Chapter Three

Missy

As I bowed to the Universe and ended the yoga session, I saw the door swing open and Eliza walk through carrying a small stack of flyers. She was wearing her yoga pants and top but had glistened her shoulders with a bit of glitter to make her look even more like a fairy than she already did. Her short pixie haircut and tiny frame made her seem as though she might pop out some wings and fly back out of the studio. I smiled to myself as I excused the class and cleaned up to be ready for the next round in a couple of hours.

Eliza and I met in college when we had been assigned as partners for a project in one of our classes. Immediately we hit it off; my dry sarcasm mixing with her sweet-as-candy persona was a recipe for trouble. We used to have so much fun running around the city, talking to boys, and being all-around irresponsible adults. Eliza worked part-time for me as a yoga instructor and front-desk clerk when I couldn’t be there. She really had become a lifesaver for my business, especially since I didn’t have to hire anyone else. The rest of the time, Eliza worked as a designer for a small clothing company based out of Brooklyn. She loved fashion and ended up getting that job by using her charm and personality, coupled with her unbelievable eye for trends. It wasn’t her favorite kind of design, but she dealt with it, hoping it would help her open other doors.

After everyone had left the studio, I rolled up my mat and walked out into the lobby. I leaned down and pulled my shake and salad from the fridge and posted up next to Eliza at the front desk. It was another two hours before the other yoga instruction commenced, so I figured I should at least try to get some nutrition in my body. I ran my finger over the stacks of flyers on the counter, impressed by how many she had actually handed out. Now all I had to do was wait a couple of days, and hopefully people would start coming in.

“Wow,” I said. “You really hauled ass today getting these flyers out.”

“Well, I figure the more money you make, the more hours I get, and the less likelihood there will be that I have to stay at the other company designing terrible clothing for assholes,” she responded with a smile. “And I love to walk around the city so I was glad to be able to go do that.”

“You saved me the stress and hassle of actually having to talk to people.” I laughed. “I don’t know what I’d do without you, besides kill myself picking up even more yoga classes to instruct. I’m on like number twelve so far this week.”

“Girl, you seriously need to take a break,” Eliza said, looking over at me dumbfounded. “There are professional athletes and bodybuilders who work out less than you.”

“It takes a lot of work to grow a business,” I said, shrugging. “Besides, I now have the body I always wanted.”

“That does you a lot of good if you don’t have a man to run his hands over it,” Eliza replied, elbowing me in the side. “Come on, you need to get out there, go on a date, meet a man.”

“Eliza, I don’t have time for any of that right now. I barely have time to talk to my grandmother,” I scoffed.

“I’m not saying go meet a husband and pop out babies.” She laughed. “I mean go get laid. I bet you’ll feel more relaxed.”

“It’s never that easy,” I replied, shaking my head.

“I have a hot date tonight,” she sang. “I met him last night at the bar. He is so freaking hot, and he likes the same things as I do, and did I mention he was really hot?”

“Is that all that you think about?” I laughed at her, knowing she wasn’t really that shallow, but she was definitely flighty.

“No.” She giggled. “But I tell you what, ever since I decided to just go out and let loose, I have felt so much better.”

“And hungover.” I laughed.

“Yeah, but that’s why it’s good to be a yoga instructor,” she pointed out. “If I was a pilates instructor I would have died already, right here in your studio.”

“Oh God.” I rolled my eyes. “Please don’t die in here. It’s already hard enough to get clients.”

“You could market it as haunted yoga,” she said, laughing.

“I don’t think that would work,” I responded.

“You would be surprised.” She shook her head. “There are a lot of weirdos in this city. You might start a damn trend in the underground goth scene.”

“This is exactly why I do not go out,” I said, pouring my dressing on my salad. “Too many weirdos.”

“That’s why you hit up the Manhattan bars.” She nodded. “A lot of single guys with way too much money in their pockets. Besides, you could coax them all into coming to yoga.”

“Are you going to keep bothering me about going out?”

“Well, yes, until you either agree, kill me, or send me home early so I can start getting ready for my hot date,” she said, smiling. “I have got to shave my legs—it’s been like a month.”

“I thought you slept with this guy yesterday,” I said, looking down at her legs.

“I did.” She laughed. “Which is how I noticed.”

“Poor guy.” I laughed.

“Whatever, he probably thinks I’m a hippy,” she said.

“Okay,” I sighed. “Fine, get out of here. You’re done with classes anyway, and I can’t leave until after the next one.”

“Thank you,” she squealed, leaning over the counter and hugging my head. “I’ll call you later and tell you all about it.”

“Oh, joy,” I said, laughing.

