Page 49 of Scores Of The Heart

“I got all tongue tied at what I was hearing,” Andrea admits, pushing her glasses up.

“You and Tyler could be off and away on a team trip, all expenses paid!”

“He said maybe Tyler if one of the other guys couldn’t make it.”

“I think you should drag him along, anyway.”

I push my glasses on top of my head. “Sounds way too convenient to me.”

Little does anyone know, I wouldn’t know what to do with Tyler if I did happen to get him alone in another city far, far away from here.

The irony is almost lost on me. Almost. There’s that twinge of hope that I could excel in a situation like the one being thrust upon me.

“It has to be a sign from the universe,” Andrea says, just as Simon comes scuttling back in to see what all the commotion and giggling is about.

“What is?” He perches on Andrea’s desk as she runs through the entire conversation with him.

“What a stroke of luck.” Simon shakes his head after she finishes. “You’re practically being handed him on a golden platter.”

I shake my head, sipping my coffee. “Dad said it was a ‘maybe’.”

“You’ll make it work,” Simon says with a wink. “Take one for the team, Cinds.”

I can’t help but smile. At least my friends are happy and encouraging me and not telling me what a crazy, ridiculous idea it is like my subconscious is sometimes.

“Oh, I intend to,” I say, with an affirmative nod. Yes, I’m all brave now, but who knows what will happen if and when this charity game even goes ahead?

Though, I’m guessing it will. There are events like this throughout the off-season.

The one in Florida is an all-stars game, and I’m pretty sure some of the local youth kids’ teams get to play with the NHL stars invited to the game.

“Atta girl.” Andrea fist pumps the air and we all laugh in unison.

I don’t think about the consequences any of this could have on my impending future.

I know I seriously need to think about it, but for now, I just want to revel in it.

How perfectly things seem to be lining up. And yes, I may be jumping the gun, but it’s obvious Tyler and I have a spark. Would it be the end of the world to explore that spark a little more closely?

Surely it couldn’t hurt to just see?

And if things didn’t work out, or it was just too risky, we could go our separate ways.

No harm done.

I don’t see what could be so hard about that.

I glance at my watch. 4.30. I guess I’m about to find out very soon.

`

CHAPTER 11

Tyler

I never knew I could get so wound up over a cup of coffee. But it feels like a lifetime since Saturday when I last saw her, and it’s been a tight week so far with meetings and training. I didn’t catch a glimpse of her when I was talking to coach today, so I’ve been dying to see her.

A coffee on neutral ground is a good thing. To prying eyes meeting in a cafe is less intimate and more easily to palm off as friends running into each other if anyone were to spot us. I’ve never had to think like this before.

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