Page 15 of Ship Happens

“Now, lean forward until your foreheads touch. Close your eyes and breathe together.”

Harper hesitates, then leans in. Our foreheads meet, and I can feel her breath against my lips. Her skin is warm against mine, a few strands of her auburn hair tickling my cheek. We breathein unison, and for a moment, everything else fades away—the room, the other couples, the absurdity of how we got here.

“Feel the energy flowing between you,” Devi murmurs, somewhere in the distance. “Acknowledge what your partner brings to your life—the challenges, the growth, the balance.”

Harper’s grip on my wrists tightens. I wonder what she’s thinking, what she sees in me beyond the arrogant CEO she believes I am.

“Slowly release, keeping your eyes closed. Place your palms together between you in gratitude for what you’ve shared.”

We separate, and I immediately miss the contact. Harper’s eyes remain closed as she brings her palms to meet mine, our hands pressed together in the traditional prayer position. Her face is serene, the perpetual furrow between her brows temporarily smoothed away.

“Open your eyes and bow to the divine in your partner. Namaste.”

Harper’s eyes flutter open, meeting mine. “Namaste,” she whispers, inclining her head slightly.

“Namaste,” I reply, mirroring her.

For a suspended moment, we remain connected by our pressed palms and locked gaze. Then Devi instructs everyone to lie down for final relaxation, and the spell breaks.

We lie side by side on our mats, not touching but close enough that I can hear Harper’s breathing. Devi guides us through a meditation, but my mind refuses to settle. I’m hyper-aware of Harper beside me, of how different she looks with her guard down.

“Thank you for sharing your energy today,” Devi says after several minutes of silence. “Please take a moment to appreciate your experience before rejoining the world outside.”

Harper sits up first, reaching for her water bottle. I follow, watching her. She looks... different. Relaxed.

“That was unexpected,” I say quietly.

She takes a sip of water. “You mean you didn’t plan for me to end up in your lap for an hour?”

“I planned for you to argue more.”

A hint of a smile touches her lips. “Don’t get used to it.”

“You’re good at yoga.”

“I practice every morning.” She recaps her water bottle. “It helps me think.”

We sit in comfortable silence as the other couples gather their things and drift out. Devi approaches with two cups of tea.

“You have wonderful energy together,” she says, handing us each a steaming cup. “Very balanced despite the surface tension.”

Harper accepts the tea with a polite smile. “It was... educational.”

“Many couples find tantric practices transformative for their communication.” Devi beams at us. “I hope you’ll join my sunrise session tomorrow.”

After she moves away, Harper turns to me. “That’s not happening.”

“No? I thought we made an excellent tantric team.”

She rolls her eyes, but there’s less hostility than usual. “Does your shamelessness know no limits?”

“Not that I’ve discovered so far.” I sip my tea, which tastes of ginger and something floral. “Admit it, though—that was not so bad.”

She glares me over her cup. “It was less horrific than the obstacle course.”

Coming from Harper, this is a rave review.

“So,” I say, “are we still on for Midnight Confessions tonight?”

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