Meg Cabot - Big Boned

You came!

Im feeling pretty good about things as Im heading back

Okay, Ill admit it. I wasnt Owens biggest fan.

Detective Canavan has had his hair cut since Ive last

I consider ducking beneath the cashiers desk and hiding under

Well, hello, there.

Tad is concerned about me. Thats what he keeps saying.

The real horror doesnt begin until after the routine announcements

Im standing in the middle of the second floor hallway,

No, Cooper says.

Detective Canavan is less than impressed by the sign-in sheets

I dont have a clue anything out of the ordinary

Tom has apologized a million times for the plow remark.

I dont get it, I say, as we cruise up

Ive climbed the flagstone steps to the front doorleaded glass.

The snarling inflatable rat is gone from the front of

Who was Dr. Owen Veatch?

You know, Pam Dont-Call-Me-Mrs. Veatch says, her pink from

Miraculously, I dont fall to the floor. I dont know

It takes the combined efforts of Tom, Steve, Gavin, myself,

Just give me the keys, I say, holding out my

So, Cooper says, as the two of us sit in

Im humming as I make my way to work the

You came!

Thats what Tad Tocco, my remedial math assistant professor, says as I walk up to him that morning in Washington Square Park.

He doesnt kiss me, because our relationship is totally illicit. Professorsespecially tenure track assistant professors in the math departmentarent allowed to have romances with their students.

Even students who, like me, are practically thirty, work as an assistant director in one of the colleges dormitories, and are taking the course pass/fail anyway.

Of course I came, I say, trying to sound like thered never been any doubt. Except, of course, when Id rolled over a half-hour earlier and looked at the clock, and seen the big hand on the twelve, and the little hand on the six, all Id wanted to do was pull the covers back over my head and hunker down for another two and a half hours of blissful sleep. I mean, isnt that the whole point of living two blocks from where you work? So you can sleep in until the absolute last minute?

But Id promised.

And now Im glad Id dragged myself out from beneath my cozy comforter. Because Tad looks great. The early morning sunlight is glinting off his long blond hairpulled back in a ponytail thats almost longer than mineand off the golden hairs on his bare legs, as well.

And I can see a lot of those golden leg hairs, thanks to the tiny running shorts hes wearing.

Hello, God, are You there? Its me, Heather. Just wanted to say thank You. Thank You for the bright sunshine and the clear cool air and the pretty spring flowers, bursting into bloom.

Thank You for tenure track assistant professors in tiny running shorts, as well. These things really are worth getting up two and a half hours earlier than I need to. If I had any idea, Id have started getting up this early a long time ago.

Well, maybe.

So I figured wed take it slow, Tad informs me. Hes doing stretches on a park bench. His thigh muscles are lean and hard, without an ounce of fat on them. Even when in a relaxed position, Tads thighs are firm as stone. I know this because I have felt them. Even though we are forbidden by our mutual employer, New York College, from having romantic relationships with students, Tad and I are sneaking around behind everybodys back.

Because when youre both in your late twenties to early thirties, and youre taking a remedial math class pass/fail just so you can take real classes later anyway, who even cares?

Besides which, its been approximately forever since Ive gotten any. What was I supposed to do, wait until May, when my course is over, before jumping his bones? Yeah. Like that was going to happen.

Especially considering Tads bones. I mean, the guy is fitpartly due to his athletic lifestyle (he runs, swims laps over at the sports center, and plays on a killer Frisbee team), and partly due to the fact that he eats extremely healthfully.

If you consider not eating meat healthy, which I am not completely convinced I do.

When I am in a relaxed position, my thighs feel spongy. This is partly due to the fact that I dont run, swim, or play Frisbee of any kind, and also due to the fact that I will eat anything if it has chocolate sauce or ketchup on it. Or even if its just plain, as in the case of Krispy Kreme doughnuts (which Tad will eat, too, because they are fried in vegetable oil, not animal lard. Although I notice that when Tad eats Krispy Kremes, he enjoys just one and seems satisfied, whereas I have to consume the entire box, as I cannot stop thinking about them until I know all the Krispy Kremes are gone. Whats up with that?).

Wait. Why am I thinking about Krispy Kremes? Were supposed to be exercising.

You want to stretch out? Tad asks me, as he is pressing the back of his heel into his butt. I know that Tads butt is as rock-hard as his thighs. My butt, on the other hand, is even spongier than my thighs. Although its big enough that I can touch it with the back of my heel quite easily. Its hardly a stretch at all.

Sure, I say.

As I stretch, I notice that all the runners in the park are wearing shorts, like Tad. Im the only one in leggings. Or, should I say, yoga pants. Because no way am I putting on a pair of leggings. Lets face it, Mischa Barton I am not.

Thats why I was so glad when I found a pair of yoga pants that are almost bell bottomed. Theyre what Im wearing instead of leggings or running shorts. Im hoping the bell-bottoms will balance me out, so I dont look, you know, like a Weeble.

Okay, Tad says, smiling down at me. He is wearing his gold-rimmed glasses, which make him look especially professorial. I love his glasses, because you really cant tell that behind those lenses, he has the most beautiful blue eyes ever. Until he takes them off. Which he only does at bedtime. Four times around is a mile. Five kilometers is about three miles. So I usually go around about twelve times. Does that sound all right? Well take it nice and slow, since this is your first day.

Oh, I say. Dont worry about me. Go at your own pace. Ill catch up.

Tads golden eyebrows constrict. Heather. Are you sure?

Of course, I say, with a laugh. Ill be fine. Its just a little morning jog.

Heather, Tad says, still looking concerned. Dont try to shrug this off like its no big deal. I know this is a big step for you, and Im really proud of you just for showing up. The truth is, I care about you, and your physical health is really important to me. And race training is serious business. Do it wrong, and you could seriously injure yourself.

Athletes! Theyre so particular. Morning jog, race training. Who even cares? Any way you say it, it still spells death to me.

Waitdid I think that? I didnt mean it. No, really. This is going to be fun. Im getting into shape. Because, like Tad keeps telling me, Im not fat. I just need to tone up a little.

You go ahead, I tell him, with a smile. Ill be right behind you.

Tad shrugs, gives me a good-bye winkI guess he knows as well as I do that hes going to leave me in his dustand takes off.

Yeah. No way Im going to keep up with that. But thats okay. Ill just go at my own pace. Nice and easy. Here we go. There, see? Im doing it. Im running! Hey, look at me! Im running! Im