Page 80 of Payoff Pitch

Trevor shakes his head as he reaches over and rubs her leg. “Sexy, you don’t look a day over thirty.”

She blows him a kiss which he proceeds to catch and then simulates throwing down his pants.

I let out a laugh as my attention turns from Dylan’s crazy parents back to Dylan. “I think it’s incredibly sweet that you’re here. And I’ve never heard the term anchor friends.”

Cassandra nods. “They’re the ones you can rely on. The ones you need to keep you in place when you feel adrift. The ones who never let you float away.”

“Hmm. I love it. That’s how I feel about my closest friends.”

She leans over and whispers, “Is that beard rash I see on your neck?”

My hand instinctively moves to my neck, and she silently laughs before mouthing, “I knew it.”

Just then, an older bald man approaches the group. He appears nervous. “Ms. Hart. My name is Richard Inner. I’m the league commissioner. Thank you for being here. We would be honored if you threw out the ceremonial first pitch of the game. The girls on the field are all buzzing with excitement that you’re in the stands tonight. I know it would mean a lot to them, if it’s not too much of an inconvenience for you.”

I point to myself. “Me?”

Tanner sighs and whispers, “Famous.”

The man nods. “Yes, of course.”

“Oh…sure. I’d be happy to.”

“Thank you so much. Would you mind posing for a few pictures as well?”

“No problem.”

I see Cassandra and Trevor exchange bemused looks. I turn toher and lift an eyebrow. She smiles. “His name is Dick Inner? Were his parents on crack?”

I hear Trevor chuckling. Tanner simply shakes his head. Cassandra and Trevor truly are children. I find their behavior somewhere between shocking and charming.

After throwing out the first pitch to an astonishingly loud sea of applause and a bouncing up and down Harper, I pose for pictures with both teams. I feel like a movie star.

When I return to the stands, I see Tanner and Beckett with their heads together. I narrow my eyes at them. “You two are up to no good.”

They both laugh before Tanner nods at Beckett. Beckett then clears his throat. “We’ve been discussing the spring season. Could we, by chance, convince you to coach the girls? No one wants this coach to return, even if they win. The value of having a woman like you coach them is immeasurable. It’s roughly one or two games and one or two practices a week. We’d happily pay you for your time.”

I turn to Tanner, and he smiles hopefully. “It would be incredible. The spring season is from early March through May. It ends before your games begin.”

“I’d like to do it, but I might have a few conflicts with my team practices toward the end.”

Tanner nods. “We know. We’ll work everything around your schedule as best we can. I’ll help out if there are times you can’t be there.”

I look out onto the field. I’ve never considered coaching before, but getting to work with all the girls sounds like heaven.

Beckett interrupts my thoughts. “You can take time to think about it. We know it’s a big time commitment.”

I shake my head. “I don’t need to think about it. I’d love to do it.”

Beckett and Tanner high-five, and I inwardly giggle at the notion of two men like them being nervous to approach me about this.

The game has begun when I see a familiar figure approach the stands. It’s Kam, wearing a hat that readsI Heart DILFS.

As soon as she reaches me, I grab it off her head. “You can’t wear that here.”

She smiles. “I brought it for you. It’s a gift.”

I narrow my eyes at her. “What are you doing here?”