Page 81 of Payoff Pitch

“I came for Harper’s big championship game. You’ve been talking about it all week.”

“Fine. Thank you. Sit down and be quiet. No shenanigans.”

She smirks. “Me? Never.”

We slide down and make space for her to sit between me and Cassandra. Cassandra looks Kam up and down. “You two must be in the sexual fantasies of every man in America. The twin thing is a kink.”

Kam lets out a laugh. “Right? I can’t get her to do porn with me. I told her we’d make a fortune. We only do separate porn. Bailey prefers porn monogamy.”

Cassandra smiles, and I elbow Kam. “She’s kidding, Cassandra. No porn for either of us.”

Kam rolls her eyes. “My sister is no fun. You know the difference between two cocks and a joke? Bailey can’t take a joke.”

Cassandra bursts into laughter, and I cover Kam’s mouth, motioning toward Dylan. Through gritted teeth, I say, “Cut it out. Young ears.”

Fortunately, Dylan isn’t listening to us.

Kam points to the field. “Lighten up. It’s seven-year-old softball. Where’s Harper?”

I point to her spot on the field. “She’s the shortstop.”

Kam wiggles her eyebrows. “Like me. Excellent choice.”

The game progresses and happens to be a good one. Harper’s team is up by one run in the final inning, but the other team has runners on second and third with two outs.

The batter hits a very slow roller toward Harper. At this level, there’s no chance of her being able to field that in time to recordthe out at first base. It’s going to be a hit and the runner from third is going to score, tying the game.

But Harper does something no other seven-year-old little girl or boy has probably ever done. She charges the ball and quickly throws from the slot to get the batter out at first by a hair.

Game over. They win.

I think the chin of every player and parent is on the floor at her executing the advanced technique so perfectly, especially in such a big moment. Even Kam breathes, “What in the fresh fuck did I just see?”

I can only smile in satisfaction. Tears sting my eyes. We’ve practiced that thousands of times at this point. To see it come to fruition is truly one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever experienced. I can’t wait to coach these girls and have more moments like this.

After the initial shock wears off, every single person stands and erupts into cheers like we just watched the last out of the World Series. The girls on the field are all celebrating Harper.

When she eventually walks off the field, she sprints into my waiting arms. “Did you see me? I did it. I threw from the slot.”

I hug her and twirl her around. “I did. It was amazing.” I whisper in her ear, “You’re better than Kam was when she was seven.”

Harper smiles while she looks up at Kam, who high-fives her. “I know Bailey just made some comment about you being better than me when I was a kid. Honestly, I couldn’t do that until I was thirteen or fourteen. That was fucking sick.”

I smack Kam’s hand. “Don’t curse in front of her.”

Harper nods. “You have to put ten dollars in our swear jar.”

“Ten dollars? What the shit? That’s insane.”

Harper crosses her arms. “Now it’s twenty.”

“F—fine. You’re a real ball-buster, kid.”

“Make it thirty.”

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

BAILEY