“Nope.” Ellie grabs my arm before I can bolt. “This was your idea, and it’s working. The guys are into it, they’re laughing, and you’re killing it. Even with the awkward anatomy references. Shake it off and get back out there.”
I sigh, but her encouragement does what it always does and steadies me. I nod. “Fine. But if anyone asks, I said core engagement, not fabulous groin.”
I stand to make my way to the front of the room, but not before Ellie gives me a little slap on the ass.
As I walk away, I give her my best evil eye over my shoulder.
“Sorry. It’s a habit.” She shrugs her shoulders at me, and I give her one last shake of my head before getting to the front of the class.
The goats are climbing all over the players as they laugh and joke about which one of them is going to get to take one home. They really are eating this up. God, I love what I do.Some people might not understand yoga—cough, cough, my family—but it doesn’t make me love it any less.
Clapping twice to gain everyone’s attention, all eyes lift to meet mine.
“Let’s see what you got. This next pose is going to be a tad more difficult. It’s called Balancing Table pose, and I want to see which one of you all-stars can impress me the most with your balance.”
Hoots and hollers meet my challenge, especially amongst the rookies, all of them claiming they’ll be the best. Nothing like a little competition to get them riled up.
Once I’m on my hands and knees to demonstrate the pose, the temptation is too strong. I look to my left at Niko, and those eyes are tracking my every movement. Once they meet mine, I finally realize what’s hiding in them.
Desire.
Last week’s yoga session is still living rent-free in my mind as I warm up on the stationary bike before our game. I’m just outside the locker room, far enough away from the open area where some of the other guys on the team warm-up, so I’m able to attempt to focus but am a tad distracted.
Sophia loved every second of getting to hang out with those goats, but that’s not what keeps replaying in my head.
My mind is on the yoga instructor, Sadie. She was so unbelievably good with Sophia; it was hard not to take notice. Her patience, her enthusiasm, her openness to allow Sophia to not only hang out with her, but help with the yoga session. There was also the adorable, awkward moment when Sadie referred to my groin as fabulous, but my interest is stuck on how wonderfully she treated my daughter.
I can’t remember the last time I was thinking about something other than hockey or parenting. But seeing the way Sadie and Sophia interacted, she definitely has my attention. And I find myself wondering when the next time I might see her is.
It doesn’t help matters that Sophia seems just as captivated as I am.
She seems to sneak Sadie’s name into random conversations every day. For example, during breakfast, she said, “Daddy, did you know that Sadie’s favorite animal is a goat too?” Or when we were at the park playing with Sophia’s purple kickball, she said, “Daddy, did you know Sadie’s favorite color is purple too?”
It’s kind of hard not to think about Sadie when my daughter is making it her mission that I do just the opposite.
I’m not going to lie, seeing Sophia open up so easily to someone, especially a woman, was really fucking awesome to see. The guys on the team all love her to death. She even has a special bond with Connor, calling him “Uncle Connor” because both Claire and I don’t have any siblings. But seeing her bond with Sadie at goat yoga made it all the more clear to me how important it is for her to have a female role model in her life.
As if my thoughts conjured her up, I see Sadie walk into the open area from the hallway where the administrative offices are. Some of the guys have gathered there to warm-up and are kicking a soccer ball around.
Something our rookie, Jefferson, says has her throwing her head back to laugh. Seeing her laugh is another reminder of how much I enjoyed last week’s team activity. I remember Sadie and Sophia laughing with a goat in their arms, the look of pure bliss etched on my daughter’s face.
What the fuck is my problem? I need to forget about yoga and focus on today’s game.
Having Sadie here. In my space. When I’m already struggling to get her off my mind. It is definitely not an ideal situation.
Connor takes a seat in the empty bike next to me, causing my attention to shift to him.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
Connor rarely smiles. He has a quiet way about him, onlylaughing when something is ridiculously funny. But he’s wearing a smirk right now, and I don’t like it. Not one bit.
He turns the knob on his bike, loosening the tension, and starts pedaling. “You’re looking at that girl like she’s the answer to all your questions, man.”
“Fuck off. I’m looking at her like I’m trying to figure out why the fuck she’s here.”
He shakes his head at me before leaning his forearms on the handles of the bike. Not believing a word coming out of my mouth. “It sure doesn’t look like you’re looking at her that way. And if you’re so curious, why don’t you ask her best friend that question. Here she comes.”
Ellie makes her way to the stationary bikes, leaning against the vacant one next to Connor. Leaning down, she removes her red high heels and lets out a sigh of relief. “Don’t ever buy a new pair of Louboutins and think you can break them in at work. I don’t know what the hell I was thinking.”
