The Comeback of Roy Walker. Stephanie Doyle

      

      She’s the key to his career—and his heart

      Roy Walker never did like the taste of humble pie. Too bad he’s getting his share of it now that he needs to pitch one more season of pro baseball. Worse, he can’t achieve it without the help of physiotherapist Lane Baker—the one woman who won’t have anything to do with him. Somehow he has to make amends for the past.

      But his intentions to be a better man get sidelined by the combustible connection between him and Lane. Ego aside, it’s time to admit he never stopped wanting her…and his greatest comeback will be winning her!

      “I just wanted to say I’m sorry.”

      Never would Lane have believed she’d hear those words from Roy’s mouth. It threw her. Set her off her game for a moment.

      “You really need to throw again?” The question was a stall. She knew he wouldn’t be here asking if he didn’t need to throw. But this conversation gave her a moment to regroup.

      “It’s the only thing I know how to do.” He shrugged. “The only thing I’m good for.”

      In a weird way she found herself missing the old Roy. Which made no sense at all. But since nothing in her life made sense right now, Lane figured this little episode was par for the course.

      She had no job. She had no life. She had a father and a sister, who, although they may have betrayed her, did seem to need her.

      And Roy. She had Roy. Roy Walker needed her and that was just about the craziest thing she could imagine happening today.

      “Okay. I’ll do it. Let’s go see if we can turn your arm back into a rifle.”

      Dear Reader,

      It’s hard to know where to start to explain why I wanted to write a book about baseball. The first reason is my love of baseball movies. Bull Durham, Major League, For Love of the Game, Field of Dreams… Okay, my love might be more about Kevin Costner than the sport. Still, I do love those movies and wanted to pay homage to them in this series, The Bakers of Baseball.

      I also happen to love the game. As a former season ticket holder, I’ve spent some great summer nights watching my team, and I wanted to join my love of the game with my love of writing.

      This series starts off with Roy Walker, a once great pitcher who has lost his fortune and needs to start over in the minors. The problem is to get back to form he needs the help of the one woman who never wants to see him again. Honestly, at the beginning of this book I think the only thing Lane and Roy have in common is their love of baseball. Whether they figure the rest of it out…well, you’ll have to read the story to see.

      I love to hear from readers, so if you enjoy this story or just want to chat about the Phillies contact me at stephaniedoyle.net or send a Tweet to @StephDoyleRW.

      Happy reading!

      Stephanie Doyle

      The Comeback

      of Roy Walker

      Stephanie

      Doyle

       www.millsandboon.co.uk

      STEPHANIE DOYLE, a dedicated romance reader, began to pen her own romantic adventures at age sixteen. She began submitting to Mills & Boon at age eighteen and by twenty-six her first book was published. Fifteen years later she still loves what she does as each book is a new adventure. She lives in South Jersey with her cat, Hermione, the designated princess of the whole house. When Stephanie’s not reading or writing, in the summer she is most likely watching a baseball game and eating a hot dog.

      Contents

       Cover

       Back Cover Text

       Introduction

      Dear Reader

       Title Page

       About the Author

      CHAPTER ONE

      CHAPTER TWO

      CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

       CHAPTER SIX

       CHAPTER SEVEN

       CHAPTER EIGHT

       CHAPTER NINE

       CHAPTER TEN

       CHAPTER ELEVEN

       CHAPTER TWELVE

       CHAPTER THIRTEEN

       CHAPTER FOURTEEN

       CHAPTER FIFTEEN

       CHAPTER SIXTEEN

       CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

       CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

       CHAPTER NINETEEN

       CHAPTER TWENTY

       Extract

       Copyright

       CHAPTER ONE

      Five years ago

      “GREAT PARTY, ROY!”

      “Thanks,” Roy said dismissively, nodding to some woman he didn’t recognize.

      Yes, it was a great party. Booze was flowing, food was plentiful. The music was loud and people were starting to dance. Any second now something would break and then he could call this party a true success. Not that he really cared one way or the other.

      The invitation had come as surprise to many of his teammates. It was completely out of character for Roy to want to socialize with them outside of work let alone host a party with free booze and food. In fact, for many of the players this was the first time they had seen the inside of his apartment.

      But everyone knew this was Roy Walker’s last year on the team. It had been Roy’s plan from the moment he stepped on the diamond to dictate when he stepped off for good. He always said he would go out on top and this season was it. His final farewell. And kicking it all off with a huge party before they got down to the grueling business of the one-hundred-and-sixty-two-game season seemed like the perfect idea. His colleagues no doubt thought that maybe, after all this time and with his career coming to an end, Roy Walker was finally starting to loosen up.

      He wasn’t.

      “Roy, this is messed up!” Eddie Britton, the team’s all-star second baseman, threw an arm around Roy’s shoulder. This might be the first time a teammate had ever actually touched him outside of a fist bump or hand slap.

      Roy was working on