“Ma, you can’t have cake and almond milk for breakfast. I meal prepped some oatmeal for you for five days. All you had to do was warm it up and have it with the fruit I left.”
“I wanted cake.” She rolled her eyes at me and looked back to the screen. “Shhh, game’s back on.”
I didn’t even bother arguing, instead placing the carrot cake on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator and tossing out the week-old oatmeal that’d gone untouched. I busied myself, prepping three more days worth of oatmeal, and cut up some banana for her to put in the oatmeal in the morning. I set a reminder in my phone to stop by the front office before I left to add on the CNA service to start the next morning.
I watched the rest of the game with my mother, cheering along with her once the Cougars beat the Rams, twelve to zero.
“I’m heading out, Mama.”
“Good. You got a date?”
I angled my head. “Why would you ask me that?”
“Because it’s a Saturday night and my baby girl is a beautiful, successful woman. What man wouldn’t want to snatch her up?”
I laughed, shaking my head. “Bye, Mama. Call me if you need anything.”
“Girl, hush! I don’t need nothing. You enjoy your night out.”
I didn’t bother telling my mother that I wasn’t going out on a date. I was just meeting my mentor and her husband out for a celebratory dinner. So what if it was the same dinner that the team’s star quarterback had invited … no, insisted I attend? That surely did not make it a date.
Besides, I’d decided that I would make it a point of speaking with Leonard Riggs that night. His mentioning of his financial advisor and the returns he’d earned still nagged at me. And in spite of myself, I wanted to get to the bottom of that issue. See? Tyler Townsend had absolutely nothing to do with my decision to attend the team’s dinner.
****
“Thank you,” I told the Lyft driver as I handed her the cash tip.
“Thank you. Enjoy your evening,” She smiled at me over her shoulder as I exited the vehicle.
I had been dropped off in front of Mar Belo, a popular Portuguese restaurant on the outskirts of Williamsport. The restaurant wasn’t too far from the stadium where the Cougars played their home games. It was easy to see why Mike had chosen this location to have dinner with his players and their guests, to celebrate the opening of the season. Mar Belo had a reputation for its exquisite and authentic food, which was the result of its owner’s Portuguese heritage. And while the restaurant wasn’t over the top with its prices, it was pricey enough to give off a certain feel of exclusivity.
I inhaled deeply when I peered into the front window of the restaurant, noting all of the team members mingling and laughing with one another. The Cougars had won their scrimmage, and while the win didn’t count toward their actual season’s record, it was against the team that had knocked them out of the playoffs the previous season. It was more of an emotional victory than anything else. My eyes rose and ended up lingering on the man who’d led the Cougars to their win.
Tyler.
It prickled at me that I had become more used to referencing him by his first name than his last. He was right, I was getting used to calling his first name, and in spite of myself, I actually liked the way it rolled off my tongue. My breath hitched as I continued to watch when he tossed his head back, laughing at a comment a teammate of his made. He was tall, in shape, and wore the light grey suit pants with a tucked in royal blue dress shirt like nobody’s business. The sleeves of his shirt were rolled up to the elbows, exposing his forearms. I grinned. Even at this distance I could see the light touch of the auburn hairs along his arms. With that thought, my gaze quickly climbed his body, taking in the low-cut auburn beard that outlined his square jaw, the freckles that ran along the tops of his cheeks, and to those damn eyes that were so goddamned captivating. If one were to squint while looking in Tyler’s direction, he would remind you of Prince Harry—at least, that’s what some entertainment blogs had claimed. To me, Prince Harry had absolutelynothingon Tyler Townsend.
“Excuse me,” a giggling female voice sounded, pulling my attention from Tyler.
I glanced up to see a tall brunette, covering her mouth with her hand. “No problem,” I stated, stepping aside so she could pass through the front door of the restaurant.
“Well, lookie here,Mz. McDonald.”
I blinked, looking from the woman to Leonard. His eyes were narrowed on me, mouth contorted into that smirk he always did when he thought he had something over the person he was talking to.
“Mr. Riggs,” I greeted. I was all set to dismiss Leonard when at that moment I remembered that I needed to speak with him. I glanced between him and the woman who was now draped all over him. “Uh, could I speak with you a moment?”
The woman had the audacity to suck her teeth. I snapped my neck, grilling her before dismissing her and looking back to Leonard.
“It’ll be quick. I just need an answer about something you said a while back.”
“Leonard, I’m hungry,” the impatient woman whined.
“Gon’ ahead, baby. I’ll be in soon.”
I sighed in relief at not having to argue with Leonard or this woman.
“Make sure it’s quick,” she called over her shoulder before tossing her head in my direction, then lifting her nose in the air as she pushed through the door.
