Numbers mean everything to an Olympic marathoner, but for Gordon O’Dooley, his obsession with one number in particular might get a little out of hand. Gordon literally comes running into Marty Walsh’s family diner one day, and their mutual attraction is instant. He comes on too strong, though, and Marty quickly slams on the brakes. When Marty suggests they take things slow, Gordon races off, and any hope of a relationship goes right along with him. Four years pass, and Marty does his best to move on. But fate brings them back together as Gordon is preparing for another Olympic bid. They agree to start over, slowly this time. As they get to know each other, Marty comes to realize how strong Gordon's obsession with the number five is. Will Marty be able to handle Gordon's OCD? And what will Gordon do when he realizes the reason behind Marty's reluctance at intimacy?

Put Five Rings on It

“Let me just point out how long it took,” Getty said. “How much time we missed that we could have had.”


“What stood in our way was…” Though it was obvious Spencer only wanted to look at Getty, he took a moment to look at me. “Well, I just have to ask if your only reason for not saying yes to Gordon is fear?”


I stood up. “I don’t know. Maybe. It’s hard to believe in something so…elusive and uncertain, I guess.”


“Well, let me leave you with this,” Spencer said, standing as well. “Gordon runs every day, training for something that seems like a one in a million shot. He didn’t make the Olympics four years ago, but he kept going, to try again. That’s a lot of faith right there. He believes in himself. He got better…at the running and other stuff, right?”


“I think he believes in you, too…and you two—t-w-o—as a couple. He came in as unsure as you, right?”


“He did. He thought no one could be with him, because of the OCD.”


Chapter 30