Page 18 of The Holiday Clause
She stilled, wondering how she hadn’t seen that coming. “Like a date?”
“Could be nice. No breathwork, no balancing on one arm. Just good food. A firepit. Maybe even a glass of wine—if that’s not too scandalous for a yogi master.”
Caught off guard, she smiled nervously. Noah was a transplant she didn’t know much about, but he seemed nice and looked about her age. “I’ll... think about it.”
He grinned and handed her the last blanket. “Just don’t make me hold a crow pose until you decide.”
A shadow passed by the door, and stilled. Her gaze shifted over Noah’s shoulder. Greyson stood in the empty doorway of the studio.
What was he doing here? As always, he glared at any man within ten feet of her.
“Well, it was great seeing you, Noah.” She didn’t know why she made the effort to touch Noah’s arm, but something inside her liked provoking Greyson. She supposed he was the bear she couldn’t resist poking.
Noah’s smile widened, and Greyson’s frown deepened. “Yeah, you too, Wren. See you tomorrow.”
“I look forward to it.” He turned and paused when he noticed Greyson watching them. Stowing his rolled yoga mat under his arm, Noah gave the other man a nod. “How ya doin’?”
In typical Greyson fashion, he didn’t say a word. He took Noah’s measure and barely moved out of the doorway when the other man exited.
Wren rolled her eyes, and as soon as Noah was gone, she turned her back on the entrance, on him. “What do you want, Grey?”
His cold stare followed Noah until the other man fully left the building. “Who was that?”
“A student. Why are you here?”
She typically wasn’t so short with him, but she’d had her fill of Hawthorne men today.
“What’s up your ass?”
“Can’t a girl be busy? Believe it or not, I am trying to run a business on my own.” Under her breath, she grumbled. “Not everyone has an inheritance waiting for them.” The moment the words left her mouth, she grew sick with regret. “I’m sorry. I can’t believe I just said that.”
“It’s fine.”
“It’s not?—“
“Drop it.”
She looked up at him, hating that she said something so cold to her friend who could lose his father at any moment. Pressing a hand to her stomach, she looked up at him apologetically. “That was a terrible thing for me to say.”
“It was true.”
The way Soren and Logan made it sound that morning, she wasn’t so sure. “How is your dad?”
“The same.”
How foolish to think Greyson might actually open up to her. Same old games. Same old Greyson. Her regret faded. “Well, if there’s nothing you need, I really have to get back to work.” Without waiting for approval, she pushed past him to collect the rest of the blankets.
She was annoyed.Greyson could blame his brothers for that. But this visit had nothing to do with their bullshit. “I came to get your shovels.”
She paused and glanced back at him, a divot forming between her brows. “My shovels?”
“Yeah. They’re overdue for a sharpening.”
“Shovels need to be sharpened?”
“It helps.” The automatic doors chimed as another guest left through the main entrance at the end of the hall, letting another draft into the building. “Aren’t you cold?” His gaze drifted to the hem of her cropped top that hung slightly off her shoulder, and tied at the waist. He fixated on that sliver of tan skin and frowned. “You’re dressed for summer. Where are your shoes?”
She patted his chest as she breezed past him to the closet. “It’s a yoga class, Grey. What I’m wearing is perfectly normal.”
