Page 26 of Falling Into You

Jacob snorted. “Oh, cool. I can do that.”

“Shhhh!” someone nearby admonished them.

“Now breathe in... and let’s start out by challenging our balance. Slide your right foot up the inside of your left leg as you move into tree pose.”

Jacob watched as the instructor brought her foot allthe way up the side of her leg until the underside lay flat just above her knee. Rory’s foot landed so far up her leg she looked like a flamingo, while some of the other ladies’ feet perched next to their ankles.

“Just move to where you feel capable and comfortable,” the instructor said. “And if you fall out of it, don’t worry about it. Just move back into the pose when you feel ready.”

“Please. I’ve got wicked balance,” Jacob muttered. He lifted his foot and planted it as far up his leg as he could get it... then promptly fell sideways, toppling Rory with him.

“Gah!” she shouted.

They landed together on her yoga mat, their legs entangled. “I’m so sorry!” Jacob cried. He pushed himself up on his hands, which happened to be planted on either side of her face. “Are you all right?”

“Is that what you meant by ‘wicked balance’?” she asked.

“That was so much harder than it looked!”

“Maybe start at a one instead of a ten,” Rory suggested. Then she looked down the length of their bodies. “Are you going to be getting off of me anytime soon?”

Jacob blushed. “Oh. Right. Sorry.” He stood up quickly, then offered her his hand, which she took. Hoisting her up was like lifting a feather. He pulled hard enough that she tripped into him as she stood, and once again, they were chest to chest. Jacob put his hands on her shoulders and gently put some space between them. “I didn’t know therewasa ten in yoga,” he joked.

“Well, there is,” she said, glancing around at the rest of the class. They’d moved on without them and were now doing tree pose on the other side. “So just... take it easy, Tiger.”

“Tiger, huh? That’s an improvement on dingus.”

Rory rolled her eyes, but she was smiling. Jacob’s heart gave a flutter. He lived to make her smile. Or laugh. Or basically notice his existence in any way.

“Don’t press your luck,” she said.

Rory

Rory tried not to groan as she glared at the scoreboard at the end of the football game that night. The team had lost 35 to 12. They hadn’t scored a single touchdown. If it hadn’t been for Malcom Williams, their kicker, they would have gotten shut out completely.

“So much for that dream of the playoffs,” Carlos muttered as he walked past Rory to grab his water bottle.

“All right, squad! Huddle up!” Rory called out.

The crowd had long since dispersed from the stands, only the pep band and a few dedicated parents hanging on until the bitter end. The cheer squad gathered just in front of the bleachers, chugging water and waiting for the postgame debrief. Jacob walked over to stand across from her in the circle. She was impressed with how he’d handled himself tonight. He’d shown up on time, with his uniform on, his brand-new cheer sneakers shining in the field lights, andhis energy high. As the game had worn on, he hadn’t once flagged, even when he messed up the moves to one of the cheers. He just kept clapping to the rhythm and shouting the words hedidremember.

He’d even managed to ignore Tucker and his band of soccer boys, who had spent almost the entire first half screaming Jacob’s name from the back row. Tucker was really getting on Rory’s last nerve about all of this. He knew how important cheer was to her. Couldn’t he just let the whole Jacob thing alone for five seconds?

“All right, team. Good game.” Rory said, clapping her hands. “Everyone did an excellent job keeping the crowd in it, even after that ridiculous pick-six in the fourth quarter.”

She did not understand why Bryan Ramsey had thrown that ball. Literally no one on their team was open. He deserved to have the cornerback snatch it and run it back for a touchdown.

“And let’s all give a round of applause to Jacob, our newest member, for completing his very first game!”

Jacob blushed as the rest of the squad whooped and cheered. He stepped forward and raised a hand, humbly bowing his head. “Thank you. Thank you. I’d like to thank the academy....”

“You weren’tthatgood, Reilly,” Layla chided him, pulling him back to the edge of the circle.

“No, seriously, though, good job. This couldn’t have been easy, and we all really appreciate you stepping up,” Rory toldhim, looking him in the eye. She might not be his biggest fan, but as captain, she wanted to acknowledge a good showing when she saw one.

Jacob slowly smiled, and Rory felt her heart reluctantly flip-flop. Why did that damn smile have such an effect on her? “Thanks,” he said, almost shyly.

“Okay, everyone rest up tomorrow, and I’ll see you at practice on Monday!” Rory announced.