The Miles Read Online Free

intersecting right as Joey yanked Zane into what was now an odd quartet. Liam could feel his heart flutter and prayed that he might escape an embarrassing recrimination from Monroe. Liam attempted a look of entreaty with his friend, only to find that Monroe was transfixed by Zane.
    â€œSo, Zane,” started Joey, “this is a new runner. His name is Liam.”
    â€œOh, I know you! You’re a celebrity in the making! I saw you pass Gene at that race up in Van Cortlandt.” Yes! No wonder he was so familiar. Liam nodded, feeling as though an itch inside his head had just been scratched. “You’ve been the talk of the club ever since—and a veritable mystery man at that. And now here you are.”
    â€œZane, this is my good friend Monroe. It’s his first time too.”
    â€œDon’t we all wish we could say that!” Zane punctuated his joke by reaching out and tousling Liam’s hair. “Well, it’s always great to have new people come to the club,” he added as an afterthought.
    â€œSo, Zane, do you have an official role here?” Monroe asked. “You flitted in here like a little queen bee buzzing around her little worker bees.”
    Monroe’s biting sense of humor had always bordered on rudeness. Even good friends often became offended by his combative brand of sarcasm. Behind the focus of his hazel eyes, Zane appeared to examine Monroe’s statement like a trinket that he noticed glittering at a bazaar, something that captivated him for a second but proved valueless upon closer inspection.
    â€œAre you only focused on short-distance running, Liam?” Zane gazed again at Liam. “Actually, scratch that thought. It doesn’t matter. Even if you’re interested in longer distances, you’ll benefit from our indoor training program. We’re starting up at the track just next week in fact. You can get the whole winter season in. You’ll be a huge addition for us.”
    â€œIndoor training? What, like the ordeal of high school track practice? Once in a lifetime was more than enough on that front.”
    â€œBelieve me,” Zane said, rubbing his hand along Liam’s bicep to emphasize his trustworthiness. “It’s a good group of guys who meet up two nights a week—work hard, play hard, and a lot of camaraderie.”
    â€œAnd people of all speeds can join, right?” As the words came out of Liam’s mouth, his eyes moved toward Monroe, and he knew he had made an error in judgment.
    â€œI just showed up to keep Liam company,” Monroe said, diverting his eyes toward the floor. “Don’t worry, I’m not interested in the track. It was lovely to meet you, though, Zane.”
    Questions about the track program immediately surfaced. How much did it cost? Where were the facilities? Were the runners at the track younger (cuter) than the ones who showed up to jog in the park? But was Liam expected to disengage from Zane? Would a good friend join Monroe at the buffet station where he currently lathered an onion bagel with cream cheese and jelly? It was a catch-22. If he showed solidarity against the slight suffered by his friend, Liam would be accused of pandering and of mortifying Monroe by reducing him to a charity case. On the other hand, continuing to enjoy conversation with the perpetrators would smack of disloyalty, a trait that Monroe abhorred. Finding it impossible to make his friend happy, Liam served his own needs and drilled down his list of questions.
    â€œDon’t worry about the specifics,” Zane implored. “Just show up this Tuesday night at seven thirty, and we’ll figure everything out.”
    Zane took Liam’s palm into his own and scribbled the address on his hand. Beneath it, he included a phone number.
    â€œJust in case you need anything before then,” he said.
    After the long meet-and-greet social with the Fast Trackers, Liam thanked Monroe profusely for