More than a Game

She's his best friend. He's the man she's always wanted. But some rules weren't meant to be broken… or were they?

Physical therapist Amber Langston has always been there for Cade Love, her best friend and the star pitcher for the Chicago Bullets. When he injures his shoulder, she doesn't hesitate to help him heal. But what starts as a simple favor turns into an unexpected holiday weekend together—one that forces her to face the truth she's tried to ignore. She doesn't just want to be Cade's friend. She wants more.

Cade has spent years keeping his attraction to Amber buried beneath their easy friendship. But when a stranger claims to be his long-lost mother and reveals the existence of a father he never knew, Cade convinces Amber to accompany him on a search for the truth. With emotions running high and the past unraveling around him, being with Amber feels like the only thing that makes sense.

But love isn't part of the game plan. Amber is his best friend's sister, and the bro code is clear—some lines aren't meant to be crossed. Yet the more time they spend together, the harder it is to fight the undeniable chemistry pulling them closer.

Will Cade let fear and loyalty stand in the way of the one woman who's always been meant for him? Or will they risk everything for a love that was never supposed to happen?

It was the last inning, the bottom of the ninth. The bases were loaded, and one more out before the game was over. This was it! This was his chance to prove himself, not only to himself but also to his fans, that he was as good as everyone thought him to be.

Walking up to the home plate, Cade Love squeezed the hard wooden bat tightly in his white-gloved hands. The sun beat on him and caused sweat to drip down his face from his baseball helmet. He had already been sweating from the excitement of today’s game, but now all eyes were upon him, which made the pressure more intense.

Swinging his bat a couple of times, he flexed his arms, testing to see how much of his strength he needed to put into this hit. But of course, he liked to show off his muscles that way, too. He tried not to grin. Didn’t all baseball players love to do that?

Cade was nervous, but he couldn’t let it bother him. He must block out all thoughts except one—and that was to hit the ball. Not only hit it but to knock it right out of the crowded stadium. But it worried him because his shoulder had been giving him issues lately. His coach kept telling him to go to his physical therapist friend, but Cade, being the macho-stud that he thought he was, could deal with the pain.

This was the first time since he had started with the Chicago Bullets that they had made it to the show…the big time…the World Series, and he knew that he wasn’t the only player feeling the pressure of today’s game. All his teammates, even those on the other team, were inwardly stressing over today’s game. But right now, the focus was on him and only him.

The pitcher on the mound fidgeted back and forth, trying to communicate silently with the catcher, and at the same time, keeping his eyes on the bases. The other team knew how important Cade was at this very moment, also. His team was trailing by one point, and each team had won three games. If he could hit a slammer, that would put them three points ahead, but if the pitcher struck him out, the other team would win this game and the World Series.

The pitcher adjusted to his position, straightened his body a bit, lifted his leg to his chest as his arm swung around, and threw the ball. Cade swung…and missed. A sigh of disappointment washed over the crowd, and he cussed under his breath.

Gritting his teeth, he stepped away from home base. Concentrate on the ball. Who cares if this is the World Series? Who cares if it has come down to me? I’m here because I enjoy playing baseball. Inwardly, he groaned as his thoughts shifted. He had a million-dollar insured arm, and his team relied on Cade. Grumbling, he shook the thought out of his head.

Not only was Cade Love a great pitcher, but his arm helped him hit grand slams, too. Cade had been nicknamed Lightning Cade by people who respected and admired him. The older players called him the kid because he’d been younger than most of them when he first signed on. He’d been twenty-two, and in four years, he had come a long way.

Cade stepped back up to the plate and kept a close eye as the pitcher wound up and threw.

“Ball one,” the umpire called.

A loud groan ripped through the crowd, and his sigh of disappointment matched perfectly.

He took a deep breath and released it as he waited for the next pitch. Come on, meathead, he mentally told the pitcher, give me what I want. Let me show you who’s the boss. Come on, right down the middle…down the middle… Give me a curve ball. I dare you.

