Page 140 of Off Pitch

I wrap my arms around her lower back. “With the perfect good luck charm.”

Harlow blushes as Cole, Lane, and Josh walk up, unbeknownst to me.

“Ah, there are the lovebirds!” Cole says as he and Lane take spots on either side of me, Josh sliding in beside Cole.

“Here we are,” I say with a smile.

“You two are my favorite couple,” Lane says, sliding an arm around my shoulder.

“You’re both ridiculous,” she replies, rolling her eyes while chuckling.

“Honestly,” Josh says, “I think you’re both lucky Cole is so great about this.” Now that Josh knows about the whole fake relationship thing, he’s jumping in to torment us, too.

“Yes,” I tease. “He sure has been great with my girlfriend being his sister and all.”

“I take back what I said,” Harlow chimes in. “You’reallridiculous.”

“And you love it,” I whisper.

She smiles brightly. “Maybe I do.”

“Maybe?” I ask, cocking my eyebrow.

“Maybe.” She bites her bottom lip. She’s about to get me all riled up right before my first game back.

“Scholl’s waiting for me, so I need to get out there.”

“Good luck, Knox. You’re going to do great.”

I lean in and press a kiss to her lips. There’s probably a camera around somewhere, but that’s the furthest thing from my mind right now.

Fuck the cameras; I’m doing this forme.

“Find me after the game, Lo.” I smile at her and push her hair behind her ear. “I need to talk to you.”

“Okay.” Harlow smiles before softly kissing me again. “Nice baseball pants, by the way,” she whispers against my ear.

“Don’t stare too much when I’m walking away,” I laugh.

“No promises,” she teases. “Now go, your team needs you.”

“I’ll see you after the game, Lo.”

I finally leave the stands and make my way over to Scholl to throw out some practice pitches with the biggest damn smile on my face.

After the game tonight, Skip wants me in the media room, so here I am, sitting in front of numerous reporters with that damn smile still on my face. Josh is also here with us since he hit tonight’s walk-off home run.

“Spencer,” a female reporter in the second row says. “How are you feeling after your first game since your injury?”

“I feel good,” I reply honestly. “My recovery went well, and I felt great on the mound tonight.”

“Garro,” says a male reporter from the back of the room. “How does it feel being the one to break the Stars’ four-game losing streak?”

Josh smiles. “It’s nice, I won’t lie. It’s good to help us get the win, but I would’ve been just as happy if any of the other guys won the game for us. I always want us to get the W, and I’m happy with whoever can help us get it.”

“Spencer again,” says a female reporter in the front. “We’ve seen such a personality shift in you through the season. Can you attribute your stellar numbers this year to that shift?”

“Yeah, I think I can,” I reply. “It’s obviously not a surprise that I was very closed off before, and I do think some of that showedup on the mound as well. My numbers were still good, but not what they are now. Apparently, happiness can go a long way.”

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