As she tried to contain her laughter, Lila’s chest shook. Joanne was a lovely person but she really didn’t care what people thought about her. How she’d managed to keep her job at the café, Lila had no idea, because Joanne was happy to call a spade a spade and never assumed airs and graces for anyone. Lila wished she could be more like Joanne sometimes, but she was always too aware of other people’s thoughts and feelings. It was one of the reasons why she’d stayed with Ben for so long, she guessed. She’d always tended to put him first and to excuse his thoughtless behaviour, his forgetfulness (about birthdays, anniversaries and arrangements – unless they suited him) and his general selfishness that she’d so often put down to him being a man. Which was really quite sexist of her. At the end of the day, he was a human being and whatever someone’s gender; it didn’t excuse poor behaviour. But Lila had loved him and wanted him to be happy, often to her own detriment.
‘Now bring your attention back to the room. Wriggle your fingers and toes. And when you’re ready, open your eyes.’ Finlay Bridgewater’s soothing voice brought Lila back to the room and she sat up slowly and looked around. At the front of the hall, Finlay was in full lotus position, his back straight and hands pressed together against his muscular chest. He was a lovely young man and his yoga and mindfulness classes were very popular in the village.
As people sat up then got to their feet, the gentle hum of chatter filled the hall. Some people went up to the front to thank Finlay, some to admire him and some to find out more about other classes he offered. Lila knew that he also worked as a personal trainer and seemed to have a steady stream of local clients, a lot of them women with disposable income and spare time on their hands, like Roxie.
‘That was good.’ Joanne rolled up her yoga mat and tucked it under her arm.
‘Did you actually do any of it?’ Lila giggled. ‘I saw you filing your nails, eating a banana and I’m sure that at one point you were snoring.’
‘Lila, I was not!’ Joanne scowled in mock anger. ‘I was merely resting my eyes in pigeon pose. It’s just that I have a bit of a stuffy nose.’
‘I feel good now anyway.’ Lila stretched her arms above her head, enjoying how loose her back felt. ‘It’s released all that tension in my neck and shoulders.’
‘Lila.’ Finlay approached them, his dark eyes warm, his dark brown beard perfectly fashioned on his square jaw. ‘You did well today.’
‘Thank you.’
‘Your lung capacity is really developing.’
He smiled and she smiled back. He really was good-looking if a bit too physically perfect.
‘What about me?’ Joanne asked, causing Finlay to turn to her.
‘Uhhh… yes, Joanne. You did well too. Good effort.’
Joanne grinned, her dimples appearing in her rosy cheeks, her green eyes bright and filled with mischief.
‘I just think I could do with some help with my doggy down.’
‘Sorry?’ Finlay frowned. ‘Doggy down?’
‘Yes, you know.’ Joanne put her mat down then bent over, putting her hands on the floor in front of her with her behind in the air. ‘I can’t quite get this pose right.’
Finlay stared at Joanne then turned to Lila and she shrugged. Joanne hadn’t got the pose quite right but Lila had a suspicion that Joanne was doing this deliberately.
‘I’m sure I saw you doing it right earlier.’ Finlay’s voice had risen in pitch, now laced with what could be panic.
‘Come help me!’ Joanne’s face was turning red with the strain of holding herself in the position and Finlay seemed to realise that he wasn’t getting out of this easily. He sighed then went to Joanne and eased her hips up slightly, then helped her to spread her hands out further before placing a hand on her back to straighten it.
‘There. Perfect, Joanne.’
Suddenly, there was a loud ripping noise that seemed to bounce off the walls and Finlay jumped back, catching his foot on Joanne’s rolled up yoga mat and staggering backwards. He managed to right himself before he landed on the wooden floor.
‘Joanne!’ Lila helped her friend to stand up, wincing at the terrible smell. ‘You didn’t just fart in our yoga instructor’s face did you?’
Joanne was red-faced and sweaty, but it could have been from the yoga pose or because she was embarrassed. Around them people were whispering and laughing but Joanne pushed her shoulders back and shrugged.
‘My apologies, Finlay. That was… an accident.’
Finlay shook his head, his lips curving upwards into a smile.
‘It’s fine, Joanne. It’s not the first time that’s happened and I doubt it will be the last.’
As Finlay wandered away, saying goodbye to members of the class, Joanne tucked her mat under her arm and slid her feet into her trainers.
‘Well, no one can accuse me of being fake with anyone can they?’
‘They certainly can’t.’
‘Are you sure he’s not into women?’ Joanne eyed Finlay as they made their way to the door. ‘I just keep thinking I’m picking up signals from him.’
‘I don’t know for certain, Joanne, but Roxie did say that he told her about a date he went on and that the person was called Sam. He wasn’t specific so he could be straight or gay. Or perhaps he’s bisexual or pansexual.’
‘Food for thought.’ Joanne licked her lips. ‘Right… Come to the café with me and we can have some breakfast before I start my shift. My treat.’
‘There’s no need for you to treat me, Joanne. You’re meant to be saving.’
‘Yes but I get a generous staff discount. So it’s on me.’
‘Okay then.’ Lila laughed. ‘You get breakfast but next time it’s on me.’
‘Deal.’
They linked arms as they walked down the stone steps from the village hall, blinking in the brightness of the March morning. It looked like it was going to be a beautiful day.
‘You’re wasting your time there, Joanne.’ Roxie shook her head.
‘Yes, but am I? Am I really?’ Joanne asked before taking another bite of toast.
Lila was enjoying a post yoga breakfast in the café with her friends. Lila and Joanne had bumped into Roxie as she walked her dog Glenda, and invited her to join them. The small fawn pug was now sitting on Roxie’s lap being spoiled with pieces of toast dipped in runny egg.
‘You are. I’m telling you that Finlay is not interested in women. At all.’
‘How can you be sure?’ Joanne raised her eyebrows.
‘He told me about a date he went on with someone called Sam. I’m pretty certain Sam was a man.’
‘But not fully certain?’ Joanne asked.
‘Well… no. But…’
‘I think he finds me attractive. There’s something in the way he looks at me.’ Joanne took a swig of tea the wiped her mouth with a napkin.
‘Not that you’re not gorgeous, Joanne, because you absolutely are…’ Roxie placed a hand on Joanne’s arm. ‘But perhaps he just looks at you like that because he’s a very nice man. He does have such lovely brown eyes and they do appear to be quite intense.’