Run Read Online Free Page A

lover from the night before was the reason for my good mood. The knot between my shoulders that no amount of yoga could get rid of was gone. I’d eaten a full breakfast this morning, and lunch, too. Dinner was hours away, and already my stomach was looking forward to it. Sex healed. I just hoped the magical properties would last long enough for me to find a safer, healthier way to cope.
           Gwen stuck her head out of the kitchen. “Kenna? My office when you have a minute.”
           I dropped off the check for a man holding his hand up like he was in a classroom and made my way through the kitchen to Gwen’s miniscule office. “What’s up?”
           She waved a hand at the door. “Close that and have a seat.”
           I shut the door and sat in one of the half-wrecked chairs in front of her desk. She pushed a piece of paper across the desk at me. “There was a problem with your Social Security number.”
           A shock of cold shot through my chest and formed a lump in my stomach. “Oh?” The paper was my I-9 form. I’d used my passport for my employment papers. I’d managed to alter the birthdate so I could still use it. I’d faked the social, coming up with a random nine digit number. The diner, and Gwen, had looked like the kind of place that wouldn’t look too closely at something like that. I’d been wrong.
           “It came back belonging to a fifty-four year old housewife in Detroit.” Not so random, then. Not so random at all. “You don’t look like a middle aged housewife.”
           I swallowed hard. Stared at the form. Realized this meant I’d have to quit. Find work elsewhere. Maybe move on. I’d been in Austin less than a month, here for about two weeks. I had some money. Not enough.
           I wasn’t ready to go home.
           “Are you in trouble?” Gwen asked, her tone blunt. Almost harsh. “Running from someone?” The question must have shown on my face, because her expression softened. “I help out at a women’s shelter. You don’t exhibit any of the usual signs of abuse, but I’ve learned you should never assume.”
           I shook my head. “Not running. Just not ready to be found.” The fake birthdate and Social Security number might have been overkill, but it helped keep me calm most of the time.
           Key words being most of the time .
           My knuckles were white. I loosened my clenched hands. “I—” I couldn’t do this. I had to give a truth, a part of the story, because I wasn’t ready to leave. Selfish of me. “I’m a horrible person,” I muttered. “Horrible for asking for this.”
           Gwen’s expression had closed off. “If I could give you the reason to pay me under the table, would you let me stay? I’ll leave if you can’t. I’ll leave at the first hint of trouble if you do,” I added.
           The silence sucked the air out of the room. I couldn’t blink. Everything, everything , stilled. Halted. Waited for her response.
           “Might not look like it,” she said, drawing out the words, “but I don’t hire illegals. I can keep you off the books for a few weeks and deduct back taxes if you need more money up front. Best I can offer.”
           In the year I’d been gone, I’d never been able to prove anyone was looking for me. I made the occasional phone call to my parents, reassuring them I was alive. Deirdra’s brother Adam had threatened my life before I’d run, but would he really waste money trying to track me down? Whenever I managed to convince myself I was paranoid, something would happen to make me glad I’d taken the precaution. Making my choice, I straightened my shoulders and drew in a breath. “My name really is McKenna Davis,” I said quietly. “My Social Security number and date of birth are false, though the birth year is correct. I am running from something. Some one . Google McKenna Davis teacher