Hometown Heartbreaker — Heather Long

He'd planned to steal her heart, but she left him on base.

Brother Zeke Thompson -- or “The Friar” as his fans and teammates call him -- is known best for his clean public image and his dedication to charities. He's the perfect celebrity to come home to Sherwood Point for the peewee league's pre-season camp -- who doesn't want the hometown boy who made it good in the majors to come home? When an old friend asks him to step up, he can't say no. The only problem is Charity Lane. What wouldn't the pundits give to know she's the one who made him a “friar” in the first place.

Charity Lane can't believe her luck when Zeke “The Friar” Thompson agrees to serve as the Charmings' hero of the week. Sure, she'd dreamed of seeing him again, but she wouldn't ever send the invitation -- not when she'd kept such a huge secret from him so he could make his mark in sports. The kids are over the moon, and the town is ready to dance in the streets. Even her daughter is celebrating the prospect of such a popular player coaching them…

It's the bottom of the ninth, and Charity is up to bat. Can she tell her two all-stars the truth, or will a foul end her best chance?

This novella originally appeared in the Heartbreakers and Heroes anthology.