Page 86 of The Yoga Teacher

Not yet. Maybe not ever.

But still, she didn’t feel like sex tonight either. She picked up her phone, thumbs hovering over the keyboard.

Not tonight.

No excuse. No apology.

She set the phone back down and stared at her reflection again.

She liked this version of herself.

Not the version that waited.

Not the version that hoped.

Not the version that twisted herself into something smaller, softer, easier to love.

Just her.

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The center hummed with quiet energy—the steady tap of keyboards, the occasional ringing of a phone, the murmur of conversation from down the hall.

Hannah sat in her office, fingers poised over her laptop keyboard, but her focus was shot.

"Got a minute?" Morgan poked her head in, already knowing the answer.

Hannah straightened, offering a quick smile. "Always."

Morgan stepped inside, gesturing over her shoulder. "I have a couple here for the mentorship program. Older, late sixties, early seventies. Sweet as hell. They asked if they could meet you before signing up."

Hannah’s brows lifted. "Sure. Bring them in."

A few moments later, the door opened again, and an older couple stepped inside—him with silver hair and a sturdy frame, her with sharp eyes and a warm smile.

"Hannah, this is Robert and Elaine."

"Nice to meet you both," Hannah said, standing to shake their hands.

"Nice to meet you too, dear," Elaine said, her voice rich with warmth.

"We’ve heard a lot about you," Robert added, his smile easy. "Morgan here tells us you started this whole thing yourself."

Hannah nodded. "I did. I wanted to create something that made aging feel less isolating. Something that reminded people that growing older doesn’t mean disappearing."

Elaine’s lips quirked. "You sound like my younger self."

Hannah gestured for them to sit, intrigued. "How so?"

Robert and Elaine exchanged a look—one of those silent conversations that people who’ve known each other forever can have without words.

“This is our second marriage. To each other. We were married when we were younger,” Elaine said. "A long time ago."

Hannah blinked. "You were?"

"Yes," Robert said, chuckling. "Back in our twenties. We were young, stupid, thought we had the world figured out."

"We didn’t," Elaine added wryly.

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