Page 20 of Fielder's Choice

“You ready for class, Liv?” Michelle asks me.

Michelle Whitlock has been dating my brother for the past four years. She’s a total sweetheart—my entire family adores her.

None of us understand, though, why he hasn’t put a ring on her finger yet.

Get to it, Harvey.

“I am,” I reply, watching her long, red hair flow down her back as I try to catch up. “I’m ready to relax. I need this right now.”

“What do you need to relax from?” Harvey asks. He doesn’t need to be here right now, but my brother is nothing if not protective. He doesn’t like the idea of Michelle and I walking alone through Manhattan when it’s going to be dark after class is over.

“Everyone can use some relaxation, Harv,” I shrug.

“I’m just happy I finally have a yoga partner,” Michelle says, wrapping an arm around my back. “I can’t ever get your brother to go with me.”

“I’m pretty sure I’d break my back if I tried to bend the way you do, Chelle,” he laughs.

“He’s right,” I smirk. “Harv’s an old man now.”

He scoffs. “What the hell, Liv?”

I turn around to face him, stepping backward as we continue down the sidewalk. “You’re in your thirties. You’re an old man.”

“You wound me, Ballerina.”

I stumble at the unexpected deep timbre of the voice I can’t get out of my mind. I right myself as my brother takes note of the man standing in front of us now.

“Holy shit! You’re Lane Brooks!”

Lane chuckles with his signature smirk. “The one and only.”

“Hey, Sage!” I say, mussing up her hair and trying not to be awkward in front of her father.

“Owive!”

“Wait,” my brother interjects. “Your student isLane Brooks’daughter?!”

“Yeah,” I shrug. “I told you her dad was a baseball player.”

“But you didn’t remember who. Lane is one of the best players on the Stars.”

I look at Lane now, unable to hide my smirk. “Best in the league from what I heard.”

He throws his head back and laughs. “Rory just had to ruin that for me, didn’t she?”

“I get the feeling that’s her favorite pastime,” I smile.

“You’re not wrong,” he replies, eyes never leaving mine.

Just like every time before this, I’m captivated when our gazes lock, and I can’t pull away.

Why?

Lane’s hardly the first man to pay me any attention. Even through my depressing years, I’d still get hit on occasionally when I made it out of my house.

I just can’t figure out what it is about Lane Brooks that has me so enchanted.

I speak before we stare at each other awkwardly for too long. “Lane, this is my brother Harvey and his girlfriend Michelle. Harv’s apparently a big fan.”

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