Page 59 of Talon (Road Rebels MC 2)
Teagan held the pose with them for another twenty seconds and then brought herself back to a relaxed position on her knees. She brought her hands together demonstrating the proper peaceful posture and focused on her breathing.
“Just breathe in and out slowly. It is time for your body to unwind from all of the work you just placed upon it. Your mind and body will continue to grow together and strengthen that bond. The spirit which connects the two will become stronger and stronger as you face the harsh struggles of the world around you. I wish you all peace, love, and joy. Until next time. Namaste.”
“Namaste,” the class replied in unison.
With that, the class was over. Teagan briefly chatted with a few of her students as they walked out. She thanked them for coming and hoped to see them next time.
After the last student left the studio, Teagan packed up her bag and quickly left, locking up behind her. She was exhausted and ready to go home to a nice quiet evening. She anticipated falling asleep in front of the television. A big container of ice cream may or may not have been involved.
Teagan had been a yoga instructor for the past year and a half. It was not exactly on the career path she had initially envisioned for herself when she was a student studying physical therapy, but sometime during her sophomore year in college, she’d become very interested in the practice. And since then she’d managed to whip her body into fantastic shape and it had translated over into all areas of her life bringing peace, harmony, and good tidings.
At least until she met Corey last year. Things had started off really great. He was the perfect guy. He was good looking, had a great job as a veterinarian, was really sweet, they had so much in common, and it felt like there was never a dull moment with the two of them. Teagan thought for sure they would get married one day.
But then she came home one day to find a lengthy letter waiting for her in her mailbox. It was a handwritten letter basically telling her that Corey had decided to go off to find himself and he wasn’t sure what lay ahead for him, but he knew that he couldn’t tie himself down to a relationship with her anymore.
And just like that he quit his job at the Animal Hospital and went about his merry way. She hadn’t heard from him since. Teagan still kept that letter in a drawer in her bedroom. She got it out from time to time to study it, looking for some sort of clue as to what might have prompted this horrendous decision. It just didn’t make any logical sense for a man like Corey who had everything going for him to just up and head out to travel the world.
Teagan had even reached out to his family for some sort of clue to this decision, and they had no more information than she did. A million scenarios had gone through her mind. Everything from the idea that he’d ran off to join some sort of insane cult, to he’d been kidnapped, to he’d met some other woman who he decided to go to be with. But the more she thought about it she realized that Corey was a free spirit who had kept himself tied up too long and now decided was the perfect time to unleash that spirit and find out where it would take him.
She had to respect the decision. But she would never understand why he refused to take her along. She loved him so much. Not a day went by that the pain did not echo through her mind and tear at her heart. She would give anything to just hear his voice again.
But no one had heard from him for over a year.
As Teagan entered her empty apartment and turned on the light, she found herself wondering if she would ever truly be over Corey. Was this just the way it was going to be forever? Did she really want to go through the rest of her life alone, done with romance at the age of twenty-eight?
The truth was she just didn’t know.
Teagan got settled in and sat down on the couch with a bowl of ice cream. She was just about to binge watch some episodes of “Orange is the New Black” when her phone rang. She groaned as she reached for her phone on the coffee table. She didn’t even have to look at it to know that it was Ellie. That girl’s mind went a mile a minute from one thing to the next, and she didn’t believe in texting. At least not as the first line of communication. Anything Ellie wanted to say she had to say over the phone or in person.
“What?” Teagan answered.
“Well, hello to you too,” Ellie’s familiar voice echoed.
“Sorry. I just got home. I’m beat,” Teagan said.
“Oh, that’s right. I forgot it's Wednesday.”
Wednesday nights were Teagan’s busiest. She gave an extra class on those nights and an extra class first thing in the morning as well. She was hoping that eventually, she would be able to fill up all of those spots so she could stop the half-filled afternoon classes and consolidate more students into a few classes.
“What’s going on? Did you and Jaden get back together yet?”
“No. I told you I am through with him. This time it is for real,” Ellie insisted.
Teagan laughed. “Yeah, right. You always say that, and you never stick to your guns. I’m surprised you’ve lasted this long.”
“No way. I am through with him. He has done me wrong for the last time.”
“Well, I’m glad to hear it. Did you call me just to brag that you haven’t gotten back together with him yet?”
“Um, yeah… I’m really proud of myself. It’s like a record, right?”
Teagan laughed. “You are hopeless. You know that right?”
“I do know this,” Ellie said. “I thought you would be proud of me.”
Teagan shook her head. “I am very proud of you, especially after you kept me up until three on the phone with you talking about all the times that Jaden has screwed you over and cheated on you. I’m glad to see you are finally getting some self-respect.”
“Thank you,” Ellie said. “But that is not the only reason I called.”
Teagan waited. Nothing.
“Ok… what?” Teagan finally asked. Ellie loved to make people guess.
“There is this really cute guy who just moved into my building,” Ellie said.
“Wow, you are moving on that fast? That’s impressive, sweetie,” Teagan said knowing full well what Ellie was actually aiming at.
“No, goofball. I meant for you,” Ellie said. “You can be so dense sometimes.”
“I’m messing with you,” Teagan said. “And you know I am not
interested.”
“What the hell? It’s been forever since you and Corey. I know the whole thing messed you up, but you have to get over this ‘I hate men’ kick and move on already. Sitting home alone every night stuffing your face with ice cream and watching Netflix is not healthy.”
“How do you know that’s what I’m doing?”
“Because I know you way too well,” Ellie said. “What kind of ice cream is sitting on your lap?”
Teagan hated to tell Ellie how right she was. It was embarrassing.
“It doesn’t matter; I am just not ready to date yet.”
“I don’t think you will ever be ready. Want to know why?” Ellie asked.
“No, but I have a feeling you are going to tell me anyway,” Teagan replied.
“Because you like being miserable. That’s right, you love it.”
“Give that lady a prize,” Teagan said. She did not at all agree, but she hated getting Ellie wound up. Her love life was not something she wanted to talk about or think about right now.
And her ice cream was melting.
She put the phone down and turned it on speaker
to free her hands to devote her full efforts to her ice cream.
“I’m serious. You love being miserable.”
“I do not love being miserable,” Teagan said. “Who the hell loves being miserable?”
“Well, you must. When was the last date you went on?”
“I don’t know,” Teagan said.
“It was Jack Dawson. Three months ago, and it was just coffee.”
“Why does any of this matter to you? Just keep focused on your own love life, and I’ll keep focused on mine,” Teagan said. “I don’t need help. When I’m ready, it will happen.”
“Ok, whatever. I tried,” Ellie said.
