Page 27 of Archer
As I paid and headed out, my gaze was drawn back to Elton, and I thought about my renewed vision after talking to Aziza yesterday morning. I wanted to help people and make a difference, and there was something so lonely about Elton. Squaring my shoulders, I approached his table. “Good morning.”
He startled, dropping the fidget in his hands, then stared up at me. “Hello?” he asked questioningly.
I took a breath for courage. “So, this might sound weird, but I’m the—”
“You run Harmony and Joy,” he said, cutting me off.
I sighed with relief that he recognized me and didn’t think I was some rando. “So you’ve seen me before?”
He nodded. “Of course. I live in the building, so I’ve passed your shop plenty of times. I noticed you walking with that hot Daddy down the stairway a couple nights ago, too.” He slapped his hand over his mouth, and his cheeks went bright red. “Sorry. Was that rude?”
I giggled. “No. He really is a hot Daddy, isn’t he?”
“He really is. There’s a few of them around here,” he said.
We both glanced over at Bram as he came out of his kitchen and snickered. “Well, I have an Easy Flow Yoga class this morning, so I need to get going, but I wanted to know if you’d like tocome. It’s slow-paced, and we concentrate on our breathing. It’s a great way to center yourself and tackle the day ahead with a clear mind.”
His eyes widened. “You want me there?”
“It would be a complimentary class,” I assured him. He lived here, so I didn’t assume he lacked money. This was a swanky place. But how did I really know?
Elton tilted his head and stared at me thoughtfully. “Sure, why not? I’m not accomplishing anything here anyway.” His coffee, in a regular ceramic mug instead of the to-go cup I had, looked untouched. He stood up and deposited it in a little bin off to the side for dirty dishes.Yay.He really was coming with me.
“Thanks for inviting me,” he said as we walked over to my studio. “I’ve thought about taking a class before, but when I checked online, there was no website. I don’t know a lot about yoga, so I was scared I’d end up in a class that was too complicated for me and make a fool out of myself.”
“Ugh.” I smacked a hand to my forehead. “Archer told me I needed a website.”
Elton bumped my shoulder lightly with his. “What else did he tell you?” He wiggled his eyebrows.
And like that, I thought perhaps I’d made a new friend. Could life get any better?
“Wow, this place is even better from inside,” Elton said, scanning the room from the front door.
“I’m so happy you like it. You can take your shoes off right there, and I’ll get you set up for the class.”
Elton toed off his shoes. “I don’t need to bring my own stuff?”
“You’re more than welcome to, but I have yoga mats, blocks, pillows, and blankets that you can use here.”
“This is really impressive, Crispin.”
“I’m so happy you like it,” I said, humbled by the awe in his voice. He helped me grab everything, and then I set him up right in front of the spot where I’d be.
He stared hesitantly down at the yoga mat, then looked around the room and back to me. “I’m upfront? Will everyone stare at me? I really don’t know what I’m doing.”
I understood exactly what he meant. That was how I’d felt in the beginning. “That’s why I put you right in front of me. That way, you’ll be able to see my movements easily, and if we need to make any quick adjustments, I’ll help you. And don’t worry about anyone judging you or anything. Everyone is super nice. My energy draws in kind people. You’ll see.”
Elton exhaled a long breath. “You know what? I’m going to trust you.”
Two women entered the studio, and I waved over at them. Elton shooed me off. “Go ahead and do whatever else you need to do. I’ll be fine.” He sat down cross-legged in the middle of the mat and smiled up at me.
Feeling like he was fine, I rushed around, greeted the others as they came in, lit incense, and prepared myself for the day.
It was the perfect first class for Elton, and he did wonderfully. Judging by how relaxed he was when we were done, I knew I’d done the right thing putting myself out there and inviting him.
My favorite trio of friends who attended this class religiously welcomed him warmly the second they found out it was his first class. I couldn’t even get to him immediately after to ask him if he’d enjoyed it because they were peppering him with questions and showering him with encouragement. I cracked up when I saw them dragging him over to the check-in desk to show him the weekly schedule and explain the different classes I offered. I told him everyone would be friendly.
As soon as we were alone, Elton grabbed both my hands between his. “Thank you for inviting me today. This was awesome. Not only is my neck finally moving, but I had a great idea for my next chapter. This was just fabulous.” He let me go and ran over, bending down to slip on his shoes. “I’d love to stay and chat, but I want to get up to my office so I can start jotting down notes. You have a new believer in me, so I’ll be back.”