The man on the mound nodded a silent communication to the catcher, wound up his arm, and made his pitch.

“Strike two!”

Cade released a loud curse and stepped away from the plate again. He wasn’t concentrating enough. That must be it.

He swiped the back of his hand across his forehead to remove the sweat building up from the extreme pressure. Taking another deep breath, he said a silent prayer for strength and then stepped back into position.

The pitcher nodded to the catcher again and threw the ball. As if in slow motion, Cade watched as the ball came toward him. The ball looked perfect, right where he wanted it. He swung the bat as hard as he could.

Whack!

Cade hit the ball so hard it cracked the bat. The ball flew through the air, way above everyone’s heads and out of the stadium.

The spurt of happiness soaring through him out-passed the shouts of joy that came from the fans in the stadium seats. Relieved that he’d reached his goal, he smiled proudly and made his journey around the bases before reaching home plate. His teammates met him with high fives, slaps on his butt, or pats on the back.

Cade was thrilled that he had come through for his team, even though the pain in his shoulder had intensified, and he knew he’d be seeing his physical therapist friend soon.

Exhausted, he plopped down on the bench in the dugout. Someone handed him a bottled water, so he gulped it down, enjoying the coolness of the liquid as it coated his mouth and down his throat. One of the coaches tossed him a cloth, and Cade wiped his face and neck.

As Cade relaxed, he watched as two more players hit home runs before they were struck out, and the game was finally over.

He jumped to his feet and punched his fist through the air, cheering his loudest, which of course, didn’t help the pain in his shoulder at all. Time seemed to zoom by after that, and before he knew it, he and the others were at the local bar, celebrating their win. Wives or girlfriends of the players met them there. Cade noticed the regular women who followed them around to every game. Chuckling, he wondered why they even bothered. They’d tried hitting on him a few times, but he wasn’t interested.

But tonight, there were a few women he didn’t recognize. They eyed the players with lust-filled glances. One of the women looked around forty years old, and she couldn’t keep her gaze off him. She must not know he didn’t date women who were practically old enough to be his mother. The woman sat with his friend, Duke, and yet, she stared at Cade. Duke looked like he was trying to be his charming self as he laughed and raked his fingers through his thick black hair, but it didn’t faze the woman.

Uncomfortable, Cade turned away and faced the bar. Leaning against it, he gripped the neck of the beer bottle and took a swig. Within minutes, someone bumped against him, and he looked over his shoulder.

Amber Langston’s smile was wide, making her pretty face even prettier. Surprised, Cade laughed, gave his friend a bear hug, and swung her around once. “What are you doing here?”

“Well, I was watching your game,” she winked, “because you know how much I love baseball, and I could see you were in pain.” She shrugged. “I’m a physical therapist. I notice things like that.”

Cade pulled back and rubbed his aching shoulder. “Yeah, I was thinking about you earlier, knowing I need to make an appointment.”

“No need. I’m actually here for a conference. I have a hotel room, and you can come with me and let me help you with some stretches.”

Grinning, he shook his head. “You are a godsend, Amber. What would I do without you?”

“I don’t ever want to find out.” She hugged his arm. “So, what are you drinking tonight, and should I be worried?”

“No, you don’t need to be worried.” He motioned toward the bartender. “Do you want me to order you something?”

“Only a soda.”

“Are you still drinking Coke?”

She nodded.

He turned to the bartender, who was thankfully waiting for Amber’s order. “Get this beautiful lady a Coke.”

He relaxed against the counter, returning his attention to his friend. They had met just before he was accepted with the Chicago Bullets. Her brother had been Cade’s roommate, and of course, there was a bro-code about not dating friends’ sisters. Now Cade and Amber were just great friends.

He had always thought she was beautiful, and her blonde hair appeared streaked with black now. It looked good on her. He also liked the length. And her blue eyes sparkled.