Page 43 of Cheap Shot

But Luke figured that was the easy answer and Dakota could explain the rest to her.

As they walked down the hall, he asked, “Did you know hockey players take naps every day?”

“No.” She giggled.

“Well, we’re gonna do some yoga and then take a nap today.”

Luke pointed ahead at the open door where a man wearing comfortable yoga gear waited. “That’s Dakota. He teaches us to be strong and flexible.”

“And here I thought you hated yoga with a passion, Crawford,” Dakota said teasingly as they approached. “Turns out, youwerea fan all along.”

Luke grunted. He couldn’t say that helikedit, but he had to admit, it was good for his game.

He was pretty much the least flexible guy on the team and he half-wondered if he’d be feeling quite as many aches and pains as he did now if he’d started doing it at the beginning of his career and not the end.

Dakota crouched down, smiling. “And you must be Harper. I was told I had a very special guest today.”

“That’s me! And this is my mommy, and Uncle Sebby.”

Dakota grinned and stood, shaking each of their hands before returning his attention to Harper. “Please come in my yoga studio. We take off our shoes in here. Is that okay with you?”

“Yes. Okay!” Harper plopped down and pulled off the Velcro fastener with a loud ripping noise.

“This is also a quiet place,” Dakota said, dropping his voice. “Do you think that’s something you can do?”

“I’ll try!” she whispered, which was kind of loud still, but …

Dakota nodded. “That’s perfect. Now, I put out some mats and blankets. Which one would you like?”

“This one! I like blue. What’s your favorite color, Mr. Luke?”

Dakota shot him an amused smile.

“Uhh, black,” he said.

“That’s boring.”

“Are you calling our jerseys boring?” he asked, pretending to glare at her.

She giggled. “Nooo.”

“That’s what I thought.”

He’d never met a kid who seemed less intimidated by him than Harper. He wondered what that was all about.

“Now,” Dakota said, clearly trying to get them back on track. “Everyone who will be doing yoga, please take a seat on a mat. Everyone who is just observing, please sit or stand along the wall there.”

Everyone did as ordered. Luke’s knees creaked as he took a seat on a mat next to Harper and he let out a quiet grunt.

“Perfect. Now we’re going to cross our legs …”

Sebastian followed Brie to the far wall of the yoga studio and took a seat while Thad stayed in the doorway with his camera.

The entire floor was covered in a rubbery mat, so it was quite comfortable for Sebastian to fold himself into a cross-legged position, even if he wasn’t going to be doing yoga today. He liked yoga. He tried to do it whenever he had time, but making it to classes had proven tough since his move and, well, as always, work and Harper had won out over almost everything.

The only things he rarely shifted around—except for in an emergency—were his runs and going to hockey games.

And, well, the hookups lately.