A Drake & Jilly teaser from INSIDE GAME!

I plaster a huge smirk on my face and tip my cap to amp them up even more. I know I shouldn't, but I casually let my eyes stray to the brunette again. She's quiet, pensive, leaning forward in her seat, watching me. My head is splitting, and I give myself a moment to concentrate on her and nothing else. The roar of insults fades in and out, and a wave of dizziness threatens to overtake me. I blink to clear my head when her face starts to blend in with all the others. The anxiety I started the game with returns in a rush when I can't seem to find her. Where is she? God, I need to see her—just to get my bearings. Thankfully, for some reason, she stands up and starts pointing skyward.

Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, I see Jilly a split second before the big guy comes barreling in on me, all six feet eight inches of him. I take a few hurried steps back when the ball bounces off the line and rolls into fair territory. Jilly slides in after it feetfirst, just missing out on making a spectacular catch. He fumbles around in the dirt until the ball's securely in his grasp, checking the runner, who can't advance past second since there are now two New York Kings covering third.

"Do you get off on this or something?" Jilly snarls up at me, dusting off his uniform.

But I didn't muff the play on purpose. I was looking at that girl, trying to hold on to what's left of my sanity. The increased energy and alertness I had in the first few innings are long gone, and now, the wave of despair I was seeking to avoid all night is hitting me dead on.

Coming July 10, 2015