Page 8 of The Yoga Teacher

This was self-improvement. Exactly what she’d wanted.

Sienna laughed again, slow and warm, giving his arm another squeeze. “Whatever it is… it looks good on you.”

CHAPTER FOUR

Hannah

HANNAH STIRRED THE simmering sauce, the warm, savory aroma filling the kitchen. She hummed softly to herself, grabbing the wooden spoon to give it another taste.

Needs more salt.

Behind her, she heard the low shuffle of socked feet against the floor. She smiled before turning, already knowing Daniel was coming up behind her.

“Hey,” she said, leaning into him as he wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. “Hungry?”

He pressed a kiss against her shoulder, his chin brushing her bare skin. “Always.”

“Good answer,” she teased, lifting the spoon toward him. “Taste.”

He did, humming in appreciation. “Perfect.”

Hannah laughed. “You’re a liar.”

She stirred the sauce again, glancing at him over her shoulder. “That reminds me,” she started, sprinkling in the extraseasoning. “Mia and James have been taking a cooking class together. Theyloveit. I thought maybe we could do one too.”

She saw his shoulders stiffen at her words. “A cooking class?”

“Yeah!” Hannah turned fully now. “It’s one of those really hands-on ones—wine, good food, making a mess together.” She nudged him playfully.

She expected him to grin, to meet her enthusiasm, to at leastconsiderit.

Instead, Daniel frowned. “Sounds like something a retired couple would do to feel young. I don’t think we need that yet.”

Hannah blinked. The air shifted. She stirred the sauce again, her mind catching on his words. She didn’t understand. What part of her suggestion had made him flinch?

CHAPTER FIVE

Daniel

DANIEL STOOD AT the edge of the conference room, sipping overpriced coffee from a paper cup, watching Tristan present the deck.

“Now, if we center the rollout around TikTok micro-influencers,” Tristan said, tapping a slide filled with viral examples, “we’re not just selling the product—we’re making it a lifestyle signal.”

Nods all around. The client looked genuinely impressed.

Daniel forced a smile.

He used to run these rooms. Used to command them. Now he stood in the corner like someone’s chaperone.

“Thoughts, Daniel?” Tristan asked, glancing back with a grin. Respectful. Almost.

Daniel cleared his throat, stepping forward. “The campaign’s strong,” he said evenly. “But I’d suggest balancing the influencer push with some more traditional spots—billboards, transit takeovers. Give it staying power.”

Tristan nodded. “Cool. Yeah. Totally.”

And then immediately turned back to the clients to reinforce the social-first vision.

Daniel stepped back.

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