Page 31 of Win Big

I smile reluctantly. “True.”

Wyatt glances over at the coffeemaker. “Okay, now I need a refill.” He rises and pads across the room with athletic grace. He’s wearing his black dress pants and the white shirt, open at the neck, cuffs rolled up on strong forearms, the tails out. The shirt is fitted to his impressive body, emphasizing his broad shoulders and chest, narrow waist and flat abs.

Which I saw shirtless not that long ago. Impressive is right.

He returns and lounges back in his chair with his mug, his empty plate pushed aside with knife and fork sitting at exactly four o’clock, as my mother taught me to do when I finish eating.

“What’s your family like?” I ask impulsively.

I already know he’s from New Brunswick, in Canada. I know he was drafted by Detroit and got traded to the Condors last year. I know he plays defense; I know his hockey stats; and I know the things the hockey blogs say about him, including the ones that post about “hockey heartthrobs” and “players who are hot as puck.”

He smiles. “My family’s great. Mom, Dad, little sister.”

“How little?”

“She’s twenty-four.”

“That’s not that little.”

“I guess not, but she’ll always be my little sister.”

“I bet you were an annoying big brother.”

“Nah. She worships me.”

I laugh. “Is she an athlete too?”

“She’s athletic, but not a professional athlete. She’s actually a fantastic tennis player.”

“Really. Do you play tennis?”

“Of course. She had to have someone to beat up on the court.”

Knowing him, he’s probably a great tennis player. “Where did you grow up?”

“St. John, New Brunswick. In Canada.”

“I know where New Brunswick is.”

“Sorry. Lots of people don’t. I’m used to always adding ‘Canada.’”

“I was born here, but I’ve visited Canada quite a bit. We used to go visit Matt in Quebec and Mark in Winnipeg. What’s New Brunswick like? It’s on the east coast, right?”

“Yep. It’s beautiful. Right on the Bay of Fundy, which has the highest tides on earth—higher than a four-story building.”

“Whoa.”

“It’s great for whale watching, even the right whale, which is super rare. Also humpbacks, finbacks, and minkes.”

“Cool. That sounds amazing.”

“There’s also a lot of history and amazing architecture.”

I nod, entranced with the idea of whales and high tides. “I’ve gone whale watching here. I loved it.”

He smiles.

“So you grew up in a normal family in a maritime city of... how many people?”

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