Page 51 of Scores Of The Heart

“They live on Mercer Island,” I say. “I have a place there too on the lake.”

“Wow,” she replies, her eyes wide. “It’s beautiful there. I’ve been a few times, but not in a while.”

Hopefully soon that’s all gonna change.

“So, do you commute back and forth, or do you have a place in the city, too?” She asks.

“Yeah, I have both,” I say, not wanting to sound like I’m bragging or anything. “I love it when I get to head out there. I crave some quiet time on my own at times when it’s one game after the other.”

“That must be a good feeling when you’re there.”

“It is, but I don’t get to do it often enough.” And I’m not even thinking about down-time yet because my focus is on the finals. But a large part of me is hanging out for a break. My body needs it.

“Yeah, it’s a crazy, brutal sport,” she says. “But my dad loves it. We moved here in my last year of high school because he took a job with the state youth team.”

“Your dad is very well respected.” And I’m not even saying that to get in her good graces. Everyone knows it.

“I’ve heard players and colleagues say my dad is hard, but fair.”

“That’s exactly how he is.” I’m in total agreement about that.

Our coffees are delivered while we both take a pause. I wanna address the kiss thing, but I don’t want to embarrass her. She took off in a hurry after that, and I felt bad about it.

“Look, the other night,” I start as I pick up my cup and take a short sip.

She presses her lips together as she watches me.

“I meant what I said. It was a little forward. I’m sorry for that.”

I don’t mention the fact she kissed me back and grabbed me by the shirt.

“It’s okay.” She shakes her head. “It was pretty intense in the car, that’s all.”

Yeah, it was nothing short of blazing from my end, and I loved every second.

When I ran into her and her friend that night and stayed to chat with them while they finished dinner, I didn’t think for one second I’d be driving them home and making out with her in the driveway.

“Trust me, I felt it.”

She sips her coffee, her eyes watching me, and I feel like she wants to say something. So I wait to see if she will.

“I’m not usually that forward with guys. I have to tell you that, so you know,” she says.

I swallow, liking the fact she’s being so candid with me. This is what I want; to know about her and everything in between. “I’m interested to know,” I reply.

She sighs. It’s frustrating that I can’t gauge what she’s thinking.

Finally, she gives me something. “Tyler, I’m more… reserved than most women you’ve probably ever met. That’s what I mean. I don’t date very often. I don’t do any of this stuff very often.”

“Like kissing strangers in your driveway?”

She laughs softly. “Yes, like that.”

“Well, I don’t have a problem with that.” I glance up at her. “I think you caught the part where I really like you, right?”

“You might not be saying that if you knew me.”

My forehead scrunches. “In what way?” I get she might not want to reveal too much about herself, especially since this is a first coffee date kinda thing. But I want her to know she can be open with me. I ain’t going anywhere.

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