Breaking into the major leagues of sports PR is my ultimate dream. Landing a job with the Sweetwater Mavericks is my shot, but my ticket to the top is a complete nightmare with a chiseled jaw and catcher’s gear.
To make the splash I need, I have to sell the team’s most complicated story: hometown catcher Jake McKinney and his estranged, all-star father, Roddy. Only problem? Just because they’re teammates now doesn’t mean they’re talking.
I’ve dealt with difficult athletes before, but Jake is a special brand of prickly. He’s bullheaded, defensive, and completely hell-bent on ignoring me. But I have my own hyper-critical father to answer to, and failure isn’t an option. If Jake thinks he can freeze me out, he’s underestimated how stubborn I can be.
But when his walls finally crack, I don’t just see a player destined for greatness, I see a man determined to right his father’s wrongs. I see the shared scars we both try to hide.
And when he kisses me, the carefully planned future I’ve spent years building suddenly starts to blur.
Falling for a player is a massive line to cross. Choosing my career means reopening wounds Jake has worked so hard to heal. But walking away means letting go of my lifelong dream and proving my father right.
Do I stay the course and protect my future, or risk it all for a love I never saw coming?