I watched as Eliza grabbed her jacket and skipped back out of the store, blowing kisses to me as she passed the window. I didn’t know what I would do without her, but sometimes that girl drove me absolutely nuts. She was worse than my grandmother when it came to me and meeting a man. I shook my head and pulled my chair over to the computer, clicking off the main screen and opening the browser. I shoveled my salad into my mouth, realizing how absolutely famished I was.

I pulled up Facebook and sighed, realizing no one had sent me messages or commented on anything on my page, except my grandmother. I was starting to think maybe Eliza was right, that is until I clicked over to my fitness page and saw I had thirty notifications. I loved this group; it was the icing on my cake. I started it before I ever opened Zen, in order to give women a safe place to post before and after pics, get motivated by the other people in the group, and get some real free advice from an actual trainer. I had women all over the world on my page, and there were at least a few hundred who posted or commented on a daily basis. It sure had grown since I started it with just me and a few friends from high school.

I clicked on the messages and cracked my fingers, realizing I had at least ten messages I needed to knock out. I had come up with a generic workout routine and general diet guideline to send to women who really needed the help and couldn’t afford a personal trainer. I figured it was better than them giving up. In the beginning, I offered my services for a cost, but I got too busy with the gym to keep up with it, so now I just help when I can.

I shoved another bite of salad into my mouth as I scrolled down the screen reading this woman’s plea for help with her diet program. She had fallen for one of the low-carb diets and now was regretting it seriously bad. Before I could type, though, I heard someone clear their throat, and I looked up, aware of the salad dressing smeared across my lips. I dropped my fork and grabbed my napkin as I stared at the most handsome man I had seen in a very long time. I hadn’t even heard him come in. He smiled big with his charming white grin, bright blue eyes, and perfectly styled blond hair. He had a dimple right in the middle of his cheek, and he looked like he just walked out of a Calvin Klein ad. I don’t know why, but I couldn’t get words to come out of my mouth, which was probably good since it was full of salad.

“Hey,” he says with charm. “I got this flyer from a short-haired girl who made me feel insecure about my body.”

“Oh,” I said, scrunching my nose.

“I’m just kidding.” He laughed. “Not about the girl, but I think I’m okay with my body.”

“Me too,” I said, immediately looking to the side when I realized I had actually said that out loud. “I mean, you should be proud of any body you have.”

I was not doing myself any favors here.

“I was wondering if you did personal yoga classes,” he asked, laughing at my awkwardness. “I’ve been doing yoga for years, but I don’t like it in a class setting.”

“Yes.” I smiled. “I do. When would you like to come in?”

“I’d love to start tomorrow around noon if you have the time,” he said, looking down at his phone. “I’m pretty busy, so I’ll have to use my lunch to do it.”

“As you can see, I kind of use whenever for lunch,” I said shamefully. “All right, let’s just get your information in the system and then set you up for your appointment.”

“Great,” he replied leaning forward on the desk. I could smell his cologne and immediately my heart started to beat faster.

“Okay, name?”

“Mason Phillips,” he responded.

“Mason Phillips, like the record label owner?”

“Actually, yes, exactly like the record label owner.” He chuckled, then handed me his card.

“Oh,” I said, impressed and a little intimidated. “My grandmother loved your parents’ music. I grew up listening to it.”

“Thank you,” he said, chuckling. “I’ll let them know. They’ll be thrilled.”

I took down the rest of his information, looking up at him from time to time as he stared down at me with his piercing eyes. I was pretty sure if I wasn’t careful, I could easily get lost in them. When we were done, we discussed payment and set him up for the next day at lunch. I was pretty excited to do a private yoga lesson; I didn’t get those very often, especially since they were really expensive. However, knowing who this guy was, I knew that he could afford it no problem.

When I was done, I gave him a quick tour of the place, showing him the changing area and the main room where we would be having our lesson. He seemed to be impressed by everything, and I was pretty sure he was checking out my ass while he walked along behind me. Afterward, I went back behind the counter and handed him a couple of brochures for the place to give to his clients.

“This place is great,” he said, standing at the counter. “I need one of these at my company for my clients.”

“Well, anytime you wanna talk business, I’m ready to expand.” I laughed.

“We’ll see how tomorrow goes,” he said with a wink. “I’ll catch you then!”

“Great,” I replied, watching him saunter out of the place.

Not only did I have this hot guy wanting to take private yoga lessons from me, but he also just mentioned expansion, which immediately put my nerves on high. I didn’t know whether to think of this as an opportunity or a really big distraction. Either way, I would be seeing him at noon tomorrow, ready or not.