AllFreeNovel
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“It worked, though, right?”
“What do you mean?”
“It made Rogue jealous!” she says gleefully. “I saw him spiriting you away.”
“I think he was just trying to protect me.”
“Maybe…” She doesn’t seem convinced. “But, where did he take you?”
“To his place.”
“Aha!” she crows. “Did you sleep with him?”
“I…”
“You did! I knew it!” I can almost see her fist-pumping on the other side of the phone.
“Ugh. Youarevery nosy, you know that?”
She laughs. “I know! Listen, are you free tonight? Come to Eden’s yoga class with us!”
I think about saying no, but I’m starting to realize that arguing with a force of nature like Tori is probably futile. Besides, I could honestly do with the company of women tonight, to keep my mind off of whether and when I’ll see Brody again. So in the end, I agree.
After work I make a quick stop at Dad’s place for some workout clothes, and show up at the address Tori gave me. Eden Yoga and Massage turns out to be a small and intimate space with a feminine esthetic. Off the main lobby are a couple of small massage rooms to the left, and a bright, clean yoga studio to the right.
When I arrive, all the other old ladies are already there, plus a few other women I don’t know. Eden comes up immediately and gives me a warm hug. “I’m so glad you could come!” she enthuses. “This is Mariah.” She waves over a young woman who might be around twenty. She’s holding the hand of a little boy who looks about five years old. “And this is my little boy, Bryson.” She leans down to him. “Bryson, this is my friend Rory.”
“Hi, Rory!” Bryson grins up at me, waving. One of his bottom front baby teeth is gone, giving him an adorable little gap-toothed smile.
“Hi, Bryson! It’s nice to meet you.”
Mariah smiles at me. “We have co-ed yoga classes on the schedule, but this one is women only. Bryson is the only boy allowed, right?”
“Right!” he agrees.
“I’m Bryson’s nanny,” Mariah explains. “I live with Eden and Axel. I watch him when I don’t have classes.”
“Are you in college?” I ask.
She nods. “Yeah. I’m going for fashion merchandising. I think.” She shakes her head. “I just finished up with my generals. But that’s the plan so far.”
The other women come up to greet me and ask how I’m doing. Tori emerges from the bathroom a few seconds later, wearing an adorable yoga outfit that shows off her compact pregnant belly. “Have to drain the bladder before class,” she says, leaning in for a hug. “Otherwise, Dante Junior will be doing downward dog on it the whole time I’m in class.”
I’ve only done yoga a handful of times in my life, so I’m a little nervous at first. But Eden is a really good teacher, and she makes sure to help me when it’s clear I have no idea what I’m doing. The forty-five minutes go by quickly. Even so, it’s surprisingly exhausting. I use muscles I didn’t even know were there. At the end of the class, I know I’ll be feeling sore the next day. I mention it to Eden, and she chuckles.
“Yeah, people think yoga isn’t exercise. But it’s quite a workout, depending on the type. If you want to book a massage with me to loosen up the tightness, just let me know. I’ll give you the friends and family rate!”
“Hey, you two,” Bailey comes up to us, taking a big swig from her water bottle. “A bunch of us are going to go out for drinks and dinner after this. Wanna come?”
“I can’t,” Eden says. “I need to get Bryson and Mariah home. Mariah’s got a test tomorrow, and I want to give her time to study without having to watch Bry.”
“Will you come?” Bailey asks me. “Pleeease?”
“That sounds like fun, sure!” I say, touched that she really seems to want me there.
I meet Bailey and the others at the Viking Bar, which is beginning to be a routine hangout for me. Vinnie and Jessie greet me with no expressions of surprise that I’m hanging out with the Lords’ old ladies. Jessie is thrilled to hear that I’ve gone to a yoga class with them. “Maybe I’ll see you there next time!” she says as she takes our orders.
Jessie brings us our drinks, and we all settle in to wait for our food to come. Talk soon turns to family life and gossip. Laney tells us she and Rourke had a little fight this morning, and she regales us with tidbits of the argument.
