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“Just a minute Noah’s up!”

Her fingers dug into his arers, but he didn’t pry her away He was too interested to see ould happen when Hart caliolden PR boy

Noah’s face was drawn in concentration as he began the walk to the plate He swung the bat a few tilanced first to the right of Evan and Celia and dipped his head in acknowledgaze lighted on Celia

He lost the look of intense concentration, and his face relaxed into a serated wink and then held up his fist

Evan’s lanced between the two Celia’s hand tightened further on his arm when Noah took the first strike

“Come on, come on,” she whispered

The next tere balls Then he swung at the second strike If he didn’t hit soon, Evan was going to lose the feeling in his arm

The next pitch, Noah fouled back The next was a ball,it a full count

“I can’t watch,” Celia whispered

The pitcher wound up, threw a fastball and Noah swung The bat connected with a sweet crack that to anyone listening signaled a smash hit The ball sailed over the center-field wall into the upper deck

Three-run hoame

Celia lunged to her feet and screas “Did you see?” she yelled at Evan “Did you see?”

“I saw, I saw!”

He laughed as she continued to bounce up and down Noah rounded the bases, taking high fives from the first- and third-base coaches He roup jumped up and down and pounded on Noah

Noah looked up at Celia and pointed She leaped to her feet again and pointed back, her s

Then she glanced over in the direction that Noah had first looked when he’d come up to the plate and then back down at Evan

“I’ll be right back, okay? I’ll just be a second”

She hurried up the row of seats and then cut over to the section that adjoined the ho lanced over in Evan’s direction once but then didn’t look back as they chatted with Celia

A few ain He was beginning to think he’d been dropped in an alternate reality Was there anyone here she didn’t know?

When she’d offered Noah to him on a virtual silver platter, he’d only assuent and offered him a deal he couldn’t refuse He hadn’t considered that she had such a connection to his team And what connection that was had Evan insanely curious

He leaned over so she’d hear over the still insanely celebrating crowd “What a here?”

She same”

Mysterious little wench He’d make her pay later when he had her alone

The rest of the game followed a similar pattern Celia seemed to know every damn person on the team

He began to have uncohts, like whether or not Celia was involved with Noah Hart It would certainly explain how she’d been able to get hiree to the endorsement deal

But it also brought up a lot of questions Like whether she was using Evan to further her career He glanced sideways at her No way It would take someone pretty diabolical to have a man like Noah Hart on the line and then sleep with Evan to secure his business Why would she even need it if she was involved with Hart? The man made a lot of money, even without the hest-paid baseball players in the league

Before he could get carried aith thoughts that would only enrage hi He’d find out before the end of the day One way or another And then he’d decide what to do about Celia And his account

When the ga team failed to score the necessary runs to overtake the Tide in the ninth inning, Celia stood, her cheeks flush with excitement

“We’re going to have an awesome season I just know it!”

He stood beside her unsure of ould happen now Nothing had gone the way he’d anticipated

Sure enough, she grabbed his hand and began pulling him toward the exit “Come on,” she said

But they didn’t leave the stadium Instead they went down to a restricted area, where Celia flashed a pass he hadn’t seen up to this point He shouldn’t be surprised But when they stopped outside the players’ locker room, he was

They waited a good while Several members of the press came and went Finally one of the players stuck his head out the door, looked up and down and then his eyes brightened when he saw Celia Evan was a little starstruck It was the Tide’s catcher, Chris Davies He was a veritable legend in baseball, and it was rumored this would be his last year before he retired

“Cece! You should have just coot held up by an interview, but he wanted you to come on back”

Celia walked over and gave the catcher a big hug and a kiss on the cheek “Good ga as awesome as ever”

The big lanced up at Evan, and Evan was convinced the guy scowled at him

“Oh, Chris, this is Evan Reese Evan, this is Chris Davies, the Tide’s star catcher”

“Yes, I’ame I’ve watched you a lot of years”

“You Evan Reese who makes the sportswear?” Chris asked

Evan nodded

“Cool You two come on back Noah should be done by now”

Despite his wealth and position, Evan couldn’t control the incredible rush of walking into the Tide’s

locker rooone into the business he had He loved sports, and he was as in awe of the big dream as any other kid out there who loved sports

Several players stopped Celia for a quick hug and a kiss Soave them affectionate pats in return

“Cece! There you are”

Evan looked up to see Noah barreling his way through a crowd of people The next thing he knew, he had Celia in a giant bear hug, swinging her around in a circle

Evan watched, his irritation growingsecond

Finally Noah put her down

“Hey, did you see? Fantastic hit, wasn’t it?”