Free Midnight Run by Charity Hillis Page A

running
shoes tonight!

CHAPTER TWELVE
    Kingston’s heart had
started beating fast when he spotted a familiar face behind the
counter on his coffee break. He’d mostly been able to keep his
thoughts away from her while his parents were in town, mainly
because he’d spent his lunch hours with them, catching little
glimpses of the city. They’d taken a taxi to the airport that
morning, so Kingston had reverted to his old habits, half expecting
the illusive barista to still be gone. He’d been pleasantly
surprised when he saw her, and he thought she’d seemed happy to see
him, too.
    He’d been too fixated on seeing her again to
realize that he’d forgotten to ask her name until he was three
blocks away, and he cursed out loud in frustration. “You can’t even
remember this one simple thing; how are you ever going to get up
the nerve to ask her out?” A few people on the sidewalk gave him
the side eye, and he shook himself, wishing he hadn’t spoken out
loud. Rounding a corner, he considered going back to the coffee
shop and asking her once and for all, but just as he made up his
mind to do it, his phone rang insistently in his pocket. Even
though he’d seen people hurrying along the sidewalks with their
phones pressed to their ears, he couldn’t quite bring himself to do
it. Too old fashioned to multi-task, he thought with a smile
as he spotted a metal bench just up the street. Answering the
phone, he strode to it rapidly.
    “Uncle King?” A small voice asked.
    Kingston sat down, looking at the phone in
surprise. “Yes. What’s up, kiddo?”
    “It’s Shell.” The little boy cleared his
throat. “How are you?”
    “I’m okay, but Shell, buddy, aren’t you
supposed to be in school right now?” At seven, Shelton was the
older of his two nephews, and he’d been proud to tell Kingston all
about first grade when he’d seen the boys over Christmas.
    “I stayed home sick,” the boy said, “but I’m
not really sick.”
    “Uh-huh. What’s wrong, then?”
    There was silence on the line, and then
Shelton sighed. “Are Mama and Daddy getting a divorce?”
    Kingston raised an eyebrow. “Shouldn’t you
ask them that, buddy?”
    “I don’t want to make Mama cry.”
    Kingston’s heart clenched. “Has your mom been
crying?”
    “Yes. She’s in the bathroom right now, and I
heard her through the door. That’s why I called you.”
    Kingston glanced at the caller I.D. on his
phone and realized his nephew had swiped Rachel’s phone to call
him. “I can’t really do anything, buddy. I’m in New York now,
remember?”
    “Can’t you come home, just for a visit?”
    Kingston looked around the busy street. “I
wish I could,” he admitted, “but I’ve got a job to do here.”
    “Oh.” His nephew was silent. “Will you tell
Mama and Daddy not to fight anymore?”
    “Let me talk to your mom, okay, buddy?”
Kingston wheedled, hoping his nephew wasn’t feeling defiant.
    He wasn’t. “Okay.” There was a shuffling
sound, and then Rachel’s surprised voice came on the line.
    “You don’t usually call during daylight
hours; you okay?”
    Kingston leaned his head back against the
bench. “I didn’t call. Shelton called me.”
    “What? Shelton Stevenson, you’ve got some
explaining to do!” She hollered, and Kingston cringed.
    “Not his fault, Raye. The boy’s upset about
you and Mark.”
    She sighed. “I’m upset, too.” There was a
pause. “King, I think he wants a divorce.”
    Despite what his nephew had said, the truth
shocked Kingston. “Has he said as much?”
    “No,” she said, drawing out the word, “but
Marcy saw him out last night with a leggy redhead.” Her voice
caught. “That doesn’t sound like he’s honoring his marital vows to
me.”
    Kingston shook his head. “I’m sorry,” he
said, not sure what else he could offer.
    “Yeah. Lots of sorry going around right now,
and it doesn’t do anybody any good. What did Shelton say to
you?”
    “He asked if you were