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“Tinsel?”
He instead ran into the street.
Heather's heart raced as she dashed for her dog. “Tinsel!” Thank goodness for the thick soles underneath the feet of her slippers. “Tinsel!”
“He's yours?” a male voice asked.
Heather froze in place, staring at the man she'd seen from across the street. Tinsel wagged his tail in front of him. Elena must have gone back inside. “Yes, he's mine. Sorry about that.”
“No problem. He wanted to play,” the man said.
“Tinsel, let's go.” She snapped her fingers and this time, her dog obeyed. Her eyes met the man again, and Heather fastened the tie around her robe. Why did she walk outside without her coat? “Sorry, again.”
“Don't be.” The man gave a faint smile and proceeded inside his truck.
Heather tilted her head at Tinsel. Picking up her puppy, she carried him back to their home. “You thought that was funny, didn't you?”
He barked.
“I thought we learned this already in obedient school.” She didn't look back at the stranger. He had to be new in town—not that she cared.
***
“Just think how much stronger your core will be,” Heather said to her class. Then she went into a downward facing dog, giving her abs and obliques a mini break. Music filled her ears as she concentrated on holding her position in place, watching her own reflection in the mirror panels along the wall. She was grateful for the soft give of her workout mat. It made it so much easier—well, mostly. “Hold it here, pressing the balls of your feet into the mat. Great.”
“Heather, you’re crazy,” a strained voice said.
She giggled, knowing the voice of her little sister. Sonia told her not to take it easy on her, so Heather relished in the complaints from her baby sister.
“You’ll all thank me later,” she replied. “Hold it here for the last ten seconds. You got this. You’re strong. Keep telling yourself that… and… rest.”
The sighs and heavy breaths filled the rooms as her students rested on their mats. Heather patted her own stomach, feeling satisfied with her second workout of the day. While she wasn’t a morning person, she enjoyed her 7 a.m. workouts before coming to work her shift at 9 a.m. at Better U Fitness.
She applauded her students. “Congrats, you’re finished for the day. Remember, exercise is only ten to twenty percent of the battle. The remaining is food. Keep a healthy balanced diet, drink plenty of water, adequate sleep, and—no stress.”
Heather reached the disinfectant wipes to clean her mat. Then she retrieved from her bag her portable hand sanitizer. Afterwards, she rolled her mate and returned it to its corner. Her sister walked towards her, hugging her sides as the sweat glistened on her copper skin.
“It’s insane how sore I am,” Sonia said.
Heather tilted her head to the side. “You said not to take it easy on you.”
“I’m telling mom you almost sent me to the hospital.”
Heather giggled. “No problem.”
Sonia shook her head. After taking another gulp from her water bottle, she sat cross-legged. Heather then dabbed her forehead free from the sweat on her hairline.
“Are you coming to the Sawyer’s Christmas party this weekend?” her sister wondered. Morgan Sawyer was Sonia’s best friend, who Heather considered another little sister. Taking the torch from her mother, Morgan threw the Christmas party of the year, inviting the whole town.
“Yes, but I can’t stay long,” Heather said.
“Why not? Oh, you have a date?”
“No, I don’t so don’t get too excited. Besides you promised to stay out of it.”
“I did and I will.” Sonia twisted her mouth as if she had a trick up her sleeve. “There’s always Terrance.”
Heather pictured the handsome personal trainer and co-worker who worked down the hall from her. With deep brown skin combined with Chestnut eyes and a fit physique, he was one of the most attractive men in town.
