The Backup Plan (King Sports Book) spicy, enemies to friends to lovers, close proximity, M/M baseball romance by Eden Finley Cover Reveal & Giveaway
THE BACKUP PLAN
King Sports - Book One
by Eden Finley
Cover & Excerpt Reveal
Release Date: November 7, 2024
Photographer: Wander Aguiar Photography
Model: Thane
Genre: M/M Baseball Romance Standalone
Tropes: Enemies to friends to lovers, close proximity, agent + player, secret situationship
Synopsis
Thad
Failing to make it in pro ball left me absolutely devastated. Baseball has been my life, my dream, but itβs time to move on.
Becoming a sports agent was always my back-up plan, and now that Iβm interning at the biggest queer-focused firm in the country, Iβm doing my best not to let my bitterness toward baseball affect my future.
Thatβs really difficult when Iβm assigned to babysit Kelley Afton, hotshot rookie pitcher for Philly. He has everything I ever wanted, and he doesnβt even appreciate it. I didnβt become an agent so I could soothe the ego of diva athletes.
His constant need for validation from others frustrates me to no end, but thatβs probably a good thing. Because if he didnβt have that, Iβd find him irresistibly my type.
Attraction could lead to crossing lines which would put my position at King Sports in jeopardy, and I canβt have that.
I donβt have a backup for my backup plan.
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Excerpt
Kelley avoids eye contact with me as he says, βI kind of asked Brady to take over as my agent when the time comes.β
Ah. Weirdly, that hurts, even though it makes so much sense. If he was going to pick an intern, it couldβve been me, but again, Iβve treated him like dirt since weβve been banished to this cabin in the middle of nowhere, so why would he ask me?
βBrady is a good choice,β I relent. βHeβs going to take over the company one day. No doubt about it.β
βItβs not that I wouldnβt want you, butββ
βKell, itβs okay. It makes complete sense. Besides, Iβm thinking I shouldnβt represent baseball clients anyway. Iβm sure youβre not the only one who will have the stats and rookie career I would kill for. And youβre smart to get in with Brady before his client roster becomes too big and he canβt take on any other clients.β
Itβs weird that Iβm unhealthily jealous of Kelley when Brady is the one whoβs actually doing my job better than me and getting ahead already, but at the same time, I wouldnβt want the kind of pressure that Brady has on his shoulders.
Heβs the nephew of the boss. He has famous dads and basically lives in the shadow of his NFL quarterback brother. When I say heβs the next big sports agent, itβs because he has to be.
When I played baseball, I was happy I wasnβt the best of the best. The best had way too much pressure on them. Iβd strive for a happy middle, and I think thatβs what I want from this job too.
But maybe this is why I never made it in baseball. All the athletes I know have that competitive edge. That need to be the best. I donβt have that. I want to be good, and I want to prove myself, and I loved being on a team that was number one. But that competitiveness? I only had it when it came to winning. Not me. The whole team.
βI went and made things weird again, didnβt I?β Kelley asks. He shifts uncomfortably.
βNo. You didnβt. You just made me realize something is all.β
βThat you really do hate me?β
βNo. And Iβm sorry I ever made you feel that way. Iβm realizing that to do this job, Iβm going to need my clients to know that while Iβm not the hotshot that Brady is, I do know how to put in the work and get them the deal thatβs right for them. I donβt need to be the best. I only have to be the person they need, and I like that.β
Kelley finishes off his hot cocoa. βThat is a really healthy way to look at your position because I have no doubt that the intern bullpen is full of eager guys willing to stomp all over the others to get ahead.β
βI might have been eager to do that with baseball, but not this.β
Kelley blinks at me, as if heβs trying to figure out if Iβm being serious or not.
βDonβt worry. I never kneecapped a bitch with a baseball bat. Even if I did, I think Iβd have to kneecap about an entire teamβs worth if I even wanted to qualify for Triple-A baseball.β
βGood to know. Even if Iβm now a little scared of you.β
I finish off my drink, too, and then stand and offer to take his mug back into the kitchen. βJust the way I like it.β
I move to the sink and start rinsing the cups when Kelley follows me into the kitchen.
βYou are intimidating, you know.β He leans against the entryway, arms folded. βThat might be something you could work on.β
βIβm intimidating?β I put on an angelic smile.
βArgh. No. When you smile, youβre plain scary. But the scowl is what I found intimidating the most.β
I slump. βOkay, so I canβt smile. Or scowl. And that leaves me with β¦β
βMaybe you could be an over-the-phone agent.β
Iβm trying really hard not to laugh. βIs Kelley Afton calling me β¦ ugly?β
βNo. Shit. The opposite. Youβre too hot to even be able to concentrate, andββ His eyes almost bulge out of his head. βHoly hell, thatβs inappropriate. I didnβt meanβwell, I did mean. Youβre hot as fuck, but I meant that β¦ oh my God, Iβm gonna go to bed and pray an avalanche hits me.β He turns to leave, but Iβm hot on his heel. And hot everywhere, it seems.
At least in the eyes of Kelley Afton.
I knew he was checking me out. βWhy are you running off so fast?β
βTo die of embarrassment.β
βThereβs nothing to be embarrassed about. Just because you find me so incredibly hot and attractive. Soooo irresistible. But not when I smile. Or scowl.β
He stops and turns his head toward me, almost hesitating before saying, βNo. The scowl is very hot. But β¦ intimidating.β
Even though he thinks my smile is scary, itβs hard not to at that.
βFucking hell,β he mutters. βYour genuine smile is hot too. Can you go back to being an asshole to me so I donβt find you this attractive?β
I move closer to him. βBut whereβs the fun in that?β
Kelleyβs tongue darts out to wet his lips, and the urge to lean in and cover his mouth with mine is almost unbearable.
Telling him Iβm going to be more professional and then trying to kiss him really could get me fired. But β¦ itβs not like heβs my actual client. Iβm not his agent; I never will be his agent. So, is it really that wrong?
Apparently, it is.
Kelley steps back. βI should β¦ go to bed.β
βWe both should,β I agree.
There go those deep brown eyes again, trying to pop out of his head.
I smother my amusement. βSeparately. Of course.β
Kelley swallows so hard I see his Adamβs apple bounce. βYes. Separately. That is also what I thought you meant.β
βGood night, Kelley.β
βGood night,β he whispers.
Before he can disappear inside his room, I stop him for one last thing. βThank you again, by the way. Not only for forgiving me for being a dick but for actually giving me some good advice.β
βAnytime.β
I might take him up on that.
Pre-order Link
Amazon Universal ~ https://geni.us/TheBackupPlanPL
Giveaway
One of Five eARC's for The Backup Plan
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About the Author
Eden Finley is an Amazon bestselling author who writes steamy contemporary romances that are full of snark and light-hearted fluff.
She doesn't take anything too seriously and lives to create an escape from real life for her readers. The ideas always begin with a wackadoodle premise, and she does her best to turn them into romances with heart.
With a short attention span that rivals her son's, she writes multiple different pairings: MM, MMF, and MF.
She's also an Australian girl and apologises for her Australianisms that sometimes don't make sense to anyone else.
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