The late afternoon sun still smoldered by the time Tyler pulled into the sports complex. Exhausted and hot, what he really wanted to do was go back to the hotel, take a shower, and crawl into bed—preferably with Gabriella.

What started as a promising day had quickly disintegrated. His agent, Steve Calhoun, had chewed his ass for ten minutes over the missed MRI. Yes, he knew it was a dick move. Yes, he knew there’d be a fine to pay. He’d do it again in the same situation, but he kept that part to himself. He busted his ass every day. He deserved a few hours of peace with a woman who treated him like a man instead of someone who was broken and in need of fixing.

The following ten minutes, Steve toned it down a notch to remind Tyler of his expiring contract and the importance of coming back strong.

As though he’d forgotten. Every game he missed, every day he spent away from his team, reminded him what was at stake.

After hanging up with Steve, he suffered another fifteen minute rant from Dr. Adlyn—who eventually barked that he would run the damn MRI himself when Tyler came to New York next week. And then, in a rare display of temper, the doc hung up on him.

Tyler parked and climbed out of the car, shoving the keys in his pocket.

He hadn’t planned to go to New York next week, but he was in no position to argue. He could work with the team trainers while he was there, so at least he wouldn’t lose any therapy time. He’d lose time with Gabriella though, and that bugged him more than it should. Knowing their time together had an end date gave him a sense of urgency about the time they did have.

He strolled through the front gate. The sports complex boasted four baseball fields with a large, brick concession building in the center. Tyler stopped there first. The air conditioning chilled the perspiration on his skin as he bought four bottles of water and two sports drinks. The older woman behind the counter was nice enough to find a bag for his purchases before he headed back into the heat.

There were three games going on, but Owen had sent him a text to let him know where to go. As he approached the fence, Tyler noticed the field was well maintained. Emerald grass stood out in stark contrast to the golden sand of the infield. Call him crazy, but he loved the sights, sounds, and smells of a ballpark. Cheering fans, freshly cut grass, the crack of the bat, the muffled thump as a catch was made—damn, he needed to get back to work.

Owen stood on the pitcher’s mound, his face pinched with focus. He looked good. Confident. Shifting his weight, Owen’s knee lifted. His arm came back and he sailed the ball across home plate.

The umpire signaled the strike. The batter was out.

The small crowd cheered as Owen and his teammates ran off the field. Tyler skirted the metal bleachers to get to the shorter section of fence next to the dugout. Owen spotted him and jogged over.

“Hey! I’m glad you could make it.” His cheeks were flushed from the sun, even though he wore a ball cap over the mop Owen called his hair.

Tyler pulled out a sports drink and handed it to Owen. “Hey yourself, punk. I said I’d be here.”

Owen shrugged and unscrewed the bottle cap. “I know you’re busy.”

The ten-year age difference had been hard on them over the years. When Tyler went off to college, Owen had barely been in grade school. Then moving to New York and his schedule with the Empire, and yeah, he couldn’t make it to as many of Owen’s games as he’d like. He’d have to see what he could do to change that.

“Not too busy to come to my kid brother’s ball game.”

Owen took a long drink and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “Thanks, man.”

“No problem. I bought two. Do you want the other one?” He had bought it for himself, but he didn’t mind buying another.

“Nah, I’m good. Thanks. Would you mind hanging around for a bit after the game? Some of the guys would like to meet you.”

“Sure. I’d love to.” The grin on his brother’s face was infectious. Tyler swatted the bill of Owen’s hat, knocking it low over his brows. “Now go kick some ass. That was a great pitch, by the way.”

Owen beamed as he readjusted his hat. “Thanks. Hopefully, I’ll throw a few more.”

“Go get ’em, tiger.” He held up a palm.

Owen high-five’d him and jogged back to the dugout.

Tyler couldn’t keep from chuckling as he circled back to the stands. He remembered being young, trying to find his way on and off the field. A kid Owen’s age needed positive reinforcement. Tyler might not be around for every game, but he encouraged Owen every chance he had.

Tyler spotted Maddie and his parents sitting halfway up the bleachers. Not that they were hard to spot. There were less than twenty people in the stands. Summer league didn’t have a large following of fans. The crowd consisted mostly of parents and siblings of the players. He took the stairs two at a time. His parents stood as he approached, giving him room to maneuver past them to the empty stretch of bench on the other side of Maddie.

