Running, the act of escaping. Escaping from the problems, the pain, and especially the past. Rose Margaret Thompson has been running all her life, even her fight or flight response was permanently stuck on flight mode. But after years of being away from home Rose had finally decided to go face her past.
It was now November and Rose's best friend, Julia McMullen, had been calling her non-stop to confirm whether she was coming home. After being harassed for a month, Rose had reluctantly agreed to finally come home and maybe face the past that she had been hiding from for 3 years. She caught a plane from Baltimore, Maryland to Baton Rouge, Louisiana. At the airport, Rose texted Julia and told her that she was visiting her boyfriend Howard Johnson's family first and getting her car, which she had flown to Louisiana in advance, then driving to Houston. When Howard picked her up she only spent an hour with the Johnsons before saying her goodbyes. She hit the road utilizing those 4 hours to figure out what she was going to do when she finally came face to face with the McMullens, especially Liam McMullen.
By the time she made it, the sky was midnight blue and the moon was shining bright. Rose parked her car by the old tire swing next to the driveway because the yard was already full to the max.
Old memories rushed to the surface as she looked at the front of her best friend's parents' house. Rose climbed out the car and adjusted her black high waist pants. Her maroon sweater crop top wasn't long enough to protect her from the cold wind. She was about to open the trunk and grab her suitcases when another car pulled up behind her.
Rose shielded her eyes from the bright headlights and tried to figure out who it was when a tall figure stepped out of the car. In a deep sultry voice, he spoke, "Rose?"
Recognition floored her when the mystery man stepped into view.
"Liam!" Rose rushed to hug him.
"It's been a long-time stranger."
Rose laughed and stepped back to get a good look. The military had changed him. He was taller and had just enough muscle in all the right places. His teeth were still pearly white, and his dark mocha skin seemed to glow in the moonlight. She couldn't help but appreciate the genes that were bestowed on him. Oh my God, can the man get any finer!... Get it together Rose, ask him about his girlfriend.
"Yeah it has. So, how's Courtney?"
"How would I know? We broke up."
Rose placed her hand over her heart in a shocked manner, "Wait! What? Is it Christmas?"
Liam laughed and rubbed his jaw. "You sound happy to hear that."
Rose coughed feigning disinterest, "Uhm nawl. Why would it matter to me if I'm in a happy relationship?"
"You know the fact that you gotta say happy tells me that it ain't that great."
Rose pushed his shoulder, "Don't try to act like you know me."
Liam grabbed her wrist and pulled her closer while wrapping his arm around her waist. "Mhmm, I do know you if I say so myself."
Rose took in a deep breath to calm down but ended up regretting it when his rich, musky cologne reached her nose. She melted in his arms as she looked him in the eyes. He leaned closer and whispered in her ear, "You miss me?"
Rose couldn't seem to find her voice. Liam laughed and kissed her on the neck causing Rose to shiver. "See if I didn't know you Rose I wouldn't know where to kiss you to make your body want me."
"What do you want from me Liam?"
Liam cocked his head to the side. "Why I gotta want something?"
Rose pushed away from him. "You are such an ass."
She turned and started walking to the front door. She shook her head to erase the unwanted memories of her and Liam. Everything in her body wanted her to go back and ease the ache that was building but the thought of being used again brought back her senses.
Before Rose could reach for the door knob Julia was opening the door. "Bestiiiee!" Rose laughed at the eccentric female in the doorway. Her black curly hair fanned her heart shaped face. Many looked at her and swore she was an innocent sweetheart but Rose knew better.
"Hey Jules!"
"And what took you so long to get here ma'am?" Julia looked Rose up and down.
"You know how clingy Howard is. I swear if it wasn't for his momma he would have tried to convince me to let him come."
Julia laughed and hugged Rose. She sniffed and pulled back quickly. "Hold the hell up. I know this smell."
Rose avoided looking Julia in the eye knowing she was in trouble. "Uhm- "
"Uhm my ass. Where is Liam?"
Slamming the trunk of his car, Liam walked to the front door pulling his suitcase behind him.
"Right her sis. What's up?"
Julia put her hands on her hips, "One of yall better getting to explaining and don't even think of lying to me."
Exasperated Rose tapped her foot, "It was just a hug and we talked a little bit. It was nothing major at all."
"Bullshit. Liam your turn."
Liam laughed, "I ain't gotta explain shit to you, I'm the big brother so get the hell out the doorway it's cold out here."
"Un huh. You weren't complaining when you were out hugging Rose. You better be glad momma ain't catch y'all out here."
Before Liam could speak, Rose cut him off, "Quit calling attention to us and let us in its cold as hell out here."
Julia rolled her eyes and continued to block the doorway, she was not going to let them get away without explaining this time. "Yall will freeze before I move."
Liam groaned from frustration, "Get out the doorway before, I move your lil ass."
Julia smirked, "Try me."
