Page 33 of Off Limits
He gave a small nod. Without another word, he turned and walked out the door.
Chapter Sixteen
Jane
Jane strolled into the long-thatched yoga room overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Several people sat cross-legged practicing their breathing.
Patrick waved her over from his gray yoga mat. She sauntered his direction. The two of them had spent quite a bit of time together. They had shared many aspects of their lives over margaritas and sunsets, but she hadn’t told him about Brady. She hadn’t been ready to talk about him.
Patrick was a nice guy and into everything she enjoyed. Reading. Walks on the beach. Yoga. Meditation. Fresh, whole foods. And good-looking men. If he lived closer to her, they’d probably be besties.
“Hey,” she whispered, not wanting to interrupt anyone’s practice. She rolled out her teal yoga mat and squatted into a seat.
“Beautiful sunset.” He tipped his chin up to the purple, pink and orange melting into the horizon.
“I know. I don’t think I’ll ever get over this view.” She smiled softly.
“How are you feeling about the retreat ending?”
“Bittersweet.” She lifted her hand and waved it. “These last three weeks have been incredible. I’ve learned so much. Made some great friends.” She flashed him a grin. “But I’m ready to get home. I miss my family. My studio. My friends.”And Brady. His name hovered unspoken on her lips.
“I hear you.” He gave her a soft smile that reached his eyes. “It’s always great to get away, but there is nothing like going home.”
She nodded.
“Good evening,” Domenico said in a sing-song voice.
Those milling around the edges of the room found a spot and rolled out their mats. Others who had already settled in and begun their breathing exercises slowly returned to the present, opening their eyes. Jane and Patrick turned their focus to the front of the room, where their final evening meditation was about to begin.
“It’s our last evening together,” Domenico said gently. “Before we begin, I want to thank each of you for being part of this journey. I’ve gotten to know all of you and am so grateful that you chose to share this experience with me. I hope that it has brought you the healing or clarity, or both, you came looking for—and maybe even something unexpected.”
She closed her eyes and exhaled slowly. The retreat had done exactly that. Her time here, her growing friendship with Patrick, had clarified so much. She sifted into a cross-legged seat, rested her hands on her knees and let her breath carry her into her final meditation of the retreat.
****
Jane sat on a blanketon the beach watching the moon cast a spotlight over the blackened ocean. This retreat had been a great break at a time when she’d needed one. She had to clear her head. She had to figure out what she wanted. Three weeks of meditations and yoga practice had a way of centering her.
