Soaring with Fallon (Big Sky 4)

Chapter One

~Fallon~

“Namaste.”

“Namaste,” my class repeats. Some of them jump up immediately to get on with their days, and some sit quietly for a few more minutes.

Summer yoga is my favorite. I get to teach classes every morning at the Lodge on the lake, for tourists and locals alike. Some days, we’re overflowing with newcomers. And some days, like today, it’s mostly familiar faces.

The sun rises early in this part of the world during the summer months, so a start time of seven a.m. is perfect to get the blood moving through our veins, outside in the fresh air with the lake shimmering behind us.

“Sorry I came rushing in late, Fallon,” Nina Wolfe says with a smile. She’s rolling her mat. “I can’t believe I overslept.”

“No worries,” I reply. “It happens to all of us. I’m just glad you made it.”

She sighs and walks over to me, her mat slung over her shoulder. Nina is a pretty blond woman with an athletic body and a happy smile. She moved to Cunningham Falls, Montana, just a few months ago to be closer to her brother.

Who happens to be Christian Wolfe, the hottest Hollywood actor in the world.

Of course, he’s married to another client of mine, Jenna.

“How long have you lived here, Fallon?” Nina asks.

“Oh goodness, it must be almost two years now.” I blink rapidly, realizing that this is the longest I’ve stayed in one place in more than five years. “Wow, time flies.”

“Was it hard for you to feel like you fit in? To make friends? I mean, I have Christian and Jenna, and I have acquaintances, of course, but—”

“I get it,” I say, nodding. “Small-town life is different. There’s not a lot of people here, and it feels like there are a lot of cliques.”

“Yes,” she says with a relieved nod of her own. “And most everyone I know is originally from here, so they have that network in place. I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t going crazy.”

“You’re not,” I assure her and pat her shoulder. “And it does get easier. You’ll recognize faces and make friends.”

I frown as I think about my good friend, Penny, who recently moved to Seaside, Oregon. I miss her.

“Why don’t we go get some drinks or coffee or something sometime?” she asks. “I’ve been coming to your class for months. We’re friends, right?”

“Sure.” I reach into my bag and pull out a card. “My cell is on here. Just text me, and we’ll set it up.”

“Awesome.” Nina grins and takes a step back. “I also might have some professional things to discuss with you. Pick your brain.”

“I’m always happy to have my brain plucked.” I wink and sling my bag over my shoulder, walking toward my car. “Have a good day, Nina.”

“See you!”

I climb into my Jeep and drive toward my house, which is just a couple of miles away. Sometimes I walk to class, but I ran late this morning.

And I admit, I like the feeling of the sun beating down on me, the wind blowing through the Jeep as I drive.

After the long Montana winter, summer is just what the doctor ordered.

I’ve just stepped through my front door when my phone rings. I grin as I answer.

“Hey there.”

“Hi yourself.” Claire, my friend from back home yawns in my ear. “Whatcha doing?”

“Just got home from class,” I reply as I brew some tea. “It sounds like you just woke up.”

“I did.” I can hear the smile in her voice.

“Does that mean someone just left?”

“He left a while ago,” she says. “And I don’t think I’ll be seeing him again.”

“What’s wrong with this one?” I carry my tea out to my back patio and sit at my outdoor dining table. This spot is what sold me on renting this house. The trees and bushes are in bloom, making it feel like a magical garden.

“He moans weird,” she says, making me laugh. “Like an old man bending over to put on his socks.”

“Not sexy,” I agree.

“Too bad, too. He had a nice body. Ah well, there are about a billion more out there.”

“With nice bodies? Maybe not a billion.”

“You’re right. Are you dating a hot cowboy yet?”

I grin and trace the Drips & Sips logo on my mug. “No. It’s a small town, Claire. Not a lot to choose from.”

“So when are you going to move on to the next place? Or come home?”

I sigh, thinking it over. I don’t think I’ll ever move back to Chicago. Now that my grandma’s gone, I don’t have any family there, and Claire is my only tie to the city. I’ve been roaming around the country, living in my bucket list towns for the past five-plus years.

“I like it here,” I reply.

“You’ve been there longer than the others.”

“I know. I just realized this morning that it’s been almost two years. I like the community. I’m making friends. Although, Penny just moved away.”