“She’s my cousin.”

“I know, and she’s also an adult. But here’s the thing, Jack. I like and respect your older brother enough that I would never do anything to his family that would be disrespectful.”

“Whatever.”

“You got a problem with me?”

“I got a problem with the way you look at my cousin.”

“Like I said, she’s a big girl, and for the record, I like her and I’d never do anything that she didn’t agree to.”

“What the hell does that mean?” Jack now looked seriously pissed off.

“I think you know, and I find it ironic that you of all people are talking to me about this.”

Color filled Jack’s cheeks.

“Pot and kettle, Trainer, maybe you should think about that before you come at me.”

Dylan walked away without telling Jack Trainer he didn’t have designs on his cousin... because that would be lying. He did.

The umpire was Miss Sarah, and she was assisted by her sister. Mr. Goldhirsh, who Dylan had soon realized was something of a legend in town, was there in the capacity of a first aider. The man was everywhere, and wore so many hats it was hard to keep up with where he would appear next.

“I expect this to be a fair game, but a hard-fought one,” Miss Sarah said through a megaphone that was hardly necessary, as she’d been a schoolteacher and could reach the back of a crowded hall without raising her voice.

“She always says that,” Piper appeared at his side, “and uses that megaphone, because it was her father’s and he loved basketball.”

“Just how physical is this game going to get?”

“Very, but it’s all good, because you’re on my cousins’ team. They were nearly banned a few years ago for being overly aggressive.”

“You’re shitting me?”

“Maybe a bit.” She smiled up at him.

He wasn’t sure what it was about this woman. Why did he feel a sudden burn in his chest when she was close? Why could he smell her scent and remember exactly what it felt like to kiss her, days after doing so?

“But they are aggressive.”

“But not you?”

“No actually, I’m worse. I had to be growing up with them. They toughened me up pretty quickly.”

“You weren’t always tough then?”

Something passed over her face and then it was gone.

“No, I wasn’t, but coming here changed that.”

“What were you like?”

She shrugged. “Not really the time or place for that story. So let’s play ball. You ready, city boy?”

“Sure, but I’ll go easy on you. Just stand near the hoop, and I’ll send you some nice easy passes,” he teased.