WELCOME TO THE BLOG, ARLENE! :)
Arlene Hittle is a Midwestern transplant who now makes her home in northern Arizona. She suffers from the well-documented Hittle family curse of being a Cubs fan but will root for the Diamondbacks until they run up against the Cubs. Longtime friends are amazed she writes books with sports in them, since she’s about as coordinated as a newborn giraffe and used to say marching band required more exertion than golf.
Where to Find Arlene:
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Beauty and the Ballplayer by Arlene Hittle
Publisher: Turquoise Morning Press (March 19, 2014)
Series: Love and Baseball, 2
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Spunky, independent graphic designer Meg Malone finds herself pregnant soon after her no-good boyfriend abandons her for the professional poker circuit. Glad to be out of that mess, she swears off relationships. Then she meets Matt Thatcher, a solid, stable man, who throws her plans a curve.
Matt, an up-and-coming minor league catcher burned one too many times by women who see him as their ticket to the good life, carefully guards his heart against “baseball babes.” He's drawn to Meg for many reasons, chief among them she has no clue what he does for a living.
Will it be game over when their secrets come to light? Or is their budding relationship strong enough to win the World Series of love?
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Beauty and the Ballplayer by Arlene Hittle
Excerpt
“Oh
God. Tell me you didn’t feed her some line so you could sleep with her.”
His brother’s reaction stunned him
into silence. That’s exactly what he’d done, even if he hadn’t been conscious
of it at the time. When he rediscovered his voice, he asked, “Why would that be
so terrible?”
“That girl needs a man with staying
power you have yet to demonstrate.”
Stan’s accusation hit him with the
power of a 105 mph fastball, and Matt sank to the floor again. His butt hit the
carpet with a soft “thunk.” His brother was right. These days, his
relationships lasted no longer than Greg’s.
“Please tell me you’re still in the
same room with her. Meg’ll feel abandoned all over again if you’re not there
when she wakes up.”
Odd that Stan was more concerned
about Meg than his own flesh and blood. “Are you forgetting who you’re related
to? I’m your brother.”
Stan’s silence spoke volumes.
Wondering how he managed to convey such strong disapproval without saying a
word, Matt sighed. “I’m in the hallway outside the room. Does that count?”
“Barely.” Stan sniffed. “I suggest
you get back in there, pronto.”
He started to do as his brother
suggested, scrambling to his feet again. Before he took a single step toward
the door, panic swelled in his throat. “I’m not ready to be a father!”
“Did she ask you to be?”
He had to admit that she didn’t.
She’d merely said her future would include a baby. He, fool that he was, had
assured her he was okay with that. In the cold light of day, however, he was
anything but okay with the thought of being responsible for a small human. With
all the time he spent on the road, he wasn’t home regularly enough to keep a
houseplant alive, let alone a child.
“I’m only twenty-eight, Stan! That’s
too young to be a father.”
His brother snorted. “Some men
become fathers at eighteen.”
“Not good ones.”
This time, Stan chuckled. “Touché.
But to hear you tell it, the team’s owners are ready to put you out to pasture
at twenty-eight. You can’t have it both ways, bro.”
He ran his free hand through his
hair. “Do you blame me for being confused?”
“Not at all. But you need to sort
out your feelings. Fast. It’s not fair to Meg to lead her on.”
Again with Meg’s feelings? He
scowled at the phone. “Your concern for Meg overwhelms me.”
“She’s already been through enough,
Matty. She deserves a guy who treats her like a princess.”
Guilt stabbed at him as he
remembered how vulnerable Meg had looked when she mentioned her ex being “out
of the picture.” He shuddered. No way did he want to be responsible for putting
that look on her face. “I can’t argue with that.”
“Then go back to bed.”
“That’s the best idea you’ve had all
morning.” With that, Matt disconnected the call and re- entered his hotel room.
His brother’s advice was dead-on, as usual—even if he’d never admit that to
Stan. He’d be there for Meg now, when she needed him. With any luck, they’d get
tired of each other before he had to commit to fatherhood.
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