not just yet.

So while the idea of Kimber suggesting running was quite laughable, I couldn't stop talking about this guy for the last six months since I'd met him, and I think she got tired of hearing about him. Kimber is a girl of action, so she figures if I keep getting in his path, something is bound to happen. She says he’s not her type. Not her type?! She’s crazy, he should be everybody’s type. But she goes for bookworms, shy accountant types. The girl can get any guy she wants, and she wants the beta guys of the world, lucky bastards. She’s in their corner. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with the beta guys, but they aren’t for me. Now this guy, this guy had me wanting to tear clothes off.

Anyway, that's how I ended up spending well over a hundred dollars on a pair of running shoes. I mean, I'm not calling these damn things sneakers after spending that kind of money. Besides, they’re highly specialized shoes that will help me. At least that’s what I’m telling myself after dropping that much cash on them.

They wanted me to run for them so they could see my gait. Run? I don’t run. It was more like panting and gasping while trying to keep up with the treadmill they made me get on. Some guy watched my movements and declared me a supinator, saying I rolled out when I ran and needed a shoe that corrected me. What I really needed was my money back and a glass of wine.

Kimber glared at me as I complained the entire time at the running store, but who pays that much money for this stuff. I about choked when the guy recommended a twelve dollar pair of running socks. Twelve dollars – for one pair! Umm, no thank you.

This was going to hurt my wallet. I could feel it already. He was talking about how cotton, soft, sweet, gentle cotton would tear and chew at my feet like savage beasts and jagged knives. What? My socks haven't betrayed me before this moment, but after an introduction to the things I'd need to know for running – he convinced me it would be the best twelve dollars I'd ever spent. He then suggested a great deal for two pairs of socks for twenty bucks, which would save me money. I handed over my credit card and begrudgingly took my bag to the car. Okay, I bought the damn socks. Sue me.

This is fun, we’ll need to pick up a few more things later, but for now this is a start, Kimber gloated. She was thrilled that her buddy would be running