Callie
I can’t wait to hearall the details!!!
The second I walk through the door of the yoga studio, I’m met with squealing. Callie beelines toward me with a silly grin on her face and wraps me up in a hug.
Olivia’s not far behind, though she approaches at a normal pace.
“Did I call it or did I call it?” Callie turns from me to Olivia and back again. “Are you two officially dating now?”
Perhaps overreacting, I clamp my hand over Callie’s mouth, my eyes wide. “Keep it down. I don’t need anyone to hear, especially not Little Miss Nosey in the corner.” I tilt my head in the direction of Mrs. Liens. She retired a couple of years ago and has made it her full-time job to be in everyone’s business.
“Do you not want people to know?” Olivia furrows her brow.
“Sort of. We’re going to keep it a secret for a little while. I don’t need everyone’s opinions on us while I’m figuring this out. I know some people will think Jax is a rebound after I was with Austin for so long, but that’s not what this is, and I don’t need that idea getting into Jax’s head.” I smile shyly at my friends. “Everything felt so right this past weekend. I’m not ready for that to change.”
Olivia nods along in understanding as Callie eagerly bounces up and down. “Oh, a secret relationship! This is going to be so fun for you. It’s kind of hot, sneaking around.”
“Yeah? Have you done a lot of sneaking around?” I nudge her side. “Got a secret love affair you haven’t told us about?”
She rolls her eyes. “Nope, it’s just me and Boots.”
“Maybe we need to change that.” I grab a rolled-up yoga mat from the bin in the corner. “You spend an awful lot of time with your cat.”
She grabs her own mat, following me toward the back ofthe studio. “I spend a lot of time with you two too, but I don’t hear you complaining about that.”
“Touché.”
Ms. Easton unfolds her mat up front and clears her throat loudly, waiting for everyone to quiet down. “Thank you all for coming. I’m so happy I can support this wonderful cause. I’ll let Olivia take over.”
Olivia glides to the front of the room, turning to face her audience with a confidence and light she didn’t have when she first came to Roots. It’s wonderful to see what a new job, a support system, and some time to relax have done for her.
“Good evening, y’all! I’m Olivia Parker. I started working with Resilient Paws Rescue as a volunteer back in May, and now I’m heading up the marketing with the goal of helping keep the dogs fed, getting them the medical care they need, and, ultimately, finding the right home for all these amazing animals. This is the first time we’ve ever held puppy yoga for the rescue, but after today’s turnout I hope to do it more regularly.”
A few ladies in the front row nod along in agreement.
“The setup will be simple. Ms. Easton will lead us through an hour of yoga, and we’ll allow the puppies to roam around freely in the room. Feel free to pause at any time to sit and hold the puppies. They love being loved on.” She grins with affection. “The puppies that will be in here today are from Lubbock. We found them last month huddled underneath a water tank for warmth when an early snow blew through the city. They’re about four months old, and they’re now fully vaccinated and microchipped. The adoption process will be a foster-to-adopt, where you’ll be considered a foster until the dog has been spayed or neutered. These puppies are the product of irresponsible breeding, and we don’t want to perpetuate the problem.”
She glances down at her phone, undoubtedly reviewing notes she took for the event. “We are having a DNA test done on them to confirm their breed, but we suspect they’re Australian Shepherd, Border Collie mixes.”
Olivia shares a smirking glance with Callie, and when I turn to her, she raises her eyebrows at me. They’re hoping I’m going to fall in love today. They know I want a dog, and a working breed like this would be the right fit for the ranch, but puppies are a lot of responsibility, and I’m already entering a new relationship with Jax. It’s the last thing I need.
Olivia wraps up her speech. “Thank you to Ms. Easton for agreeing to be our instructor today, and thank you to my friend, Callie, for getting us connected. Let me know if you have any questions, and have fun!”
Ms. Easton leads us through a gentle warmup, having us roll our heads in circles as we stand with our palms outstretched. Meanwhile, Olivia helps Carol unleash five little furballs into the room. One instantly comes up to me, her tongue hanging out as she jumps up on my legs. When I glance down at her sweet blue eyes, I melt.
“Yup, you’re doomed.” Callie chuckles.
Olivia finally rejoins us as we’re led into downward dog. The same chocolate-colored mutt scrambles underneath me as I hold the pose. She licks my face until I have to collapse onto my knees to shield myself from the puppy’s love.
“Someone has taken a liking to you.” Olivia beams, then lowers her voice. “Speaking of, you have to explain how things happened between you and you know who.”
“He Who Shall Not Be Named,” Callie chimes in. “Ohhh, we can call him Voldemort!”
“We are not calling him Voldemort.” I groan as we pop back up into Warrior I.
“I kind of like it.” Olivia purses her lips, trying to hide her smile.
“Two against one. He will now be called Voldemort from here on out.” Callie does a fist pump.
