He paused and looked around, slowly making eye contact with a few people around the room. I wasn’t sure if he’d noticed me come in at first, but I could see the corners of his mouth twitch into what would have been a smile if he hadn’t started talking again.
“Still, even among you, my core group,” Shakti continued, “I can see some of you wondering how you get from where you are today to where you want to be. I can see you asking yourselves how you’re going to scale a mountain when you’re just now beginning to take your first steps.”
He did finally smile, but he wasn’t looking at me anymore. I could tell from the light in his eyes and the passion in his voice that he was caught up in the moment. He had probably given this same speech before—it really was too smooth to be an entirely stream-of-consciousness kind of thing—but either he really did believe his own hype or he was one of the best actors I’d ever seen.
“And the answer is that we’re going to do it together.” He reached out as if he was going to gather all of us into a big hug. “I’m here to guide you, to push you, to teach you. It’s why I’ve devoted so much of my time to perfecting these classes, and it’s why I encourage you all to drink our Roar Power water every day and to take advantage of my one-on-one meetings and our small group outings. All of those things together add up. They don’t just happen in a vacuum. The most important journeys of your life all begin the same way—with one small step.”
The room erupted into applause and cheers. I found myself feeling a little emotional as I snapped a few pictures of the reactions in the class. Guru Shakti was loud and intense and maybe a little over the top, but he was also really persuasive.
“I knew you’d be back!”
Cece’s voice startled me, and my breath caught in my throat as I turned to face her.
I’d been dreading this moment, thinking she’d be annoyed that Sam and I skipped out on the earlier yoga session. But if Cece was upset, she was hiding it well. She looked just as excited and motivated as everyone else in the room as she finished clapping. “Isn’t he great? I mean, the instructor this morning was nice, too, of course. But this… wow! I’ve never seen anything like it, have you?”
“No,” I answered truthfully. “I definitely haven’t. That was a pretty impressive speech.”
“It really was.” Cece looked back over her shoulder in Shakti’s direction with the same sort of adoration people usually reserved for A-list movie stars and world-famous singers. “I’ve been hanging out with some of the people in the class between sessions and sure, we were all pretty pumped up this morning with Tara, but Guru Shakti is on a whole other level.”
I couldn’t argue with her on that one, either. To say I’d met some interesting people during my time on the Swan of the Seas would be an understatement, but I’d honestly never met anyone like Shakti. He was so full of confidence and power. He was so intense. Maybe even a little too intense at times. But as I looked around the room at all the adoring faces, it was clear that his followers appreciated that intensity and confidence.
“Don’t look now.” Cece tugged on my sleeve, startling me from my thoughts. “But I think he’s coming over here.”
“Over here?” I immediately started to turn, but she pulled again, forcing me not to look. “Okay, okay. But is he coming to talk to us?”
“Adrienne,” Shakti’s booming voice answered my question. “I hope you’re getting plenty of good photos.” He was all smiles as Cece and I turned to face him. “Just between us, I have to tell you that my instructors and students are the most photogenic people you’ll find on board.”
Even without taking my eyes off Shakti, I could tell that most of the class was still watching every move he made and listening to every word he spoke. None of them seemed more interested in what he had to say than Cece, though. I’d never seen her pay such close attention to anyone—except maybe Doctor Ryan, but that was different. There wasn’t any romance in her eyes when she looked at Shakti, but there was definitely a sense of awe.
“I’ve managed to get some great pics so far.” I lifted my camera with a smile. “Your classes seem to be inspirational for a lot of people. Everyone here looks just as energized this afternoon as they were at the crack of dawn this morning.”
“I can’t wait for the next session to start,” Cece added, enthusiastically proving my point. “Between the water and the classes, I think I’m already starting to feel a difference.”
Shakti beamed. “That’s what I like to hear.” He nodded toward the instructor from the morning class. “And Tara told me what a great job you’ve been doing, ah… Cece, right?”
He held out his hand for her to shake, and I actually worried for a moment that Cece might pass out from excitement.
“That’s right!” She was actually bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet. “I’m so glad you’re on board with us, and I’ve been telling all my friends—everyone who will listen, really—about how great your classes are.”
“I can vouch for that,” I nodded. “I think Cece might end up being your star pupil.”
“Oh, is that so?” Shakti laughed and then turned to the morning instructor. “Watch out, Tara. It sounds like this one might give you a run for your money.”
Tara raised an eyebrow and gave Cece a quick up and down look before pointing toward the back of the room. “Pretty sure my name is still on top of the leader board for now. But I don’t mind a good challenge. We’re all working toward the same goal, after all.”
I wasn’t sure what the leader board signified, but even from a distance I could see Tara’s name right at the top, just like she’d said.
For the first time since I’d stepped into the room, I noticed a little ripple of tension. Not between Tara and Cece, but among the other members of the class who had gathered around. It wasn’t much—an exchanged look here and a few whispers there—but it was enough to make me wonder if there was some other dynamic at play that I hadn’t picked up on before.
Were there others who might want to be at the top of that board? Was it more than just a friendly competition among the group?
