Harper rolled her eyes at the nickname and tossed a smug look over her shoulder. “I could say the same about you,” she teased, increasing her speed to keep up with the pace he set. Their footsteps echoed quietly on the frozen ground beneath them.

“Yeah, but I’m a perfect physical specimen. I’m designed to run no matter how many legs I have. You were a late-sleeping desk potato.”

He smirked at her gasp that turned silver in the frosty air. “Desk potato?”

“Someone who doesn’t watch a lot of TV but spends all their time sitting at a desk.”

“Where do you come up with this stuff?”

He tapped a finger to his temple, his breath steady. “It’s all up here. All the secrets of the universe.”

“Let’s see if those secrets of the universe help you move a little faster.” She picked up the pace and shot him a haughty look over her shoulder.

They’d worked their way up to five miles together. Every step, every mile, a hard-fought battle. That made every run all the sweeter. He ran most mornings alone, slipping out of the house or Gloria’s bed when she left for early mornings at work. But a few times a week, he and Harper hit the park together. And today, today was going to be a memorable one.

He let his loose joints gear up and speed past her on the trail.

“Now you’re just showing off,” she laughed. “Don’t let your leg fall off!”

“Gotta get there before sunrise,” Aldo called. The lake at sunrise was the second-best way to start the day. The first being waking up naked with Gloria.

He listened for her footfalls behind him and grinned when she caught up with him. “So, you ready for Luke to come home?” he asked. “Next week, right?”

He saw the sparkle in her eyes. “I’m trying not to think about it too much, so only every half second or so. We didn’t have much time before he left, but I still feel like I’ve been missing a limb—no offense—for the last six months. I’m excited and terrified and everything in between.”

“Terrified?”

“Our relationship has lasted seven months. Six of those, he was on the other side of the world. What if he doesn’t like me anymore? What if everything is different? What if I can’t handle the reason he didn’t tell me about Karen?”

Aldo stopped, put a hand on her arm.

“What’s wrong? You need a break?”

He smirked and meant it. “Do I look like I need a break?”

She gave him a slow appraisal. “No,” she decided. “You look like you could breeze through a half marathon if you wanted to.”

“Damn right. And stop worrying. You two have what it takes to make it.”