Timing is everything—in baseball and in love—in this slow-burn romance from USA Today bestselling author Alicia Thompson.

As the brand-new closing pitcher for the Carolina Battery, Squire Murphy’s job keeps him on the move. That’s why it was an impulsive decision for him to adopt Princess Furball, a skittish cat. But now that she’s in his life, he wants only the best cat-sitter for her while he travels for games. So when he meets poet Anna at a preseason fundraiser, the proposal that comes out of his mouth shocks them both.

Anna Thornton needs an insurance plan that will cover the steep cost of her diabetes treatment. After a sparky exchange with Squire leads to a spontaneous offer of a marriage of convenience, of course she says no. It’s a wild pitch, but then the more Anna thinks about it, the more she considers taking a swing. . . .

As Squire and Anna adjust to their new living arrangement, their fake marriage starts to feel real, and even Princess Furball is settling in. The more Anna opens up around Squire, the more she pushes against the rigid control he’s always had around his life. With the end of the baseball season approaching, will he ever give up his heart?