Read Without Boundaries for Free Online Page B

We sit there for a minute in silence. “Hey, do we have silent conversations a lot?”
“All the time. Are you not aware of that?” She laughs at me like I’m ridiculous.
“No. I mean, I know we do it but I guess I just haven’t really paid attention to how often we do that.”
“Why do you ask?”
“Talon noticed your silent questions when you came in earlier and asked if we do that a lot because we seemed to be really good at it I guess.” I’m lying back on my sofa now trying to calm the headache that has sprung up on me suddenly.
“Dang, he’s perceptive.” She smiles and pats me on the leg.  “C’mon, let’s go shopping then grab some lunch.”
“It’s 9:30 a.m. Drea. I can’t just leave work, I have a million things to do today.”
“You don’t have any meetings, I checked.” She gives me her mischievous smile. “Besides I really need some new thigh high boots, and I found the last two contracts so you can close out the quarter tomorrow. Please?” And there are the puppy dog eyes and drooping bottom lip. I give my biggest, most dramatic sigh.
“Fine! I’m in.”  I let her have her way because I highly doubt I will get very much accomplished the rest of the day anyway.

CHAPTER EIGHT
BAILEY
 
 
              My alarm sounds at five-forty-five but I’m already awake, lying here waiting for the sun to peek through my curtains. I haven’t slept a wink all night. After my shopping trip with Drea that ended up lasting all day, we went to dinner and then a late movie. I really miss doing those things with her; we used to do that kind of thing all the time. Then I met Hollister. Those days are few and far between now.
Sluggish and sleep deprived, I walk into my closet and grab my socks and running shoes, a tank, my favorite NYU hoodie, and jogging pants. I throw it all on, brush my teeth, and pile my hair in a messy bun without even brushing it. I just don’t have the energy to look cute this morning. I need to run. Running has always helped me clear my head and sort things out. It helps me cry when necessary, helps to appease an angry flair, and always forces me to think straight. There’s just something about the cold air flowing into my lungs, and the concentration it takes to breathe correctly; it always does the trick. Running is the best friend that doesn’t give unsolicited advice. The friend that doesn’t talk when they should be listening to me wallow in self-pity. Running is the best friend that is always available and never fails me. Right now, I need all of those things desperately.
I head out of my building by six a.m. and out into the cold weather I was looking forward to. My feet start tapping the cement. Without too many people around I have the ability to sprint right away, which is my favorite style. I sprint to the park, take a quick breather and then settle into a steady jog all the way around the sweetest park. It has the oldest trees, and large areas of just grass and picnic tables. There is a playground area but it’s quiet and still at this hour. So I take in the birds that are coming to life, the few leaves that drop down around me, and the smells of the bakeries that are getting their morning goods fresh out of the oven.
Talon keeps invading my thoughts so I finally push him out and focus on Hollister. I recall the night I met him trying to stir up those feelings I had for him. I had gone to a book release party for a client of Drea’s. I didn’t know anyone there, but I had been in the longest drought of not-dating in the history of man, so Drea talked me into going with her to mingle. It didn’t take much for me to agree. I love people and parties and books for that matter, it seemed like the perfect evening to me.
I had just turned from the bar that was setup in the client’s beautiful backyard. We were out on the pool deck and they had the whole yard lit up in white twinkling lights and some floating candles in the pool; it was fabulous. When I