Frustrated Liam rubbed the back of his neck. Rose stepped in between them, she leaned forward and whispered in her ear. "I know something that will make you move. One name." She spoke louder to Liam, "Hey Liam is Damian coming over for Thanksgiving?"
Julia gave Rose a dark look and moved out the doorway. Liam pushed past them shrugging, "I don't know I haven't talked to him lately."
Julia grabbed Rose's arm,"That was dirty you suppose to be my best friend. What the fuck!"
"I wasn't going to really tell, I just knew that would get you to move."
Julia shook her head and pulled Rose into the house. "I hate you."
Rose laughed, "I love you too JuJu".
The living room and kitchen was filled with family members and friends stuffing their mouths with gumbo and yelling insults at the card table. All nervousness seemed to evaporate out of Rose's body when everybody greeted her. She made a beeline to the master of the house Mrs. McMullen. From learned behavior she knew if that wasn't the first person she hugged, she was going to catch the guilt trip of a lifetime.
Mrs. McMullen sat at the head of the card table with her dark red hair cut into a curly bob. Her hawk eyes missed nothing, so Rose wasn't surprised when she yelled, "Rose Margaret as I live and breathe. What's shakin bacon?"
Mrs. McMullen laughed while Julia groaned, "Ma really. Who says that?"
Rose wrapped her arms around Mrs. McMullen and kissed her cheek. "Hey Momma Margie. I've missed you."
"If you missed me you would bring your ass home to see more often. You go off to medical school and act like you don't know us anymore."
Rose grinned, "Trust me I could never forget you and your daughter would drive me crazy if I did."
Julia leaned on Rose's shoulder and grinned, "You damn skippy."
Margie looked at her daughter, "You talk about me but who says skippy?"
Mr. McMullen finally made his presence known when he piped in, "Stop picking on my baby girl."
Margie rolled her eyes, "You always take up for her, you ain't never got my back when she talks about me. What type of husband are you?"
"I'm a good ass father, that's what I am. Anything else you wanna say Bertha?"
"Go to hell John."
Rose laughed and kissed Mr. McMullen on the cheek. "Hey old man. I see you still having domestic episodes."
John grunted and looked at his wife. He then leaned over and whispered loudly, "I think she is trying to kill me for the insurance money."
Julia laughed, "Trust me dad, if she wanted you dead you would be."
John grabbed his beer and walked towards the staircase. Before he went upstairs, he yelled over his shoulder. "Rose you know Liam is home on leave."
Rose ignored him and headed for the kitchen. Her stomach was growling, and the smell of gumbo was calling her name. As soon as she stepped foot into the kitchen two strong, muscular arms grabbed her in a bear hug. Instincts told her to panic and scream but the smell of weed and cheap cologne told her all she needed to know.
"Let me go before I scream Earnest."
"How do you know it was me?"
"You are the only person I know that smells like weed and Axe."
Earnest laughed, "I remember when you used to smoke like a chimney."
Rose took a step back and looked Earnest McMullen up and down. Every time she saw him the boy seemed to be picking up more muscle. When her eyes traveled to his face, she couldn't help but stare. He was no longer the ugly, skinny little boy that used to follow her everywhere she went. He had a trimmed beard that surrounded juicy lips and pearly white teeth. Rose quickly did another sweep of his body to find a flaw but there wasn't one.
Earnest spread his arms out, "You like what you see?"
"Boy bye. You are still the big headed little boy that would cry because he was scared of the dark."
Earnest pushed her shoulder and laughed, "Man shut up that was years ago." Suddenly his smile vanished. He rubbed the back of his neck and looked Rose in the eyes, "Seriously though what's been up Rose? I mean after that drama with you and Liam, you moved to Maryland and forgot Texas even existed."
No longer able to look him in the eyes, Rose walked around the island to the cabinets. She started looking for a bowl when Earnest grabbed her shoulders and turned her around.
"Look at me Rose like for real why did it take you so long to come back and see the family that took you in?"
Avoiding his eyes, she shrugged, "I don't know."
"Bullshit! It's because you always trying to run away from the past instead of fixing the fucking problem and moving on with your life."
Rose pushed his hands off her. She didn't come back to get the third degree from her best friend's little brother.
"I understand you are a Psych Major now and want to fix everyone's problems but for once in your life stay out of my business."
Earnest shook his head in frustration, "All I am asking for is a fucking explanation and you can't even give me one. I don't even see why Julia still puts up with you."
Tears welled up in Rose eyes, "Fuck you."
Rose left the kitchen and ignored everyone as she made her way to the front door. All she wanted to do was get the hell away from everyone. Why did I even come back here? Rose unlocked her car and climbed in resting her head on her steering wheel. Suddenly, the door opens, and Rose looks over to see Julia climbing into the passenger seat.
"Mhmm

Thank you so much for giving this book a chance and finishing the first chapter. Feel free to comment errors in grammar or just your opinion. Please feel free to finish the rest I will upload a chapter every Tuesday or at least every two or three days. Don't forget to vote!