CHAPTER TEN
Wyatt trudged out of the empty stadium, feeling like a total failure. This shoot had gone even worse than the last one. He hadn’t believed that was possible. At least he’d been on his game during practice. The guys seemed to be warming up to him, Schroeder excluded, and Wyatt was settling into his place on the team.
He made his way toward his truck, eyes scanning the parking lot for Tamera’s convertible. A white minivan sat a few spots over from his four-by-four truck, and half a dozen shiny cars and SUVs were a few rows over from that, but otherwise the lot was empty.
These houses better be spectacular. Right now, he really needed something to go right in his life.
A woman stepped out of the white minivan. She wore a sleeveless blouse and flirty knee-length skirt, and her short brown hair blew in the breeze.
He took a hesitant step closer and squinted. Sunglasses obscured half her face, but she raised her hand and waved. Where did Tamera get a minivan? Wyatt picked up the pace and crossed the parking lot in record time.
Tamera slid her sunglasses to the top of her head and motioned to her new wheels. “What do you think?”
He thought Tamera looked way too attractive and he was entering dangerous territory. “I didn’t peg you as the minivan type.”
She laughed. “It’s Landon’s. Well, I guess technically it’s his wife’s. I thought you’d be more comfortable in this than in my convertible.”
An odd warmth filled his chest. “You didn’t need to do that.”
“I know.” She flashed him a grin. “Get in. Hopefully your ego doesn’t take too big a bruising if anyone recognizes you.”
He climbed into the van and stretched his legs. “This is great.”
She probably would’ve done the same for any client. Going out of her way to make sure he was comfortable didn’t mean anything other than she was good at her job.
Tamera pulled onto the road, following the GPS’s directions. “How was practice?”
He blinked in surprise. It had been a long time since a woman other than his mom or sister had asked him about his day. “Good. We played well today and I feel like I’m getting to know the guys a little better.”
“What are they like? It’s so hard to tell from watching them on the field. Schroeder seems like such a powerhouse, on and off the field.”
Of course she’d be enamored by the team’s playboy quarterback. Wyatt swallowed hard and looked away, his foot twitching against the floorboard. “Schroeder’s definitely something else.”
Tamera rested her arm on the windowsill and pressed her fingers into her hair. “I can’t believe I’m helping Wyatt James find a house. Every time I think about it, I realize how nuts it is.”
“You’re friends with Drew Dempsey. How is knowing me weird?”
She laughed and accelerated onto the freeway. “Drew is Drew. I guess I was a little starstruck the first day, but I got over that pretty quickly once we started playing the game.” She flashed him a grin. “I’ll let you in on a little secret. I was never much of a Dempsey fan on the field. Sometimes he’s lazy in his approach and I don’t always agree with his plays. You, though … well, I’ve admired you since you were first drafted.”
Wyatt could almost feel his head growing two sizes too big under her praise. She was probably just stroking his ego, because he had yet to meet a woman who preferred him over Drew. “You’re a big football fan?”
“Pro more than college, but yeah. Sometimes I love football too much. I can be pretty competitive.”
Eye in the Sky had certainly shown that to be true. He’d loved watching her give her everything in the Head Honcho competitions, and couldn’t help silently cheering every time she won.
“A competitive nature isn’t bad,” Wyatt said. Attractive, maybe. Okay, definitely.
She snorted. “Yeah. Tell that to Luke Ryder.”
“There were extenuating circumstances. I’m pretty sure America’s forgiven you after Eye on the Sky.” Wyatt shifted in his seat as she slowed the van for a turn. This was definitely loads more comfortable than her convertible.
“Yeah, I guess. But those darn internet memes still haunt me. I’m hoping a serious acting career will make everyone forget that nightmare for good.”
“Did you hear back from the audition yet?”
She fidgeted, running a hand through her hair. “I didn’t get the part. It’s fine, though. I’ve got another audition this weekend. Something’s bound to stick eventually, right?”
He thought of his own afternoon spent in front of the cameras and winced. The way he’d gotten progressively worse with each take had surpassed pathetic and almost looped back around to impressive.
“Uh-oh. I know that look. You hated me on Eye in the Sky, didn’t you? It’s okay. I can take the truth.”
“No,” Wyatt said quickly. “It’s not that. You did awesome on the show.”
Her grip relaxed on the steering wheel. “Well, that’s a relief.”
“It was pretty clever how you pitted everyone against each other. It took a long time for everyone to figure out you were really running the house.”
“If I’d been just a little more clever, maybe I would’ve won.”
