Page 17 of (Not Really) Faking It With My Best Friend's Brother

Buoyed by his humor, I guided him through the next obstacles, my directions growing more confident. Each time he stumbled over a hurdle or veered off course, giggles spilled out of me unchecked. And Nate smiled wider each time as if enjoying the sound.

By the end, my cheeks ached from smiling. As Nate removed the blindfold, his eyes shone brightly, and his lips curved into a delightfully crooked smile. "That was fun."

"Fun? You bashed into almost every obstacle on the path!" I exclaimed, my laughter bubbling over.

"Thanks to your impeccable directions. I can't imagine a more graceful guide. Should I even ask about your yoga skills?” he chuckled.

“Well, unfortunately, you might not be impressed with my yoga moves,” I countered. “Imagine a newborn giraffe trying to stand for the first time, and that is about my skill level,” I laughed as we turned toward the building.

I couldn't help but feel a twinge of nervousness. I knew we had joked about it, but as someone who was not the most coordinated, I couldn't imagine how this would go.

"Okay, everyone, find a mat and set it up with your partner. We're going to start with some simple poses to get our bodies warmed up," the yoga instructor said, her voice floating melodically over the rustling of mats.

I glanced at Nate, who gave me a slight nod as we moved to claim two vacant mats near the back. As we settled into the first pose, a basic downward dog, I felt my muscles begin to loosen.

"Now, slowly transition into a low lunge, reaching your right arm towards the sky," the instructor guided.

I followed her lead, stretching my right arm up, palm to the ceiling. Beside me, Nate did the same.

"Great, now reach your left hand over, finding your partner's right. Gently lean into one another, feeling that connection."

Hesitantly, I lifted my left hand, stretching it across the gap between our mats. Nate met me halfway, his larger hand enveloping mine. As we leaned, I felt my balance waver. Before I could catch myself, I stumbled sideways, colliding with Nate and sending us both tumbling in a tangled heap.

"Oof!" Nate grunted as I collapsed on top of him.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!" I squeaked, my face burning. As I started to push myself up, my gaze met his.

His eyes locked on mine, crinkling at the corners with suppressed laughter. My breath caught in my throat. We were so close I could make out the faint scar above his left eyebrow and the light stubble along his jaw.

Everything around us seemed to fade away. The room, the other couples, the instructor's voice reminding us to breathe. In that suspended moment, all I saw was Nate. And the surprising warmth in his eyes.

"Ahem." The instructor's delicate cough broke through our trance. She gave us an amused smile as we untangled our limbs and returned to our mats.

"Not to worry, it takes time to find your balance. Just breathe and try again."

Nate shot me a crooked grin, eyes glinting with humor. I smiled back sheepishly. Maybe I could get the hang of this whole partner thing after all.

I took a deep breath as the instructor announced the next activity - a rousing game of "How Well Do You Know Your Partner?"

Nate gave me an encouraging wink. "Ready to wow them with how in sync we are?"

I laughed. "As ready as I'll ever be."

We joined the other couples in a circle. The instructor started by asking each pair simple questions - favorite colors, dream vacations, ideal pets. Nate and I ad-libbed answers, building on each other's responses.

"Okay, let's get a little more personal," the instructor said with a playful smile. "What's the most embarrassing moment your partner has ever had?"

Nate jumped in without missing a beat. "Well, there was the time Susan accidentally gave a presentation in college with her sweater on inside out. She didn't even realize until after the presentation when her roommate pointed it out."

I stared at him, bewildered. How could he pull that story out of thin air so smoothly? But I composed myself and went along with it. I could envision myself doing that. Maybe Nate knew me better than I gave him credit for.

"It's true. I was so nervous about that speech that I dressed in a total frenzy. It made for a good laugh afterward!"

Some of the other couples chuckled sympathetically. When it was my turn, I said, "For Nate, it had to be the time he was singing in the gym shower, and he didn't realize that someone had connected the speaker to the gym PA system. I heard that the whole gym erupted in laughter at the sound of his passionate rendition of 'Can't Help Falling in Love.'"

Nate threw his head back and laughed, the corners of his eyes crinkling. "Busted! I couldn't show my face for weeks without people pointing and laughing."

I smiled, amazed at how easily the fabrication flowed. The rest of the group roared with amusement at my made-up faux pas. I wasn’t usually this quick-witted, but it was like I fed off Nate's confidence.

---