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Prologue

Five Years Ago

At the Start of Rookie Year

Grant

If I were the kind of guy whoa World Series, playing in an All-Star ga my pick when it comes to endorsement deals

Just putting that out there, universe I’ll check back in when I’m twenty-seven and see what comes true K, thanks

And to do that, I need a killer first season

I have to go into spring training and play hard every day

Baseball is hest years Hard tiood riddance to those days I’d like to forget

Hell, if I play ht, the opportunities for my career are endless

That’s not cocky

That’s just true

Fine, maybe it’s a little bit cocky, but facts are facts, and these are ood college, I racked up one bonkers season inin the first round of the draft, I’ training My goal there? Lock up the starting catcher slot Lock it up so daht that the coach can’t picture anyone else but me behind the plate for the team

Pretty sure I don’t have time for extracurricular activities And that’s okay I don’t need to be a hookup maestro Besides, I bet the quest to be a player after hours is a recipe for disaster on the diamond

So yeah, I suppose that’s my five-year plan Don’t look back Move the hell forward Leave it all on the field

Which means—don’t be distracted by men

That shouldn’t be a problem for me

I’ve learned to live, breathe, and eat the sport, and romance has taken a back seat There will be time for men later in my twenties

Not at

Not during my rookie year

And definitely not with a man on my team anytime soon

No uy is No matter how hot the attraction burns between us And no et to him

And this turns out to be the biggest proble a wicked fastball Not scra for a wild pitch