A dog named Slipper almost ruined my life. The uncatchable stray snuck on the patio where I was waitressing and knocked me straight into Lee Powell's lap. My fist slammed into his junk. Then I accidentally flipped his breakfast platter onto his pants. I thought it couldn't get any worse, but when I bring my brother to baseball practice, I discover his new coach is none other than Lee, owner and founder of Powell Dog Sanctuary, and he's not happy to see me.

Getting Skylar to give me a second chance isn't going to be easy. Good thing I play to win. But what if our past isn't the only thing standing in the way? Second Chance Player kicks off a brand new series from bestselling author R.C. Stephens. Get ready for an adorable five-year-old boy, a hockey player with a broken heart, and a strong heroine who has learned to beat the odds. There is no cheating and a guaranteed HEA because they are soul mates.

Meeting Ross Davis, professional baseball coach and my sports crush, is a funny story involving a stalled elevator, the potty dance, and an attempt to get into his hotel suite. In my defense, that last one was an accident. He came to my room instead with a bottle of scotch and a sad soul. My one night was not a stand, but more like a lie-in. As in, we snuggled and talked and not another thing happened. So, nothing surprises me more than seeing him again when he becomes the manager of the Chicago Anchors, my hometown pro-team, and our paths intersect once more.

When Devon Sawyer desperately searches for his brother in the middle of the night, beaten and broken, he finds Maddox Kane instead. With his dad on his trail, he has no choice but to stand on his enemy's doorstep and let Maddox help. Maddox has never seen Devon this vulnerable. Living in Garron's trailer park means families dole out discipline on the regular and violence is a part of life, but something about how far Jim Sawyer takes it this time has Maddox unnerved.

Dawson Houser makes sure everyone who comes into the office knows I'm "just his secretary." Heck, I've even said it to suppliers and CEOs when they smile knowingly at the two of us during business meetings. He scowls and grumps around the office afterward, as if the two of us dating is the most ridiculous thing on the planet. Dawson can handle them. I can handle them—and him too, once they leave. And he's no picnic, let me tell you.