I hadn’t indulged in a glass of wine since the time I lived with my father. “If it wouldn’t be a bother.”
“A bother?” Melody exclaimed. “Girl time is my favorite time of day. Sometimes we just eat cookies and talk, and other times, I like to use everyone as my guinea pig.” Her gaze traveled down my body. “Are you about a size eight?”
Hope caught Melody’s wrist. “She’s not a dress-up doll. Maybe another day. Sorry, Cecilia. Melody likes to use us as models for her outfits,” she said, dragging Melody into the room behind the fireplace.
I followed them, and once inside, I noticed clothes hanging on racks, a couple of desks, large jewelry hangers on a wall, and a pink sofa in the left corner. The room was large with sunny windows, and even with the workstations and furniture, there was still so much space to walk around. It was narrower than the living room but just as long.
An attractive woman with curly blond hair laid out the yoga mats. Her oversized shirt billowed out, and unlike the other girls, she had on comfy-looking pants that were wide at the ankles.
I whispered to Mercy, “Are you sure this is okay?”
She put her arm around me. “Don’t be a worrywart. Everyone loves you already. Joy, come meet Cecilia.”
The blonde finished rolling out another mat before walking barefoot across the room. “It’s lovely to meet you,” she said, her blue eyes curving like crescent moons when she offered a dazzling smile. “Welcome to our group. I adore your skirt. Is it stretch material around the waist? That’s what I need. My weight is always bouncing around.”
Hope handed me a baggy pair of brown pants. “These are great because the ankles have elastic and you can pull them up.”
“Thanks. Is there somewhere I can change?”
Hope walked behind me and closed the door. “This is a safe space. Everyone, turn around and give Cecilia privacy.”
Melody and Mercy sat on their mats and stretched forward to touch their toes. While Melody relayed a story about her mate putting a rubber snake in the glove compartment and asking her to get a map out of there, I slipped out of my skirt and into the pants. Dresses and skirts had always been my preference.
“These are comfortable,” I said, admiring the way they looked.
“Sorry I’m late!” Robyn, the woman I’d first met with the wolf, burst into the room and shut the door. “Montana wanted me to help him with something.”
“I’m sure he did,” Melody said with a snicker.
Robyn tucked her shaggy hair behind her ears and gestured to my pants. “Those look good on you. Have you ever done yoga before?”
I shook my head. “Is it hard?”
Mercy cackled. “Don’t you dare lie to her.”
Robyn smiled and said, “Let’s do an easy class today.”
“Thank heavens.” Joy chose a mat to sit on. “I’m not as limber as the rest of you.” She patted the spot beside her. “Come sit with me.”
Melody, Hope, and Mercy sat in the front row, Joy and I in the back.
I drew my knees up and wrapped my arms around them.
“What’s your profession?” Joy asked. “Or do you stay with a pack?”
“Oh. I’m not a wolf.” I waited for them to make snide remarks or kick me out, but no one did. “I’m opening a bookstore.”
“A bookstore!” she exclaimed. “That’s exactly what we need. That and a yarn store.”
“It’s only temporary. Mostly nonfiction.”
Melody leaned back on her hands and caught Joy’s attention. “Isn’t that Salem’s catnip? Nonfiction?”
“Is running a bookstore what you want to do?” Robyn asked, walking to the front of the room and then standing with the windows behind her.
“I don’t know. But for now, it’s temporary.”
“You should create a vision board,” she suggested.
