Title: In His Zone

Series: In the Bar Lie Series

Author: Stacie Santoro

Genre/Tropes: Enemies-to-Lovers; Sports Romance; Divorced Mom; Travel Baseball Umpire

Release Date: September 5, 2024

Lainie

I was nowhere near out of line with my comments during my son’s baseball game! But since day one, that . . .that goon of an umpire had it out for me.

Did I imagine smacking the condescending look off his face when he exiled me to the outfield during the game?

Yup.

Did I purposely smack his truck with my SUV instead?

Nope.

As the universe saw fit for some reason, I found myself in a rather terrible predicament. One more claim to my car insurance company would not be good. Not at all.

Some pleading words (that tasted like vinegar in my mouth) with the goon named Scott, led to him to offering me a deal to pay for the damages and avoid an insurance claim. No way I could say no.

I could do this.

Work for Scott at his bar.

Pay the debt.

Then, see ya!

Heaven knows I can do what I have to when it comes to taking care of and protecting my son and myself.

I could deal with being around the hottest jerk I’ve ever known.

But the more I was around Scott, the more I saw him.

I watched him interact with my son. Watched their friendship and bond grow.

My son and I fell in love with him.

And then the other cleat dropped.

Scott

She drives me nuts.

Then she drives into me. Literally. With her SUV.

Before I could stop myself, I make her a deal to come work for me at my bar to pay me back for the damages to my truck. When Little Miss Ball Busting Demon takes me up on it, I’m salivating at the chance to knock her down a peg. Or five.

Let’s see how much that baseball mom likes taking orders from this umpire who she apparently thinks needs help with making calls at her son’s baseball games. All of the games.

But then she’s around me. In my space.

And I like it.

A little too much.

I want to pry her secrets from her, but that would threaten the hold I have on my own.

I open up just a bit.

I omit without lying.

Until I did lie thinking I was protecting Lainie and her son, my buddy.

I didn’t tell her everything when I should have. When I had all those chances to. And now there’s only one truth I need Lainie to know. Need them both to believe.

That I’ve fallen in love with her and her son.

Stacie Santoro lives with her family in New York, in the town where she was born and raised. She is the mom to three amazing boys, a sweet and active dog named Havoc, and wife to a great man (who swept her off her feet with his basketball skills). When she’s not running with her family, you can find her enjoying a glass of wine or cup of tea, reading a book or daydreaming about a million things; like stories to write, putting her toes in the sand or owning every lip gloss created. Or maybe having one created just for her.

She’s also a true believer that it’s never too late to make your dreams come true.

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