Page 21 of Challenged by the Single Dad

Lotus’s smile widened. “Perfect. This is a vinyasa flow class. Take it at your own pace. Do what works for you. If you need to take a break and just relax in savasana you are welcome to do so.” She spoke with such a calm and centered voice, it instantly relaxed Chloe’s frazzled nerves. “I see you brought your own mat and towel. That’s so great. The first class is always free. So just sign this waiver here, then you can head right in.” She handed Chloe the clipboard with the liability waiver on it. Chloe did a quick scan, but it was all boilerplate. So Chloe signed and handed it back.

“Is it very full?” she asked.

Lotus frowned in thought for a moment, then nodded. “Pretty typical for a Friday morning. About seventy-five percent I would say. But still lots of space to spread out.” She smiled, then her crystal-blue eyes lit up when she spotted more people walk in. “If you’ll excuse me.”

“Of course.” Chloe headed into the studio which had the lights dimmed in the round and inviting space. Lemongrass essential oil floated up from a diffuser at the back and gentle, spa-like music played.

It took a moment for her eyes to adjust, then she scanned the space for an empty spot. Four women sat on their mats near the front, animatedly chatting, but they were so beautiful and seemed to be a tight-knit group. So Chloe didn’t want to interfere. She moved over to the other side, unrolling her mat next to an older woman with blonde-gray hair who gave her a friendly smile.

“Hello,” the woman said. “I haven’t seen you here before.”

Chloe spread out her yoga towel on top of her mat. “I’m new.”

The woman held out her hand. “Welcome. I’m Shelley Diamond.”

Chloe took her hand. “Chloe Voss. Nice to meet you.”

Shelley squinted at Chloe for a moment, then her eyes went wide. “Oh! You’re the new bartender over at Sound Bites.”

Wow. News really did travel fast in a small town.

Chloe nodded. “I am. At least, I hope I am. Last night was my first shift and I think the jury is still out on me, at least for Dom.”

“Well, from what I’ve heard, you are doing a fine job. Sunflower Patrick said she’d never had a better old-fashioned in her life. And that woman is picky.” Her nose wrinkled a little when she smiled. “And Jolene Dandy said you made a mean blueberry tea. And everyone is talking about your take on a Bloody Mary. Who’d have thought adding clam juice to it would make it so much better?”

“The Canadians, apparently.” Chloe shrugged.

Shelley’s light-brown eyes went wide. “Is that so? Well, our neighbors to the north definitely have some tricks up their sleeves.”

Lotus walked into the studio and conversation almost instantly came to a close, all on its own. “Let’s pause all conversations. We can resume them after our practice. But the next sixty minutes is just for you. To center yourself. To find that piece that has been missing.”

A cool, soft hand slid into Chloe’s as she rested in savasana on the mat. She opened her eyes and turned her head toward Shelley.

“Have a nice class,” Shelley said with a friendly smile before releasing Chloe’s hand.

“Y-you too.”

Shelley smiled again, then faced the ceiling and closed her eyes.

Chloe did the same.

Well, so far, the news about her in town was good. She made the best old-fashioned Sunflower Patrick had ever had, a mean blueberry tea, and a decent Caesar. And that was all since just last night. Who knew what rumors would be circulating by the time she got to work that afternoon?

Was it worth living and working on the beach if everyone knew her business?

Maybe she needed to rethink this small-town life all together.

She arrived at the pub fifteen minutes before her four o’clock shift.

Maybe people viewed things differently these days, but she was raised by parents who said if you weren’t fifteen minutes early for work, you were late.

And that mentality stuck with her.

At three forty-five, she parked her car at the back of the parking lot like she had last night, double-checked her lip gloss and that there was nothing in her teeth, took a fortifying deep breath, and opened her door.

She could do this.

The parking lot was full of cars.

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