“Dad.” He shook his dad’s hand as he passed.

“Do you show up anywhere on time?”

He looked his old man in the eye. “Work.” Ignoring his dad’s glare, Tyler swept his mom into a hug. “Hi, Mom. Sorry I’m late. I had therapy this afternoon.” He squeezed her tight, then held her at arm’s length. “You look great, as always.” Her five-foot-six frame was strong and lean, and her skin had a healthy glow.

“So do you. I’m glad you could make it.” She hugged him again. She did that a lot, as though she was afraid he’d disappear or something. “It’s been nice having you home.”

His dad snorted. “If by home you mean the hotel downtown.”

“Don’t start, Charlie,” his mom warned. “Tyler has the right to stay wherever he wants. He’s a grown man.”

Tyler flashed her a smile he didn’t feel and kept moving. He sank down on the other side of Maddie, leaving his parents to work it out. His tolerance for bullshit was nil today. He came to support Owen, not to toss thinly-veiled insults with good ole Dad.

“Anyone need water? I bought enough for everyone.” Tyler doled out the bottles, keeping one for himself along with the sports drink. He cracked the lid on the latter and took a healthy swig.

“I heard you brought a young lady home with you yesterday.”

Owen was on deck. Tyler glanced away from the game. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees so he could look at his mom. “Yeah. Gabriella. I talked her into watching the game with us. Can you believe she’d never watched a game before?”

“Is that right? Your dad says she’s pretty.”

An understatement in Tyler’s book. “That she is. And she’s a friend, Mom, so don’t get all excited.” Although after what happened at the coffee shop, followed by the hour and a half they’d spent playing in his bed, he was willing to admit there might be more to it than that. At least on his end.

“She’s the first girl you’ve brought home. I’m sorry to have missed meeting her. Why don’t the two of you come back this week for dinner?”

He smirked. His mother, the matchmaker. “I’ll have to get back to you on that one. Her schedule is as crazy as mine.”

“Oh? What does she do?” his mom asked.

“She’s a massage therapist. A damn good one, too. Specializes in sports therapy. She’s working with me to get my shoulder back in shape.” He motioned toward the field. “Owen’s up.” Tyler turned his attention back to the game as Owen went to the plate.

“Nice and easy, Owen,” his dad yelled.

Tyler clapped, adding his own encouragement. “You got this, Owen.”

The first pitch was in the dirt at Owen’s feet. Ball one.

The second pitch was a little low, but landed squarely in the catcher’s mitt. Ball two.

“Good eye, Owen. Good eye.” Tyler clapped twice, impressed at his brother’s read on the ball.

The next pitch must’ve hit Owen’s sweet spot. He swung the bat and launched the ball into the outfield gap.

Tyler stood and yelled with the crowd as Owen sprinted around first. He slid into second base. Safe.

The inning continued until Owen and one other runner had scored, giving them a three-run lead going into the sixth.

Tyler was focused on Owen as he took the mound. He didn’t realize his sister had been talking to him until she bumped him with her shoulder.

“What?”

“I said I thought Devon might be with you tonight.”

“Nah. He took off for California. A charity dinner or some shit.”

“Is he coming back?”

“How the hell should I know? I’m not his keeper. I’m sure he’ll call if he comes back to town.” He did a double-take, giving up on watching Owen’s next pitch. “Why do you care where Devon is?”

“I don’t.” Maddie stared out at the field.

Tyler narrowed his eyes as her cheeks flamed red. “Good.” Jesus. Sometimes his sister acted so weird. “I’m counting on him to check in on you in New York, so don’t do anything to piss him off.”

“I’m about to be a college senior, Ty. I’m a little old for a babysitter, don’t you think? Speaking of New York…” Maddie glanced over at their parents. They had moved farther down the bench to sit with some of the other parents. They appeared focused on the game, something he would like to do as well. She leaned into his space. “I’ve officially accepted the internship.”

Owen threw another strike and made the first out.

“That’s great. When do you start?”

“June twenty-second. It’s a Monday. I’d like to get to New York no later than the Friday before to acclimate myself with the area.”

