Page 13 of In the Long Run

KNOX

Celeste is the last person I’m expecting to see on my doorstep this morning. ‘What are you doing here?’ I ask.

She pushes past me, a patisserie box in one hand and a cardboard carrier with coffees in the other. ‘I’m coming to Run Club.’

The only thing I’ve ever seen Celeste run towards is carbohydrates. She’s not even wearing runners. Her pink Chuck Taylors will destroy her feet.

I trail after her down the hallway. ‘Why?’

She stops in front of the couch, where Eugene is lying with Chouquette curled on his lap.

‘Hey, Eug. I miss you at Alizée’s.’ She hugs him tightly and when they pull apart, his eyes are shining.

Hers are too, and I bet it’s because this new version of Eugene is still so jarring to see.

At least, that’s how it feels to me and I see him every day.

‘I’m sorry I haven’t been by,’ he mumbles. ‘I’ll come by soon.’

She pulls her headband forward and then pushes it back into place. ‘Take your time.’

‘Back to Run Club,’ I say, dragging a hand along the back of my neck, squeezing the tension there.

Celeste huffs before passing a coffee to Eugene. ‘Yeti said I should come.’

Eugene and I exchange a look, and a small smile peeks out from the salt and pepper whiskers of his longer-than-normal beard.

‘You realise it’s running though?’

‘So? My legs aren’t painted on. This one’—she tips her chin towards Eugene—‘keeps telling me my metabolism will slow down one day and I won’t be able to eat so much pastry. How hard is running anyway?’

‘In those shoes?’

She rolls her eyes and pushes back up to stand as tall as her short stature allows her to, spinning around so I can see her backpack. ‘I have proper runners, but they’re so ugly.’

‘What’s wrong with them?’ Eug asks before lifting his drink and blowing on it. Steam spirals up and he sighs contentedly.

‘They’re white.’

Eugene and I laugh. ‘And that’s bad because …’

‘It’s so boring! I hate boring clothes.’ Her bright blue leggings and boxy yellow jumper with a cartoon turtle running in front of a Van Gogh painting reinforce her statement. I know it’s a Van Gogh because printed above the turtle is ‘Watch Me Van Gogh’ in capitals.

‘Who’s the other coffee for?’ Eugene asks.

Celeste’s giggle confirms my suspicions.

‘Ah,’ Eugene says, settling further into the couch. ‘I’m almost sad I can’t come along to watch.’

‘I’m going to livestream it. You know my TikTok followers get frothy whenever Knox is on camera. Remember when we went to the Gold Coast last year and he wore those boardies? First time I ever went viral.’ Celeste raises her hand for a high five but I push it down before Eugene can return it.

‘Okay.’ I slap my hands against my thighs and grab my phone and keys. ‘We’re going now. Eug, call if you need anything. Gen said—’

‘Oh, Knoxy, you’re so pretty and strong and manly.’ Celeste’s high-pitched imitation of Gen is borderline offensive, as is the gesture she adds at the end. Thankfully, Eugene doesn’t see that bit. Although, the man lived abroad in France in the ’80s and early ’90s. Pretty sure he’s seen everything.

‘—Caleb’s home this morning if you need any help. Can I get you anything before we leave?’

‘Just have fun. Do something nice for yourself.’

Easier said than done.

‘Hey, so, quick question. At what point are you going to actually knock on the door?’ Celeste whispers as I stare at Gen’s door.

‘You’re a pain in the ass.’

She squeezes my arm, plastering her face to my side theatrically. ‘You say the sweetest things, Knox. It’s a mystery that you’re still single.’

I flick her nose, and she shrieks and jumps away from me.

‘Shhh. Gen said that she’d make her own way to Run Club this morning,’ I whisper.

‘I thought she’d like a coffee.’ Celeste shrugs, totally unrepentant about what we both know is her real motivation. ‘And then we can give her a lift. Looks like rain out there.’ She points towards the patch of sky we can see from the second-floor landing. There isn’t a single cloud in it.

‘I think we should meet her there like she said.’

Celeste manages to roll her eyes with her whole body, pairing the exaggerated movement with a condescending press of her hand to her forehead. ‘Maybe Yeti’s right, as much as it pains me to admit that. I’ll deny it if you ever tell him.’

I cross my arms. ‘What are you talking about?’

‘You’re clearly into her.’

My eyes close. ‘Celeste.’ I wince, hearing all the layers wrapped up in her name.

The plea to let this go and the embarrassment that I’m so transparent.

Being back home is messing with my head.

Mostly how much I’m enjoying being here.

The recognition of how lonely I’d let my life become and – I clear my throat – how much I’ve missed out on.

‘And she likes you too.’

Don’t do it.

Don’t do it.

‘What makes you think that?’ I open my eyes in time to catch the tail end of Celeste’s biggest, happiest smile.

She jabs a finger at my chest. Her nails have cupcakes on them. ‘Ha! You admit it. You do like her.’

I push her hand away. ‘I never said that.’

‘If you didn’t, you wouldn’t care if she liked you or not.’

Shit. ‘That’s not true.’

‘So, here’s what we’re going to do. You’re going to knock on the door. Say you thought she might like a coffee. Ask if she’d like a lift to Run Club. I’ll be waiting in the car.’

Ah, that’s why she snatched the keys from me on the walk upstairs. Celeste raises her hand, pounds on the door loud enough to wake the whole damn building, slaps my chest and runs down the stairs.

‘Celeste!’ I hiss but she’s long gone, her cackle fading like the dawn colours outside.

‘Yes?’ A man opens the door wearing nothing but a pair of boxers with the phrase ‘I licked it so it’s mine’ stamped all over them. A large tattoo of an eagle covers one side of his chest. This must be Caleb, Gen’s flatmate. He’s not what I was expecting, or what Eugene described.

I’m going to kill Celeste. And Yeti. He probably dared her to do this, because those two have a weird cat-and-mouse dynamic going on that I do not want to think about. If they ever got together it would be either the best thing or totally apocalyptic.

‘You must be Caleb. I’m sorry to disturb you so early. I was hoping to speak to Gen?’

He scratches his stomach. ‘I’m Lawson.’

Not Caleb then. Which means … not my business, no matter how much the pain in my chest disagrees.

‘Um …’ When I was a Battery Captain, I was in charge of 125 soldiers.

I’ve led training exercises. I’ve seen soldiers do a whole bunch of dumb shit and always known what to say, how to act.

I’m good under pressure. But right now? I’ve got nothing.

The difference is that I’ve always kept my personal feelings out of those situations.

‘Um …’ Shit. I said Gen’s name already. Can’t pretend I’m at the wrong apartment.

‘You’re Knox!’ the man shouts. ‘Gen! Get your ass out here. Your hot soldier is waiting for you. Caleb! Babe, wake up. He’s even hotter in 3D.’

Her hot what now?

This is all too much. I thrust the coffee towards Lawson. ‘Can you please give this to Gen and tell her I’ll see her at Run Club?’

I don’t give him a chance to answer.

I’m down the stairs when I hear Gen ask what’s going on.

The answer is that I freaked the fuck out.

And I can’t afford to do that.