It was obvious that Tara was a favorite of Shakti’s. And the way some of the other members seemed to adore him? Yeah, I could see how that might be a problem.
“Good afternoon, everyone.” Another voice at the front of the room pulled me from my thoughts. “I’m happy to see some familiar faces here today, but for those of you I haven’t met, my name is Rock Holliday, and I’m so glad to be on board this cruise with all of you.”
Everyone in the room politely applauded, and I was pretty sure I heard Shakti murmur something about Rock arriving just in time.
“I’m proud to be one of the early investors in Guru Shakti’s course,” Rock continued. “Together, we’ve identified opportunities to take his mission global, teaching people all around the world the same dedication and principles that the guru is teaching all of you right here, right now. The Roar Power water is just the beginning, so I hope you’re all ready. You’re in at the start of something big, something that will revolutionize the fitness and wellness industries.”
More applause. I belatedly remembered I was supposed to be taking photos and grabbed a few shots of Rock while he was speaking. Through the camera lens, I could tell that he shared the same sort of easy confidence I’d noticed in Shakti. They both seemed to be excited about the future of Roar Power, but Rock was talking about it as more of a business than a way of life.
Shakti turned back to me and grinned. “I hope you’re getting all of this for your next post. This is good.”
“All right here.” I held up my camera again. “I’d like to get some action shots from outside the room, too. Maybe from the other side of the glass windows.”
“Perfect.” Shakti nodded then turned his attention to Tara. “And I’d better greet my best investor. Can’t have him thinking I’m playing favorites with anyone, hm?”
Everyone around us laughed quietly, but I noticed the same gl
ances from earlier on more than a few faces. There was definitely a little bit of tension there.
But I wasn’t there to judge. I was just there to do my job, take my pics, and stay out of the way.
Whatever drama the yogis had could stay between them. I wasn’t getting involved.
I took a lot of pictures during the Roar Power session.
A lot.
Mainly because Shakti had put in a special request with Kelly, but also because I just couldn’t help myself. These men and women—the Roar Power group of yogis—were intense. I could feel their energy in the air, and it really was electric.
Still, I’d made sure to keep moving in and out of the room during their actual yoga session. The people might be fun and interesting, but there was no way I was getting talked into participating again. My body still hadn’t fully recovered from the first session of the day.
“I’ve never felt so invigorated in my life,” Cece panted as I joined her at the end of the session. She was sweating and somehow managed to look exhausted and enthusiastic at the same time. After the workout she’d just willingly gone through, I wasn’t sure how she was even still standing upright. “You really should have joined in for the last part, Addy.”
I shook my head. “I’ll take your word for it. Besides, I got a ton of great pics. The energy in the room really comes across in some of them. I can’t wait to get them posted.”
“And I can’t wait to see them!” Cece nudged me. “Did you get some good ones of me in there?” Before I could even answer, she was looking around the room again. “Oh, we should go thank Guru Shakti for the session before we go. Come on.”
She pulled me toward the front of the room where Shakti and Rock Holliday were talking in a corner. We were too far away and their voices were too quiet for me to hear their conversation, but there was no mistaking their body language. Shakti had his arms crossed and was leaning away, shaking his head; Rock was frowning and pressing his lips together. Clearly, neither man was happy with the way the conversation was going.
As we stepped closer, Shakti looked up and made eye contact with me. He said one more quick word and then Rock turned to face us as well.
“I’m so glad you both could join us, ladies.” Shakti’s smile had slipped during his conversation with Rock, but it returned in full force as he shook Cece’s hand and then mine. “I hope you got everything you needed from our session, Adrienne.”
I nodded. “More than enough, I think. Thank you for opening your session up to us. It’s been… an experience.”
“A life-changing experience,” Cece added. “Thank you so much. I’ve loved every minute I’ve spent here today.”
“You’ll have to join us again,” Rock chimed in. “And be sure to spread the word.”
We waved our goodbyes and turned toward the door. I could feel their eyes on us as we left the room, but I didn’t look back.
The last thing Cece and I needed was to get pulled into any yogi drama.
Chapter Five
The International Buffet was as busy as always, but it was where I knew I’d find Sam for lunch, and it would give me a chance to catch up with her after my impromptu photo session with the Roar Power gang.
“I can’t believe Kelly sent you back there.” Sam shook her head incredulously as she speared a meatball with her fork. “It stresses me out just thinking of going back. Brad loved it, but it just wasn’t for me.”
I nodded. “Cece loved it, too. I don’t know how she managed to make it through two sessions in the same day, but she had a smile on her face the whole time. I think meeting Guru Shakti has been the high point of this trip for her so far.”
Sam laughed. “The high point for me was that amazing nap we got in the Slow Flow class with Petal’s assistant. Wasn’t that amazing?”
“It was so good,” I agreed between bites of salmon and rice. “I’ve never fallen asleep like that—and slept so well—in public before. I honestly wouldn’t mind going to one of those sessions again sometime.”
Just thinking back on the yoga class made me feel more relaxed. If I could always get such a good nap at the gym, I’d definitely go more often.