“You’ve been to my place before.” During the school year, she’d occasionally take the train from Boston in order to spend a day or two with him.

“Not for any length of time, and certainly not enough to know my way around the city.”

Sighing, Tyler pulled out his phone and opened his calendar. “That’s the end of next week. I’ve got to go to New York around that time anyway. If you don’t mind going a few days earlier, you can fly with me.” He maneuvered to the travel app, glancing up real quick to check the game. Runner on first. Two outs.

He hated missing Owen pitch, but his sister needed him, too. He might as well get this done.

“Sure. All I do here is fight with Dad, anyway.”

Tyler looked up from the flight search. “The old man giving you a hard time?”

Maddie rolled her eyes as though to say duh. “He’s not thrilled about the internship. The whole I’m-not-paying-a-fortune-for-you-to-give-away-your-knowledge thing is ridiculous.”

More ridiculous than you know, little sis.

Oh yeah, the old man liked to play it as if he had the big pockets. Tyler ground his teeth before he said something he’d regret.

“I don’t understand him, Ty. He’s not exactly rolling out the red carpet when I come home over the summers. He’s gotten worse each year. You’d think he’d be happy I’ll be gone for this one.”

“Be glad he hasn’t tried to charge you rent.”

“Did he do that with you?”

“I never stayed long enough, Maddie. You know that. Once I went to college, I never really came home again. Not for more than a day or two at a time.”

“And you stay in a hotel when you are home.”

“It’s better for everyone. Trust me.” Once he had hit puberty, his relationship with his dad had turned to shit. A good portion of the blame lay on his shoulders—teenaged rebellion and his inability to keep his mouth shut—but he wouldn’t take the blame for his father’s control issues and piss-poor attitude when it came to his kids.

“Once I leave this time, I don’t plan to come back.”

“You’ve got a plan, then?” Not live with him, he hoped. The summer was one thing. Having his younger sister as a permanent roommate was another matter entirely. And if New York decided to release him … damn. So much would change.

He couldn’t think about that right now.

“Not exactly. Work my ass off at the museum for the next few months and hope they offer me a job when I graduate? Or maybe I’ll look for work around Boston. I’ve been there long enough it feels like home.”

He nodded, glad to know she’d at least given it some thought. “Sounds like a good place to start.” He finished the transaction and slid the phone back into his pocket. “I booked our flight. We leave a week from tomorrow. I emailed you a copy of the itinerary. We have an early departure, so I’ll have time to get you settled at the condo before I head to the stadium. I shouldn’t be there long. A few hours, at most. We can do whatever you want the first night. The rest of the week we’ll have to play by ear.” Between meetings and therapy, he didn’t know what kind of free time he’d have. The team would be in town. He made a mental note to send Garrett a text to see if he and Jessa were available for dinner one night.

“I’ll get you the money for my ticket.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“I can’t let you—”

Tyler held a hand up. “I said don’t worry about it. It’s already taken care of. Have you talked to Mom and Dad yet?”

“Mom knows about the offer, but I haven’t told her I’ve accepted. She didn’t get home from Memphis until this afternoon, so it’s not as if I’ve had a lot of time to talk to her.” Maddie bit her lip, looking uncertain.

“You’re going to have to tell them eventually, Mad. If you want, I’ll stop by later this week to reassure them you’ll be safe at my place.” Reassure Mom, anyway. The only point he was interested in getting across to their father was his precious wallet wouldn’t be dented, so he needed to back the hell off Maddie.

He had no reason to bitch since Tyler paid her fucking tuition every year.

The dirty little secret he and his dad shared. The result of an argument years ago—shortly before Tyler signed his contract with the Empire. Go ahead and quit college, he’d said. That’ll be the last time I throw money away. Let the other two shoulder the burden of student loans. Think about that each time you cash those big checks, boy.

College funds for Maddie and Owen were his first expenditures. Repaying what little his baseball scholarship hadn’t covered was the second.

Maddie threw her arms around his neck and squeezed off his air supply. “That would be great.” She kissed his cheek. “Thank you for always being there for me, Ty.”

Well, lookie there. He was two for two with his siblings tonight. And the game would be over in time to see Gabriella, provided she was free.

Feeling encouraged, he settled into the flow of the game.

Maybe the day could be salvaged after all.

