Page 79 of Rowdy Hearts

Tressy touched her finger to her nose. “Both, of course.”

“How’s that working out for her?”

“About as well as you think. I keep telling Tiff that I’ll help her get started on Broadway, but she’s just won’t take the leap.”

“You know, you’ve never told me what you do for a living.”

“I haven’t?” She looked genuinely bemused. “I mean, it’s not like it’s a big secret.”

“Like, who you actually are?”

Her nose crinkled. “That’s different. I don’t think of myself as that person anymore. Now I’m just Tressy Meyers, talent agent. My list is mostly children whose parents trust me to make good choices for their children, or former child actors like me, trying to transition into adult roles.”

“You like being behind the scenes now?”

“Oh, yes, definitely.” She lifted her hand, as if to stop me from speaking, “And before you say it, yes, I do realize that I have become my mother.”

“Is your mom as hot as you are?”

Her expression when she turned to me was so comical, I had to laugh.

“I can’t believe— You are— Oh, that is so not funny.”

And I couldn’t stop laughing as we started up the final incline to our destination.

“You’re so damn beautiful, I figure it’s gotta run in the family.”

She went silent as she shook her head, like she didn’t believe me. But she wasn’t blind. She had to know how amazing she looked, even wearing one of my old hats.

The silence continued for the next few minutes, and I knew she was overthinking my comment.

“Rowdy—”

“Is your sister hot, too? You know I’ve got two brothers…”

“Stop!”

Now she laughed so hard she actually snorted. Throwing one hand over her mouth, she smacked my chest with the other.

“Hey, now, no damaging the hockey player before a big game.”

“Is this a big game?”

My turn to snort. “None of them are big games.”

Her head turned. “Why do you say that?”

“Because we’re not really playing to win. We’re playing to entertain.”

“But you don’t like to win?”

“Of course.” I shrugged. “Everyone likes to win. But that’s not what we’re about.”

“And you’re okay with that?”

“Yeah.”

And I was. Except… Since she’d told me her secret, I wanted to share mine.

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