Drew had been the downfall of her game—his big mouth had tipped off some key players and ultimately resulted in Tamera going home. But Wyatt wasn’t about to get into that conversation. “I was actually thinking about how bad my own acting is. Mr. Ryder asked me to do some commercials for the team and I think the director’s ready to quit.”
“I’m sure that’s not true.”
Wyatt snorted, thinking of the director’s tightly clenched jaw. “Pretty sure it is. Every time the camera turns on, I freeze.”
“I could give you some pointers. I mean, if you’re okay with accepting acting advice from someone who can’t seem to land a role.”
Red neon warning signs were flashing in his brain. There was a line of attraction between him and Tamera that he should run screaming from. Instead, he said, “That’d be great. Thanks.”
It wasn’t because he wanted to spend more time with her, he reassured himself. He really did need some acting help, otherwise he’d humiliate himself in the commercial.
Tamera pulled up to a stone-and-stucco home in neutral tones, nestled in the middle of a cul-de-sac. It was set back from the road, with a circular driveway passing by the front door. Wyatt unfolded himself from the car, instantly liking the vibe of this place. The craftsman style gave it a more modern feel than the previous properties they’d seen. Pillars supported the front porch and potted plants hung between them. The landscaping was breathtaking, filled with rich brown soil, colorful flowers, and green grass that begged someone to lay down and watch for shapes in the clouds. He hoped the inside was just as inviting.
“Shall we?” Tamera asked, giving him a smile that had his knees melting.
He nodded. “Looks promising.”
Wyatt stepped inside, already loving this property. The entryway managed to be spacious without wasting space and opened into a living room with overstuffed furniture that made the room seem cozy. A staircase led upstairs, and the living room flowed into an open dining room and kitchen.
“I love the open floor plan,” Wyatt said.
“It has a nice flow,” Tamera agreed.
Wyatt passed through the living room to the kitchen. Tamera’s heels clicked against the gray wood flooring, reminding him of her nearness with every step. The cabinets were a cheery white, the counter tops some sort of gray solid surface.
“Quartz counters are really popular right now,” Tamera said, running her hand along the top of it. “Very nice. And the color scheme is spot-on. They really did their homework when building this place.” She pointed to the floor. “They went with the extra wide baseboards and crown molding around the ceiling. It’s details like those that push a home over the top in terms of value.”
Wyatt opened the pantry and admired the size. More than enough room to stock all the protein drinks he wanted. “These are the kinds of details that make a home valuable to me.”
Tamera laughed. “What is it with you and big pantries? Does Natalie really cook that much?”
“I’ve got lots of protein drinks and energy bars to store, too. But Natalie is a pretty amazing baker. She’s always tempting me with brownies and cookies and pies. It’s downright evil during the season.”
“I think Natalie needs to let me sample some of this stuff.”
“I’ll tell her you said so.” He had a feeling Tamera and Natalie would get along great, and it made his stomach feel like he’d just swallowed a liter of soda.
Down a hallway he found an office with glass French doors. Built in bookcases lined one wall. Wyatt instantly imagined himself lounging in his cushioned office chair, penning a script about a doe-eyed woman filled with spunk and the professional athlete who was putty in her hands.
Nope. He definitely wasn’t going to write that script.
Tamera nudged his side with her shoulder and flames of attraction had his arm hair standing on end. “Think you can negotiate your multi-million dollar trades comfortably in here?”
“No more trades for me.”
She raised one eyebrow. “Really?”
He shrugged. “It’s not a secret that my career has a shelf life and I’m nearing the end.”
“So what are your plans for after retirement? Maybe take that secret script writing hobby and become a Hollywood bigwig?”
He glanced again at the office. Movie posters of films he’d written would look awesome on the wall. “I guess we’ll see.”
Her hand brushed his arm, instantly making his mouth go dry. “I can’t wait to see what you do next, Wyatt James. Whatever it is, I know it’ll be amazing.”
This woman was going to drive him slowly, deliciously insane.
Wyatt followed her up the stairs, forcing himself not to stare as she made the climb. He scrambled for something—anything—to get his mind off the ridiculous chemistry zipping between them. Did she feel it?
Tamera flipped on the lights in the bedroom at the top of the stairs. A television hung on one wall, but the decor lacked any personality and screamed guest room.
“Was it hard to leave your job for three months while you did Eye in the Sky?” Wyatt asked.
Tamera leaned against the door frame, allowing him the space to examine the room on his own. “Not really. I was very lucky. Most contestants have to quit, but I took a leave of absence and handed my clients over to Landon. The show takes care of food and everything, so there are no living expenses while you’re in the house other than whatever bills you’re still paying for at home. Once you make it in the top ten you’re paid a stipend for each week you remain on the show. It ended up working out pretty well.”
