Page 20 of Scores Of The Heart

“You’re going to be great in the finals. I have a feeling about this,” she says.

My mom and her superstitions. I roll my eyes because she’s not in front of me and can’t slap me upside the head. “Well, we better not bow out like we did last year.”

What a huge disappointment that was.

“Remember, you have to see yourselves as winners first. There’s that old saying ‘which is like unto itself is drawn’ — that means you offer a signal out into the world, a vibration if you will, and the universe responds.”

My mom is into all that visualization and law of attraction shit. She never stops riding my ass about it. I love how she thinks it’s that easy. What she doesn’t know is my vibration right now is Cindy freaking Carter.

“Next, you’ll want me to meditate.” I muse, wondering if I should give her ideas like that.

“You know, that’s not a bad idea.”

“You know you’re as bad as Ashton and Taylor with all the visual stuff.”

“All the top people use it, Tyler. Your brother included, he didn’t get to where he is just on luck and talent alone.”

“Maybe you should do my PR, Mom.”

She laughs. My mom is a dear sweet woman who dotes on us boys, and will keep feeding us until the day we die. Even when we don’t live there.

“I’ll see you Sunday then?”

“Yeah, Friday, we have a game and I’m busy Saturday. Sunday sounds good.”

“I’ll be watching. Dad will, too.”

“Know it. Love you guys.”

“Love you too.”

We hang up and I run a hand through my buzz cut.

My mind is immediately back to Cindy again.

It was nice having a five-minute reprieve and knowing I’ll be eating mom’s famous Moussaka by Sunday afternoon. But the more I think about it, the more I know I need to broach Cindy, and right now, just before the finals might be just the time to do it.

CHAPTER 5

Cindy

Straight after Monday’s meeting

The meeting is more than a blur. And yes, Andrea and I shared a note or two in our notepads. She kindly alerted my attention that Tyler was staring at me.

The whole meeting was a Tyler glance-fest, and I can’t say I minded.

His gaze, while usually steely, today it was something else. I even saw the edges of his mouth turn up, as though he was enjoying something. I know he has a nice smile, even if I haven’t seen it very often.

When he finally released his focus on me, I could feel the pink in my cheeks, hopefully disguised by makeup. His dark eyes are the most penetrating I’ve ever seen on a man; intense and dark, causing my pulse to quicken, my mouth turning dry, and causing a throb in my panties.

He shouldn’t be able to do that from one look. He isn’t even smiling.

But he seemed friendly enough this morning, even though I spilled the dregs of my cold coffee all over his team jersey right before the meeting. He had obviously changed shirts when he came in. I noticed he now wore a Hawks polo instead. It clinged to his biceps, accentuating how ripped he is. He’s quite lean in stature, but has broad shoulders and a wall of muscle to his chest.

One thing is for sure, Andrea might just be correct in her Mr. Tall, Dark and Dangerous theory. He’s so damned sexy.

Neither she or Simon can stop talking about it when the meeting wraps up and I reluctantly have to return to my desk.

---