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“Just out of curiosity, how come you think that?”
“It’s in the eyes, Ford. See you later.”
Ford looked at his phone after Mr. Goldhirsh had cut the call. What the hell was going on today? And what was with people talking about his eyes suddenly? It was like he’d woken up in some weird alternate universe. First Mr. Goldhirsh thought there was something off with him because of his eyes and now his siblings. He’d looked like this for years.
“Why is Mr. Goldhirsh calling you?” Maggie demanded from over his shoulder.
“He’s enrolled me in meditation class this evening.”
“Well, that’s weird, but it could be good too.”
He turned to look at her. “Why good?”
“Because you look like you need it.”
His eyes went to Nash, who stood with Fin a few feet away, and then back to his little sister, and he felt the anger drain out of him. His siblings loved him, and what they were saying came from that. It was just unsettling was all. He could deal with it.
“I’m okay, you know.”
“Are you saying that so we’ll leave you alone or is it the truth?” Nash asked.
His hesitation was small, but they saw it.
“If you need to talk, you have us,” Maggs said. “When I came home, I didn’t think I needed to share my demons. It turned out I was wrong.”
“I know I have you both if I need you.” He leaned down to kiss her cheek. “Are we going to drink that champagne or let it get warm?”
…
He showered after his family left, then grabbed a quick bite with his mom and dad before leaving the house. Ford still wasn’t sure why he was doing this or even if he would. In fact, he might just drive to Ryker Falls and then turn around and go home with a coffee and pastry from The Chocolate Place. He kept telling himself that until he pulled up in the school parking lot as the sun sank behind the mountains.
The classroom he wanted was likely the only one that had lights on, so he headed that way. Entering the room, he found it held about twenty people. One of those was Autumn Harris. She was at the back on her own, sitting on a mat.
“Well now, look who the cat just dragged in,” Jack Trainer said. With him was his wife Rory.
“Hello, Ford.” An elderly woman in fluffy pink leg warmers waved at him.
He had a vague memory of meeting her once but had no recollection of her name. He raised a hand.
“Bud.” Luke Trainer reached out to slap his hand. “Decided to step outside your comfort zone? Good for you.”
“Something like that,” he muttered.
All the chairs had been stacked to one side. The whiteboard held the next day’s lesson plan in neat, short, squat writing. He shot Autumn a look. Was this her classroom?
“Ford! Excellent. You go on now and take a place beside Autumn. I brought you a mat in case you don’t have one,” Mr. Goldhirsh said.
He was at the front of the classroom with his leg up in the air, bracing it against the wall. The man was flexible, he’d give him that.
The mat, a pink one, was passed through hands to him. He unrolled it and lowered it beside Autumn, who wore tight black exercise leggings and a tank top in pale blue, also fitted. Her hair was in a high ponytail.
Way too hot. All those curves in tight-fitting clothing wasn’t going to help his already irrational need for this woman.
“Hey.”
She shot him a look accompanied by a small smile. “Hey.”
“You been here before?”