“How did you end up auditioning?” He wanted so badly to peer inside her mind and figure out what made her tick.
“For the show?” Tamera flipped the light on in the master bedroom. “It was shortly after that disaster of a date with Luke. I was feeling pretty crappy about myself and just wanted to get away. Landon heard about the open auditions on the radio and he and Julie drove me to them. They were worried I’d chicken out at the last minute.”
Tamera seemed so confident and capable. Wyatt couldn’t imagine her being afraid of anything. “And did you?”
“Almost,” Tamera said, and he was surprised by the vulnerability he heard in her voice. “That date with Luke wasn’t my finest moment. Letting the entire world see it was beyond humiliating. I was an internet meme for months. I was really worried that if I got on the show, I’d be the butt of everyone’s jokes and emerge from the house to find that I’d made things a thousand times worse.”
“But instead you changed everyone’s opinions.” He couldn’t help but admire Tamera’s tenacity.
“Yeah, I did. And now hopefully I can switch careers.” She cleared her throat and pointed to the bay window on the far wall. “This room has a spectacular view. It’s up high enough you can just see the ocean in the distance.”
“It’s beautiful.” Wyatt stared at Tamera. The sunlight streamed in through the windows, softening her hair from a deep cappuccino to a warm caramel. He usually was attracted to women with long hair, but the shorter style fit her somehow. It was sassy, just like Tamera.
“You can easily fit a king-sized bed in here, along with a dresser and a couple of bedside tables.” She walked through an archway and gasped. “Okay, if you don’t buy this house, I will. This bathroom is to die for!”
Wyatt shook his head. What was he doing?
Tamera led him through the rest of the first floor. The other upstairs bedrooms would be perfect for his parents and sister to stay in when they visited, and the bathroom was large enough they wouldn’t be fighting for space. Then Tamera led him downstairs, where he found a large game room that would hold his exercise equipment perfectly.
“Are you ready for the best part of the house?” Tamera asked. “I’m pretty sure you’re going to love it, if the photos were any indication.”
The movie room. It was part of what had made Wyatt want to see this house. “Let’s check it out.”
In the basement, two black double doors with gold handles stood at the end of a short hallway. Thick white crown molding framed the doorway, and above it the word cinema hung in block letters with lights in the center.
“Whoa,” Wyatt said quietly.
Tamera opened one door, revealing a short hallway with red carpet and rope lights embedded in the floor. White wainscoting covered the bottom half of the wall on either side and movie posters hung on the walls.
“This is unreal,” Wyatt said, padding the four paces down the hallway. He pivoted and sucked in a breath at the movie theater splayed before him.
Tamera clasped her hands together. “Brings a whole new meaning to the term home theater, huh? I’d sell a kidney for this room. Sunday movie marathons would be beyond amazing here.”
“The pictures didn’t do it justice.” The room gradually descended in four steps, with four recliners on each row—enough to comfortably seat sixteen. A screen covered the entire wall. The dropped ceiling squares with hidden lighting probably made the acoustics in this room amazing.
Tamera walked across the back row and Wyatt followed. “The listing says … yes, there.”
A small alcove was cut into the room. A counter ran along the wall and a popcorn machine sat at one end. Shelves of candy clung to the wall, while a mini fridge hid underneath the counter.
“Not even my home in San Antonio had a theater this great.” Wyatt had always meant to put one in, but hadn’t gotten around to it. By the time that Becky left, and he started seriously considering a career in screenwriting again, it seemed pointless to put in the effort for a home he might not stay in much longer.
“I take it you like it?” Tamera asked.
He turned, surprised to find her so close in the dimly lit room. Her head barely reached his shoulders, despite wearing heels. He inhaled deeply and caught the faint aroma of strawberries from her shampoo.
“I love it.”
“So we can move this to the maybe list?” He couldn’t make out her features in the low lighting, but her voice sounded breathier than it had before.
“We can more than put this on the maybe list,” Wyatt agreed, taking a step back. “I want to make an offer. All cash with a quick closing.”
This wasn’t happening. He couldn’t be attracted to Tamera, the girl who’d begged him at three a.m. for a photo to share online. The girl who went on a date with a celebrity and ended up as an internet meme—and not in a good way. The girl who was friends with Drew Dempsey.
“Okay then,” Tamera said. “Let’s make it happen.”
Wyatt nodded and left the theater room with one last, longing look. There was a magic in this room he definitely wanted to keep for himself.