Crazy Stupid Bromance (Bromance Book Club #3) - Lyssa Kay Adams Page 0,8
today without Marsh’s help and guidance, but his support came with strings attached. The kind that were a constant reminder that Noah would never be the man his father once was.
Noah stood and raised his arms in a stretch with a loud yawn. “Need any help cleaning up after yoga tonight?”
One of the many things Alexis did for the women who came to her café seeking help and support was a monthly yoga class designed just for survivors of sexual violence. The class was tonight.
“I think Jessica and I can handle it, but thanks.”
“Damn. I was hoping to have an excuse for getting out of going to Colton’s.”
“Why?”
“He opened another phishing email and screwed up his entire system.”
Alexis laughed sympathetically. “Want to start the LEGOs tomorrow night after we get back from your mom’s?”
“Hell yes.” He held out his pinkie finger for her to grasp. It was their own secret handshake. “See you then,” he said, turning to leave.
“Hey,” she said behind him.
He turned around.
“Ask your mom what I should bring for dinner tomorrow.”
He walked backward as he spoke. “You know what she’ll say.”
“‘Just yourselves.’”
He grinned.
“See you tomorrow,” she said.
And the clock in his brain immediately started counting down the minutes until then.
CHAPTER FOUR
“We’re going to run out of space soon,” Jessica said, tugging her hair into a ponytail several hours later.
They stood by the counter to survey the room. Tables and chairs had been pushed to the side and stacked to make room for yoga mats and—if everyone who’d RSVP’d showed up tonight—the nearly twenty women looking to reclaim their lives through the power of mindful movement.
“Maybe we should start looking for another place to host the class?” Jessica suggested.
Alexis nodded absently, because she didn’t want to commit to that, if for no other reason than to not give Karen the satisfaction of thinking she’d driven the class and the survivors away.
“We’ll figure something out,” Alexis finally said, crossing the room to hang a sign on the door that read CLOSED FOR PRIVATE EVENT. She shoved a wedge under the door, though, so women could still get in. She’d taken Beefcake home earlier, because two of the class regulars were allergic to cats.
The instructor, Mariana Mendoza, arrived first. She greeted Alexis and Jessica with breezy air-kisses followed by fist bumps. The class had actually been Mariana’s idea. She’d approached Alexis at the café several months ago, and Alexis was sold immediately. Mariana was a licensed counselor as well as a certified yoga instructor. The concept she proposed wasn’t a new one; survivors had been using yoga to reclaim their lives and their bodies for a long time. But there wasn’t anything like it yet in Nashville, and Alexis knew she had to be the one to host the first.
Their initial class four months ago had just three participants, including Alexis and Jessica. But once word spread, more and more women began to trickle in every week until they’d filled every inch of space. Jessica was right. They were going to need to find another location soon if they wished to allow as many women as possible in the class. Something else to add to her to-do list.
While Alexis and Jessica changed into their yoga clothes, several women arrived and began stretching on their yoga mats.
Mariana approached Alexis quietly near the front. “And how are we doing?” Mariana always spoke in the royal we.
“Good,” Alexis said with a shrug. “Busy, but good.”
“We look tired. Are we sleeping well?”
“Yes,” Alexis said, but she must have said it with a bit too much gusto, because Mariana narrowed her eyes.
“Anything you need to talk about?”
“Nothing a good yoga session can’t work out,” Alexis said, carefully sidestepping both the question and the questioner. “I’m going to say hello to some people.”
Alexis greeted a few of the regulars, introduced herself to the new ones, and then took her place on a mat in the front row. She always saved the last row for folks who weren’t yet ready to be fully seen. It took confidence just to show up sometimes, and even though the class was meant for yoga beginners of all fitness levels and all shapes, it could still be disconcerting to women who were there for the first time to practice a downward dog in front of a room full of strangers.
It was still hard for Alexis sometimes. She felt exposed every day of her life. Not as much as when she first came forward with the truth about Royce, but the anxiety