---

His phone buzzed his pocket during the bottom of the ninth. Whoever it was would have to wait. Owen was on third. There were two outs and a full count on the batter. Owen’s team was down by one after they gave up runs in the seventh. A good, solid hit and Owen could make the tying run.

Leaving his family to ride the bleachers, needing to be closer to the action, Tyler stood at the fence. Ignoring the ache in his shoulder, he folded his arms and waited for the pitch.

Wait for it. Wait for it. Don’t—

The umpire signaled the third strike with a loud grunt.

—swing at that shit.

Game over.

The bleachers on the winning side erupted with excited fans. The fans on his side were subdued.

Losing sucked, but the boys had played a tough game. Filled with pride for his brother, Tyler yelled encouragements as the team came off the field. He’d lost enough games to know the feeling of anger and disappointment the boys would experience.

His phone buzzed again, reminding him of the call he’d missed. He checked the screen. His heart stuttered when he saw the name.

Gabriella.

She hadn’t left a message. A quick scroll told him she hadn’t sent a text either.

Tyler found himself torn. Owen would be expecting him to meet the team. He wanted to, but now that Gabriella had tried to reach him, he wouldn’t be able to concentrate until he called her back. She’d been quieter than usual during their session this afternoon. All business, which he appreciated, even if he couldn’t stop wishing she’d break her own rules and straddle his lap.

He could tell she was having a hard time shaking off whatever went down between her and Roger. He just didn’t know what to do about it.

Flagging Owen down, he held up two fingers to indicate he needed a couple of minutes. Wandering away from the crowd, anticipation tightened his stomach as he hit the call button.

“Hello?”

His eyes drifted closed. God, her voice. One word uttered on a breath was sultry music to his ears. She could make a mint working a phone sex line. “Hey. It’s Tyler.”

A sexy chuckle drifted through the line. He hardened almost instantly. “I know who this is.”

“Sorry I missed your call. Have I caught you at a bad time?”

“Not at all. I’m curled up on the couch with a glass of wine.”

“That sounds nice.” He drummed up a picture. Tiny tank top straining against her breasts. Cotton shorts revealing her gorgeous legs. Feet tucked under her as she snuggled into the couch cushions. He wanted to be there.

“After the day I had, a glass or two of wine seemed necessary.”

His name being called broke the visual he had going on. A good thing, since he didn’t relish the embarrassment of meeting his brother’s team with a hard-on. He turned to see his dad scowling and waving wildly. He lowered the phone and hollered, “I’ll be right there.”

“Where are you?”

“Sorry about that. I’m at my brother’s baseball game. Are you doing okay?”

“Shouldn’t you be watching? Instead of calling me, I mean?”

“Game’s over. They lost. And you didn’t answer my question.”

“Sorry about the game. Give Owen a pat on the back from me.”

“I’ll do it.” He was touched by the show of support for his brother. “I’ve been worried about you today. You gonna tell me how you are, or leave me hanging?”

“I’m fine.”

The weary sigh said she wasn’t. He wanted to press, to get her to tell him what the hell Roger had said to upset her so badly. Damn it, he wanted to make it better. He didn’t care why or how. Just that he did.

He twisted the toe of his shoe into the dirt. “You can talk to me, you know.”

“About my ex? No, thanks.”

“About anything. I’m a good listener.”

“I’m sure you are. What time are you done tonight?”

“I should be done here in an hour or so. Owen wants me to meet the team.”

“Matt told me you should be throwing, but don’t go crazy if you start tossing balls around with them.”

He laughed. Always on the clock. “I’ll save the throwing for later, promise. Now, did you have something in mind when you asked when I’d be done?”

“Do you want to come over?”

Hell yes, he did. “I’ll need to slide by the hotel and catch a shower first.”

“You can shower here.” She hesitated. “And stay the night. You know, if you want. No pressure.”

The low, sensual tone went straight to his dick. He was sure he could get off with nothing more than her voice to guide him. He might have to test that theory while he was in New York.

He hadn’t made a habit of spending the night with the women he fucked, but Gabriella was different. She didn’t need to pressure him to stay. Seemed she only had to ask.

He checked his watch. “I’ll pick up clean clothes and a pizza. Be there by seven?”

“I’ll be waiting.”