Olivia brought to mind the two classes she’d forced herself to go to, where the only pose she could master was the one at the end where everyone lay down on the floor and closed their eyes. Even then her brain was racing and her body itching to move.
‘Something like that.’
‘Urgh, that isnotthe type of yoga I teach. Stupid, westernized, commercial crap.’ She folded her arms across her chest.
‘I’m sorry.’ Olivia could feel the prickles of tension emanating from Cece. ‘I didn’t mean to offend you.’
‘Oh, God no, of course you didn’t!’ She laughed, a warm smile returning to her face. ‘It’s the industry that offends me. I love my job so much, but at times I get frustrated by it all.’
‘I can imagine.’
Except she couldn’t. Cece should try a day with Phil the pig, and then she’d know frustration.
‘It’s the exact reason every time I think about going back home to London, I change my mind.’
‘You’re from London too?’
‘Uh-huh, although that feels like another lifetime now. I haven’t been back in forever.’
Olivia’s thoughts immediately turned to Jacob.
‘Hey!’ Cece clapped her hands together. ‘Why don’t you come along to one of my classes some time? See what true yoga is all about. I’m confident you’ll be a convert by the end.’
‘Oh gosh.’ Olivia felt her stomach contract. ‘I would love to, really I would, but I have so many things left to do while I’m here, I’m not sure I have the time. And besides, I’d be totally rubbish anyway, you wouldn’t want me there.’
Cece narrowed her eyes. ‘Time I’ll just about accept as an excuse, but the other crap I don’t buy. There is nobody on this earth who is bad at yoga. You can’t be. It’s impossible.’
‘Well, expect to see someone defy all possibility then!’ Olivia joked, her attempt at deflection making Cece grow even more stoic.
‘Come to class tomorrow and prove me wrong. You can be my guest!’
‘Tomorrow?’ Olivia’s face began to burn. ‘I can’t. I have to be up early for this tour I’ve booked on to. It starts at like 8 a.m.’
‘Great, my class is at seven – you’ll be done by seven forty-five.’
God, that is just great, isn’t it.
‘The thing is, I’m quite tired so I’m not sure I’ll be up in time.’
‘Hey’ – Cece held her hands up in surrender – ‘the offer’s there. I’d love you to come, but if you don’t want to, then of course that’s totally fine too. It’s 7 a.m., just a little bit further along by that patch of trees. You can’t miss it, just follow the signs.’ She reached for Olivia’s arm and gently touched it. ‘Anyway, I’ve intruded enough. It was lovely to meet you, and hopefully’ – Cece grinned, calling over her shoulder as she strode away down the beach – ‘I will see you bright and early for somerealyoga!’
Olivia nodded and smiled, knowing that even if a single part of her did want to try it, there was no way she could risk embarrassing herself in front of a group of people like Cece. Did everyone who did yoga out here look like a goddess? Because if so, then quite frankly, she could kiss her spiritual awakening goodbye.
*
‘Comeon, why don’t you just go?’ Kate asked for the third time in a row. ‘What’s the worst that could happen? You can’t be the only beginner; it’s a tourist spot. Every man,woman and their grandma will be wanting to try out some traditional yoga! In fact, it’s probably the best place to do it.’
Olivia rolled over on to her side, regretting ever mentioning her conversation with Cece to her best friend. It was their weekly FaceTime, and what she thought would simply be a passing comment about her day had turned into a ten-minute debate.
‘Because …’ She was running low on excuses now. ‘It’s too hot to exercise.’
Her friend pulled the phone screen closer and scowled.
‘Yet miraculously you manage to go and visit about a hundred boring churches every day.’
‘That’s different,’ Olivia grunted.
‘How?’
