Chapter 32
Chapter Thirty-Two
The rooster's crow pierced the misty morning air, jolting me from my slumber. I groaned, fumbling for my phone on the rickety nightstand. 5:30 AM. Great. Jet lag was still kicking my butt.
The screen flashed with a text:
Sorry to dine and dash, but I have to be back in Nice early. Thanks for the great night. Dinner and wine were top-notch. Good to see you. We’ll be in touch about all that boring business stuff. Take care.
Leave it to Evan to avoid confrontation by bidding farewell via text and slipping out with the dawn.
All that "boring business stuff." Only the thing that ruined my life and seemed hell-bent on continuing to do so. But as I looked out at this beautiful property, I thought about what Evan had said last night—how things had worked out pretty well for me. Life certainly operated in strange ways sometimes.
I stretched, my joints popping in protest. The worn wooden floorboards creaked beneath my feet as I padded to the window, pushing aside the faded lace curtains. The sun was just peeking over the rolling hills, painting the vineyard in hues of gold and amber. It was breathtaking, like something out of a postcard. Or, you know, my new reality.
Inhaling deeply, I caught the scent of fresh bread wafting from downstairs. Did Colette ever sleep? My stomach rumbled, but I ignored it. First things first: yoga. I needed to center myself before tackling another day of... well, everything.
I changed into my favorite lavender yoga pants and a soft white tank top, then tiptoed down the creaky stairs. The house was silent—Félicité was surely still asleep.
I slipped out the front door, careful not to let it slam behind me. The front patio was bathed in soft morning light, the weathered stones cool beneath my bare feet. I unrolled my yoga mat, its familiar texture grounding me as I settled into a cross-legged position.
Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath. The air was crisp, tinged with the earthy scent of the vineyard, and slightly damp.
"Okay, Elodie. Let's do this."
I started with some gentle stretches, feeling the tension in my muscles begin to unwind. As I moved into a sun salutation, I let my mind wander, sorting through the chaos of the past few weeks.
I shouldn’t let Evan take up real estate in my brain, but it was hard not to think about the financial implications of getting sued. That, paired with the house—which seemed to need a new repair every time I turned a corner—was going to bleed the inheritance bone dry.
Don’t think about that now, Elodie.
I transitioned into Warrior Pose, my legs trembling slightly with the effort.
I can handle this, right? I’ve done hard things. I can handle this…
I gritted my teeth, pushing deeper into the pose.
My arms wobbled as I flowed into Tree Pose.
Focus, Elodie. Find your balance.
And Remi—what must he think of this whole thing? He must think I was just a giant pile of insanity.
I wobbled, nearly losing my balance.
Taking a deep breath, I steadied myself and transitioned into Downward Dog. The blood rushed to my head, and for a moment, the world seemed to tilt on its axis.
Remi’s snarky smile and knowing eyes flooded my vision. His cut-glass jaw, always shadowed. Fitted work shirt pulling across taut muscles…
I felt a blush creep up my neck, warming my already flushed cheeks.
Focus, Elodie. Yoga now, daydreaming about hot Frenchmen later.
I moved into a plank, my arms shaking with the effort. Just as I was about to transition into Cobra Pose, a high-pitched "baa!" cut through the morning stillness.
My eyes flew open just in time to see a blur of white and brown launch itself directly at my face.
"What the—oof!"
I toppled backward, landing hard on my butt as something small and furry scrambled onto my lap. I found myself staring into the wide, innocent eyes of a—baby goat?
"Where did you come from?" I sputtered, trying to catch my breath.
The kid replied with another cheerful "baa!" and then proceeded to chew on the strap of my tank top.
"Hey, stop that!" I laughed, gently trying to pry the fabric from its mouth, but the little guy was surprisingly strong. "This is not a breakfast buffet, buddy."
As if to spite me, the goat only chewed harder, its tiny hooves digging into my thighs as it made itself comfortable.
I couldn’t help but laugh. Forget finding morning zen. How about wrestling with a baby goat at the crack of dawn? If this wasn’t a metaphor for my life right now, I didn’t know what was.
"Okay, you win. I guess people pay good money for goat yoga,” I conceded, scratching behind its floppy ears. "But seriously, where’s your mom? Or your owner? You can’t just go around accosting innocent yogis, you know. Next time, warn me.”
The goat tilted its head, regarding me with what I swore was amusement. Then, without warning, it lifted its tail.
"Oh no, don’t you dare—"
But it was too late. A warm trickle spread across my lap as the little devil relieved itself, looking entirely too pleased with itself.
"Are you kidding me?" I shrieked, lifting the little critter up.
"Baaaaaa."
I groaned and fell back onto my yoga mat in defeat, the goat dropping onto my chest. “Is this karma? Is this payback for all those times I ignored PETA emails?"
The goat leaned in to lick my face. Then, apparently satisfied with its handiwork, it hopped off me and pranced away, bleating happily.
I lay there for a moment, staring up at the sky as it shifted from pale pink to brilliant blue. And then, to my own surprise, I started to laugh. It bubbled up from deep in my chest, growing until tears streamed down my face and my sides ached.
It was too much. It was all too much.
“Elodie? Are you okay? Did you—did you pee yourself?”
I looked up to see Félicité clutching a cup of coffee and staring down at me with utter concern.