“Funny you should say that…” Sam gave me a look that told me she was up to something. “Because Petal is giving a presentation in a little while, and I was hoping you’d go with me. It’ll be right after I finish my shift, so the timing will be perfect.”
I groaned. “I know I was just saying we should do another one of those classes, Sam, but… already? Again today? I’ve spent more time today in the yoga studio than the actual instructors.”
“It’ll be fun, though.” Sam’s bottom lip jutted out in a mock pout. “You’re not going to make me go there by myself, are you?”
“You ladies are going somewhere?” Ethan’s voice startled, me and I turned to see a hint of a smile on his lips. “Mind if I join you for a few minutes? The salmon looked too good to pass up today.”
“It is delicious,” I confirmed and then nodded toward the empty chair next to me. “And you know you’re always welcome here at the cool kids’ table.”
He laughed and let his hand brush across my back as he moved to sit down—two surprising displays in a row from my strict, by-the-books boyfriend. We both did our best to follow the rules while we were on duty—and that meant no touching, no hand-holding, definitely no kissing—but I still appreciated the little secret gestures he made that I knew were just for me.
“I was just trying to talk Addy into going with me to the Slow Flow yoga class later.” Sam quirked an eyebrow. “We could all go together, you know. Maybe I can talk Brad into it and we can make it a double yoga date.”
Ethan looked from Sam to me and then back again, shaking his head. “Thanks for the offer, but I still have a ton of work to do before I call it a day. This is the first free time I’ve had since before the sun came up.”
I knew he was telling the truth. Between his duties as First Officer and head of security, most of Ethan’s waking hours were spoken for. Still, I was pretty sure Ethan would have declined that particular date even if he’d had all the free time in the world. First Officer Hot Stuff just wouldn’t look right in yoga pants.
The thought did provide a pretty hilarious mental image, though. I had to struggle not to laugh as I listened to him get out of Sam’s invitation.
“In fairness, it is a relaxing class.” I shrugged. So what if I didn’t want to go. I could at least play devil’s advocate, right? “You’d probably get the best sleep of your life. We certainly did.”
“I prefer to stay awake for our dates,” Ethan retorted without missing a beat. “But just because I can’t go doesn’t mean the two of you can’t hang out and have a good time with the yogis.”
“Come on, Addy.” Sam gave me the pouting face again. “It won’t take too long, and we’ll both be super relaxed when it’s over. And anyway, don’t you need to take photos of both groups? It won’t help to keep the peace if the Slow Flow class finds out you’ve been favoring Roar Power.”
She did have a pretty good point, though I hated to admit it. But I’d seen enough of the rivalry between Shakti and Petal to know Sam was right. If I was going to post about one group, it would only be fair to give the other group an equal amount of attention.
“Okay, okay.” I sighed and took another bite of salmon. “You win. I’ll go to the class with you.”
Sam grinned. “It’ll be great. You know you’re going to love it.”
Ethan could only shake his head and smile. What could he say? He would have done the same thing in my position. Whether or not I wanted to go didn’t even matter anymore. Giving both groups equal attention was part of my job. And more importantly, it was the right thing to do.
Even though the Breathe Light yoga studio was identical to the neighboring one the Roar Power groups were using, the atmosphere when we walked through the door was completely different. The differences in the morning groups had mostly been focused on the actual yoga m
ethods, but they had taken things a step further with tonight’s session.
The lights were dim. There were candles and crystals laid out on tables that were piled high with healthy-looking snacks and drinks.
It wasn’t just those obvious differences that caught my attention, though. The energy in the room—the looks on people’s faces and the way they were interacting with each other as they waited for the presentation to begin—was also more laid-back and calmer than what we’d experienced at the Roar Power session.
“I can already feel a nap calling me,” Sam whispered as we made our way to the back of the room and found a place to sit.
I’d been expecting to see yoga mats spread out on the floor like the previous time we visited the class, but everyone was sitting in chairs or standing in small groups around the perimeter of the room instead.
“Not sure either of us will be falling asleep this time,” I replied. “These chairs aren’t as comfortable as the yoga mats were.”
“No…” She crinkled her nose as she shifted in her seat. “There really isn’t as much cushion, is there? I wouldn’t have been in such a hurry to get here if I’d known that.”
“Well, it’s too late to leave now, so we’ll just have to make the most of it.”
At least our surroundings were peaceful and soothing. If we couldn’t sleep, just being able to sit there and relax was the next best thing.
A ripple of movement and some hushed murmurs caught my attention, and I looked up just in time to see Petal sweep into the room with Tomek following close behind.
“Good evening, everyone.” Petal clasped her hands together and gave us all a wide smile from the front of the room. “You all look so lovely and refreshed this evening. I hope you’ve been helping yourself to the snacks and drinks we’ve set out for you.”
Several people raised their drinks and gave thanks. I raised my camera instead and took a few candid snaps. I hoped that the photos would capture the vibe in the room. It was all just so nice and pleasant.
Calmer Cruises: A Humorous Cruise Ship Cozy Mystery (Cruise Ship Cozy Mysteries Book 12) Page 3
