How I Lost You by Janet Gurtler Read Free Book Online Page B

deep breath, appropriate given the wonderful smells that filled the reception area and the slogans about inner peace painted on the walls.
    â€œSo, you’re into hot yoga as well as paintball?” he asked, changing the subject. Seems we both liked to challenge stereotypes.
    â€œGrace has been coming faithfully since we opened,” Carly, the owner, told him, sparing me the need to say anything. Carly glanced at me. “Levi told me he was a regular at hot yoga in Canada. He moved here from Vancouver.” There was a slight buzz of excitement in her voice. “He’s going to be going to your high school.”
    I groaned. “Ugh. Don’t remind me about school.” It started up in a couple of weeks.
    â€œI know,” Levi said. “Summer goes by fast.”
    I stared at him. Maybe he wasn’t movie star good-looking, but there was definitely an appeal to him. Height. Confidence? “Did you like Splatterfest?” I moved past him to sit on the bench across from the shoe rack and slipped on my shoes.
    â€œYeah. Even though I sucked.”
    â€œI’ve never tried woodsball. Speedball is faster.” I stood up.
    â€œGrace is one of the best female paintball players in Washington state,” Carly said.
    Actually, Carly had never seen me play, but it didn’t stop her from trying to pimp me out.
    â€œWell, since it’s my dad’s place, I’m kind of obligated to be good at it, Carly. But I’m hardly the best.” I pulled my yoga mat strap over my arm and hiked up my bag.
    â€œNot true. She’s amazing,” Carly said.
    I rolled my eyes. “Kya’s better.” I gave Carly a look, but she grinned and subtly lifted her eyebrow higher. I looked from her to Levi.
    She followed my gaze and gave Levi an even bigger smile, as if we were an interesting TV channel she was watching.
    Levi was focused on me though, and he shifted on his feet. “So, um, I was wondering if you were busy right now?”
    â€œUh.” I couldn’t think of anything to say.
    â€œI told him you weren’t seeing anyone,” Carly said, as if she was being helpful announcing this fact to both of us.
    â€œCarly!” My face burned and I ducked my head down and stared at my sandals.
    â€œOh man,” Levi said. “Awkward.”
    I glanced up, and he was grinning but his cheeks were red. It made me feel less like hiding in my room with my covers pulled over my head.
    â€œYou want to grab a coffee?” He pointed out the door to the coffee shop across the street. “Over there?”
    Carly giggled but we both ignored her. The front door opened, and I watched an older woman walk in, pink yoga mat in her hand. She slid off her shoes and went to the reception desk to scan her tag.
    â€œUh.” I was used to my role as sidekick girl. The one boys talked to when they wanted more info about Kya. Hazard of having a gorgeous best friend but comfortable. Easy.
    â€œYou should go, Grace,” Carly said, breaking into my stupor after she’d scanned the woman’s tag. The woman glanced at Levi and me with a tiny smile on her face and slipped past Levi toward the change room.
    â€œLevi doesn’t know a lot of people in town. It would be nice for him to know someone when he starts school.” Carly grinned, her happiness to be playing a part in the coffee date scribbled into her features. I remembered her telling me she used to own a dating service before Breathe Hot Yoga. I kind of wanted to strangle her. Never mind namaste .
    I also wanted to point out that a guy who asked a stranger out for coffee and made friends with the owner of a yoga place on his first visit probably didn’t need much help getting to know people. “Um, sure,” I said. “For a little while. I have to get to Splatterfest soon.”
    â€œYou working?” he asked.
    I wasn’t. I needed to pick up my sweater and I wanted to see if Kya had