Page 148 of Scores Of The Heart

“We knew you had it in you.” Simon beams as he breaks his connection from Jose for a second to give me a big hug, and then Tyler. “I’ve always wanted to do that,” he chuckles. Even Tyler has to laugh at that.

”It’s so great to see you two happy,” I hear Ashton saying to Tyler.

“You deserve it man, Cindy is a great girl,” Taylor adds.

It’s so sweet to see and hear everyone so happy for us.

Finally Suse and Em break the crowd around us and we have a big squealy girl hug.

“You two!” Susie stands back to look at me. “You’re positively glowing, Cind. I’m so happy for you.”

“Thank you! True love does exist. Don’t give up hope,” I tell her.

“I can attest to that!” Em is beaming from ear to ear. “You look so good together.”

“You really do,” Cait says from behind me. I whirl around to see her smiling face with open arms. She gives me a big hug as Liam says hey to the guys. He looks pretty happy to be met with four of his idols from the Seattle Hawks, since Jay has just walked in with his friend who looks really shy, but I’ve been dying to meet her. From what Tyler has said, she and Jay are close.

I glance at Tyler, and we smile at each other. I reach up on my toes to peck him and everyone cheers. It’s like we won the lottery, it’s so sweet.

I know that he’s the one.

He’s the only one I’ll ever want and I can’t wait to be his wife someday and carry the children he’s always wanted. We’ve already talked about kids. There’s nothing more I’d love to give him than a beautiful baby of our own.

“I love you,” I mouth.

He plants a kiss on my forehead and tips my chin up with his finger. “I love you, too.”

And they may just be the sweetest words I’ve ever heard.

* * *

Tyler

Two weeks later

I sit at the coffee shop at eight. I know I’m early, but I wanted to get here in time to watch the show from the carpark. She knows I’m coming, that I’ll be watching. And I know what she’s wearing under that work uniform.

We have it all planned out and I’m anticipating her arrival as I sip on my coffee, watching the world go by. It’s been a relief to have some rest for the last few weeks. My back has been feeling a shit ton better now I’ve had a chance to rest my body properly. Plus, I’ve caught up on sleep, and I’ve been loving on my girl every single day. That’s gotta count for something.

We’ve stayed at each other’s places every night since she came out to Mercer Island, and we’ve been going out there every weekend since. The relief we both feel that we can date properly, and not worry about any more unflattering newspaper articles, has been a sweet victory.

It feels like things are moving along in the right direction and I know without a shadow of a doubt that Cindy is the girl for me.

I’m thinking about her and I in my tub last night. We laid there reminiscing about that night in Miami when we fooled around in the jacuzzi, then we made love in that massive king-sized bed. We fit so freaking well and I can’t get enough of her curves. I smile to myself as I savor the thoughts. I can even taste her on my lips…

“Tyler…”

I’m snapped out of my reverie as I look behind me to where I thought I heard…

Stacey.

I swallow hard and clutch the table with my hand as I see her. She knocks the wind out of my sails, standing there with the baby strapped to her chest.

“Stace—” I’m sure my mouth is hanging open.

“Hi,” she says nervously. “I saw you just now, I thought I should?—”

I press my lips together as I try to take in what’s happening. It was probably always a given that we’d bump into each other some day. I ended up blocking her number, so I never had to hear from her, but here we are faced with each other again.

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