Read Just Breathe for Free Online Page A
Authors: Janette Paul
talking as though she had no sound control. ‘I’ve just moved here, completely new in town. I’m working on the soapie with Leon and you’re just like he said you were, only much more glamorous. I love your lipstick. Us glam yoga girls have gotta stick together, right?’
Dee forced herself not to make a face as she steered her into the studio. ‘Roll your yoga mat out here and we can get started.’
The girl put her hand on Dee wrist. ‘And Leon says you’re looking for a flatmate. I’m house-sitting now but I’m going to need a new place in a week or so.’
Dee looked at her in horror. She didn’t want a glam yoga student with no volume control for a flatmate. She wanted everything back the way it was – pre-TV-ad-stress, pre-financial-destitution. Everything was fine back then. She took a deep breath, pleaded with the powers that be to pick her for the ad so she could have her old life back.
When Dee’s only weekend private student who wasn’t already on holiday called to cancel, she knew that even if the board approved her for the ad, she’d run out of money before it was shot. So she rang Jo, her caterer friend, and silently thanked the regular staffer for getting gastro and needing Thursday night off.
Now, four days since the publicity shots were taken, still waiting to hear from Lucy and working the shift for Jo, Dee collected a drinks order – champers for the lady in purple, mineral water for the guy with the stiff neck – and was walking on tip-toe, scanning the room for her targets when a body backed into her. She lurched forward, just saving the drinks from a premature exit over a woman’s naked back.
‘Nice catch.’
Dee turned and saw Ethan Roxburgh mirror her in a double-take.
‘Dee the Yoga Teacher.’
She smiled, noting how much nicer he looked in his casual shirt, how his dark eyes lit up when he laughed – and how the tall, elegant blonde beside him draped herself over his shoulder.
‘You’re here with Lucy, are you?’ he asked. ‘Good idea. Has she introduced you to Leonard yet?’
‘Well, ah …’
‘He’s definitely interested in having a real yoga aficionado doing the ad instead of a model. I think the idea of a professional with her own successful business for their well-being promotion appeals to him. Gives it credibility.’
‘Oh.’ She glanced at the drinks order she was holding and smiled apprehensively. Oh, dear.
‘Has Lucy spoken to you about the possibility of some extra PR?’
Extra PR. What did that mean? And who the hell was Leonard? For all she knew, it could be her stiff neck guy still waiting for his drink. She looked distractedly about the room. She couldn’t let Lucy see her serving food and drinks. How stupid would it make her look if her yoga professional turned out to be a caterer’s lackey? She turned back to Ethan. He seemed to be backing her too, so she couldn’t let him find out either. She’d make both Roxburghs look stupid.And herself. They’d all look stupid together – and that wouldn’t be good. In fact, it might be so not good, they would decide she was the wrong person for the ad after all.
‘I’m, ah, not here with Lucy,’ she said.
‘Then let me introduce you to Leonard.’ Ethan scanned the room.
Dee began edging away. ‘Maybe later. I have to, you know …’ She held up the drinks, as though getting back to a friend.
‘Yes, of course. Oh, and cheers. A pleasure to see you again.’ He clinked his red wine glass against the champagne flute in her hand.
She considered the expensive bubbly for a moment. One shouldn’t be rude when one is a guest and party to a toast. ‘Yes, cheers.’ She took a guilty mouthful before slipping into the crowd.
She doubled back to the bar, careful to avoid Ethan’s line of sight while she got another glass of champagne. She’d have to pretend to be a guest and a professional yoga aficionado while working her arse off as a kitchen hand. That should be easy. Skirting the
Dee forced herself not to make a face as she steered her into the studio. ‘Roll your yoga mat out here and we can get started.’
The girl put her hand on Dee wrist. ‘And Leon says you’re looking for a flatmate. I’m house-sitting now but I’m going to need a new place in a week or so.’
Dee looked at her in horror. She didn’t want a glam yoga student with no volume control for a flatmate. She wanted everything back the way it was – pre-TV-ad-stress, pre-financial-destitution. Everything was fine back then. She took a deep breath, pleaded with the powers that be to pick her for the ad so she could have her old life back.
When Dee’s only weekend private student who wasn’t already on holiday called to cancel, she knew that even if the board approved her for the ad, she’d run out of money before it was shot. So she rang Jo, her caterer friend, and silently thanked the regular staffer for getting gastro and needing Thursday night off.
Now, four days since the publicity shots were taken, still waiting to hear from Lucy and working the shift for Jo, Dee collected a drinks order – champers for the lady in purple, mineral water for the guy with the stiff neck – and was walking on tip-toe, scanning the room for her targets when a body backed into her. She lurched forward, just saving the drinks from a premature exit over a woman’s naked back.
‘Nice catch.’
Dee turned and saw Ethan Roxburgh mirror her in a double-take.
‘Dee the Yoga Teacher.’
She smiled, noting how much nicer he looked in his casual shirt, how his dark eyes lit up when he laughed – and how the tall, elegant blonde beside him draped herself over his shoulder.
‘You’re here with Lucy, are you?’ he asked. ‘Good idea. Has she introduced you to Leonard yet?’
‘Well, ah …’
‘He’s definitely interested in having a real yoga aficionado doing the ad instead of a model. I think the idea of a professional with her own successful business for their well-being promotion appeals to him. Gives it credibility.’
‘Oh.’ She glanced at the drinks order she was holding and smiled apprehensively. Oh, dear.
‘Has Lucy spoken to you about the possibility of some extra PR?’
Extra PR. What did that mean? And who the hell was Leonard? For all she knew, it could be her stiff neck guy still waiting for his drink. She looked distractedly about the room. She couldn’t let Lucy see her serving food and drinks. How stupid would it make her look if her yoga professional turned out to be a caterer’s lackey? She turned back to Ethan. He seemed to be backing her too, so she couldn’t let him find out either. She’d make both Roxburghs look stupid.And herself. They’d all look stupid together – and that wouldn’t be good. In fact, it might be so not good, they would decide she was the wrong person for the ad after all.
‘I’m, ah, not here with Lucy,’ she said.
‘Then let me introduce you to Leonard.’ Ethan scanned the room.
Dee began edging away. ‘Maybe later. I have to, you know …’ She held up the drinks, as though getting back to a friend.
‘Yes, of course. Oh, and cheers. A pleasure to see you again.’ He clinked his red wine glass against the champagne flute in her hand.
She considered the expensive bubbly for a moment. One shouldn’t be rude when one is a guest and party to a toast. ‘Yes, cheers.’ She took a guilty mouthful before slipping into the crowd.
She doubled back to the bar, careful to avoid Ethan’s line of sight while she got another glass of champagne. She’d have to pretend to be a guest and a professional yoga aficionado while working her arse off as a kitchen hand. That should be easy. Skirting the
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