Page 33 of When Hairy Met Stella

“Is that okay?” Nate, the obvious MVP of this team, asked, turning to her. Of course it was okay. This was a beginner’s yoga class, half-filled with people she considered her closest friends. So, there was really no reason for this empty feeling in the pit of her stomach. Or the quiver of muscles that had, at long last, gotten a break.

“I’m so game,” she forced out with an enthusiasm she didn’t feel. But she was good at that, faking happy when she needed to. She grabbed his hand, managing to take a single step before he gently pulled her to a stop.

He leaned close—so close she could count the flecks of gold in his brown eyes, something she shouldn’t have noticed, but it was the distraction she’d needed at the time. “Stells,” he began, and the sound of her nickname on his lips slowed her breathing the littlest bit. “Are you alright?”

Huh. Looked like her acting skills had gotten a little rusty, because from the way his dark brows drew together, it didn’t seem like she was fooling him. But this was ridiculous. It was time to face…whatever this was.

“Absolutely.” And with a nod, she broke the strongest eye contact in the history of ever and pulled him to the stage.

They stood facing each other as the teacher had instructed, and Stella wiped her wet palms on her yoga pants, not daring to look down to see if they’d left a trail of sweat on them, but she was pretty sure they had.

“Look at our Stella…back on the stage again!” Lucy shouted with a clap, her megawatt smile filling the room. Only, the brightness didn’t make its way over to Stella.

The instructor was making a speech, something about teamwork and relying on each other. Details eluded Stella at the moment because it was more important for her to regulate her breathing, which had suddenly become shallow and fast.

“They make each other better,” the instructor continued. Who? Her and Nate? Not in this case. His knees weren’t shaking. His hands didn’t drip with sweat—not that she could see, anyway. Save for the worry lines creasing near his eyes, he was the picture of calm and cool under pressure.

And then there was Stella, wondering how much longer her legs were going to hold her up when it felt more and more like she was standing on tiny toothpicks in a windstorm. Wondering how much longer her heart could pound like this before it broke free of her ribcage and shot out of her chest. Wondering why something that had once been as natural to her as breathing had suddenly become so…impossible.

“You know what?” He grabbed his stomach and rubbed circles on it. “I think I’m experiencing some digestive…distress.”

“Oh no,” the instructor said, her face etched with worry, especially when he grabbed his rear end. Why hadn’t he just clutched his stomach? He had no idea, but he grabbed Stella’s hand with the other and started selling the act.

“Stella, I need you to come with me.”

“Uh, okay,” she said as he grabbed her hand, and they ran from the room together.

Chapter

Ten

“I’m sorry,” Nate blurted once they were out of the room and halfway down the hall. He removed his hand from his stomach, not sure his acting skills had done enough to sell the act. But they were out of there, so…success, he guessed.

“No, I should be the one who’s sorry. I ruined the class.”

“I’m pretty sureIwas the one who ruined the class.”

Stella laughed so hard it echoed in the hallway. “Did you see the teacher’s face?”

“I did not, but I can only imagine.”

“But thank you for…that.” She laughed again. “I didn’t think being on a stage would affect me like that.”

“What triggers us doesn’t exactly come with warnings.”

“Very true. But now I know that the secret to getting out of tough situations is the prospect of defecating on stage.” They both laughed so hard they had tears in their eyes. “But I’m grateful.”

That was all that mattered.

“I’d do it again.”

“Please don’t.”

“Deal.” They both laughed again as they walked hand in hand down the hall.

“Well, what do we have here?” a voice boomed from behind them. When he turned, he wanted to ask the same thing because…what exactly was he looking at?

“Gram, what are you doing here?” Stella asked, her eyes wide as they bounced from her grandma to each of her friends. They walked down the hall in slow motion, in a formation of sorts, like they were the Avengers assembling for battle. You know, if the Avengers wore one-piece bathing suits with Halloween-themed add-ons.

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