Scout's Honor
The game has always come firstJayson LeBec couldn't be the champion Scout Baker needed when he walked away without her years ago. But seeing her grief over the death of her father—the legendary baseball coach they both idolized—Jayson's now ready to step up to the plate.On the fast track to tanking her career and her reputation, Scout's in trouble. And while she'll agree to ex-sex with Jayson and nothing more, what she really needs is a friend. If only she'd let him be that! Because the only game plan he's ever had is "Love Scout…"
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The game has always come first
Jayson LeBec couldnât be the champion Scout Baker needed when he walked away without her years ago. But seeing her grief over the death of her fatherâthe legendary baseball coach they both idolizedâJaysonâs now ready to step up to the plate.
On the fast track to tanking her career and her reputation, Scoutâs in trouble. And while sheâll agree to ex-sex with Jayson and nothing more, what she really needs is a friend. If only sheâd let him be that! Because the only game plan heâs ever had is âLove Scout...â
âThere are no sides here, Scout.â
âYes there are. Mine and theirs. You knew that, you knew that better than anyone and now youâre choosing their side. Great, just great!â
He could see the tears in her eyes and the hysteria that was building. In two steps he was in front of her, his hands around her upper arms, shaking her a little and forcing her to look at him.
âScout, Iâm here for you. For you. And Iâm not going anywhere. Got it?â
She looked at him then, right into his eyes. As though she was seeing straight through to his soul, really, for the first time.
âUntil you leave me again. Yeah,â she said, pulling away from him. âI got it.â
There it was, Jayson thought. The final second of their time-out just ticked on the clock.
The past was back.
Hopefully, if you are reading Scoutâs Honor, you had the chance to read The Comeback of Roy Walker as the first book in the series. When writing that book I truly fell in love with the somewhat prickly younger sister named Scout.
Then of course there was Scoutâs relationship with her father and the man she once loved that she could never quite get over.
I was so excited to write this story and I hope I did right by both Scout and Jayson. This is a story of love and grief and finding a way to start over again even when everything seems lost. Itâs one of my personal favorites.
I love to hear from readers, so if you do enjoy this story you can let me know at www.stephaniedoyle.net or on Twitter, @StephDoyleRW.
Stephanie Doyle
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 house. When Stephanieâs not reading or writing, in the summer she is most likely watching a baseball game and eating a hot dog.
Contents
SCOUT STARED AT the gathering around the grave site and tried to remember how sheâd gotten here. It wasnât as if she had forgotten the past three months of her life. Of course she hadnât. Nothing would ever take away that time. That horrible beautiful time when she got to care for her dying father and be with him as he slipped away from this world.
Sheâd read baseball biographies to him while he slept. Theyâd watched classic World Series games on the MLB Network channel when he was awake. Sheâd even allowed her sisters to have time with him. After all they were his daughters, too, and they also loved him, so it seemed only fair.
Yes, Lane and Samantha deserved their time with Duff. But when it came time for the serious stuffâthe pain meds, the oxygen and then finally the morphine dripâthat had been all Scout.
With the help of Sarah, the hospice nurse. Scout was convinced the woman had been sent from some mystical land of grace and peace. A perfect companion during a dark time who seemed to make it all so easy for Scout, Sarah had given simple, clear directions that Scout had followed ruthlessly.
A drop of morphine every six hours. Then two drops, then three drops. Then three drops every three hours, two hours and one hour as required by the pain.
Slowly and gently easing Duffâs way.
Duff had been spared what the nurse had told her could be truly awful pain. Heâd been lucky in that regard. Or maybe the whole thing had gone easier for him because he hadnât had any thought of fighting death.
Heâd said it every day until the day he stopped speaking: âSad to go, but the game has to end.â
His game ended four days and two hours ago.
Standing at this grave site, Scout could see she was wearing a black coat over a black dress, except she had no idea how sheâd gotten here. Really no idea what had happened in these past four days.
She thought she remembered falling...
âScout, itâs done,â Lane said now, approaching her cautiously. She wrapped an arm around Scoutâs waist for comfort and perhaps steadiness. Had she hurt her head when sheâd fallen? Is that why she couldnât remember?
