Sweeping the Series Read online

  I’d been doing it my whole life...watching crowds that belonged together congregate before my eyes and feeling like I didn’t belong. I’d left the bitterness behind with my schoolgirl age. It was a whole new world for me. As an adult, I realized I had a choice to mingle and try to find my own people or blend, and due to my bitter beer and peanut explosion, I decided that night to blend.

  Dutch never had company. In the years I’d been playing at Anchor Park, I’d never seen a single person sit next to her. I was used to the noise she made, but when I saw a pint-sized woman with a loud mouth echo next to her, I almost blew my first pitch. That had never happened...until tonight.

  I glanced over my shoulder to see she was still there. She looked comfortable but alone. I studied her for a spell. Her blonde hair was a mess under that red hat. Underneath were large doe eyes and suckable, plump lips. I’d watched her chest heave when she’d panicked and saw a perfect quarter sized set of nipples strain against her tank.

  I’d spent the first twenty minutes at the bar trying to ignore the image of those nipples and failed.

  “You pitch like that this season, there’s no stopping you,” Andy said as he sipped his beer and looked in the same direction I was with a smirk. “She’s out of your league.”

  “And you think that because?”

  “She has manners. She said crud, not shit. She’s reserved and doesn’t have her legs spread. Not your type.”

  “Just because you have a hard-on for your help doesn’t make you a saint,” I said with my own smirk as Andy’s face hardened. He glanced over at the bartender, Kristina. Relief covered his features as he realized she hadn’t heard then he gave me his death glare.

  “So you changing your mind or what? You still have good years left.”

  “Nope, this is it, so you better make it good,” he quipped. “As soon as you get the call, I’m out.”

  “You’re just going to brew beer and run this bar for the rest of your life.”

  “I’ve played my seasons. It’s time,” he said with conviction.

  “You’ll miss it,” I stated with the same certainty.

  “Maybe...Fuck, I know I will.” He shook his head in aggravation. “My mind’s made up. Let it go. The focus is on you this season. They’re going to call.”

  “Let’s just put it out there,” I said, aggravated. “This is my last—”

  Andy cut me off with a look of understanding and his signature “Fuckin’ A.”

  I clinked glasses with him and turned back to look at the blonde who made me more curious by the minute.

  “Fuck it, I’m going in,” I said as I finished my beer and set it on the bar.

  “Too late and it’s a good thing,” Andy said with authority as I looked over my shoulder and caught her walk out the door. “This season, no distractions.”

  To keep reading, buy here

  Anything but Minor

  A huge shout of appreciation to those bloggers and readers who took the time to read this novella. I can’t thank you enough for your support.

  Thank you to my ROCKSTARS, Bex Kettner, Donna Cooksley Sanderson, and Amy Mastin for working so hard on polishing this novella. I couldn’t have done it without you.

  Thank you, Christy Baldwin, for catching all the fly balls that come your way. You make my crazy look good!

  Thank you to my best friend, Erica, for keeping our memories safe and reminding me of why I call you the best of friends. I love you.

  Thank you to my amazing group the Asskickers. I have had so much fun with you this year and your support and friendships are priceless.

  Kate Stewart lives in Charleston, S.C. with her husband, Nick, and her naughty beagle, Sadie. A native of Dallas, Kate moved to Charleston three weeks after her first visit, dropping her career of 8 years, and declaring it her creative muse. Kate pens messy, sexy, angst-filled contemporary romance as well as romantic comedy and erotic suspense because it’s what she loves as a reader. A lover of all things ‘80s and ’90s, especially John Hughes films and rap, she dabbles a little in photography, can knit a simple stitch scarf for necessity only and does a horrible job of playing the ukulele. Aside from running a mile without collapsing, traveling is the only other must on her bucket list. On occasion, she does very well at vodka.

  Other titles available now by Kate

  Room 212

  Never Me

  Loving the White Liar

  The Fall

  The Mind

  The Heart

  The Brave Line

  Drive

  Romantic Comedy

  Anything but Minor

  Major Love

  Erotic Suspense

  Sexual Awakenings

  Excess

  Predator and Prey

  Camouflage

  Crosshairs

  Let’s stay in touch!

  Facebook | Newsletter | Twitter | Instagram | Book Group | Spotify

  Sign up for the newsletter now and get a free eBook from Kate’s Library!

  Newsletter signup