I finished last season as one of the league's best pitchers. Baseball’s smooth-talking boy wonder. The future of The New York Lions. I'm starting this season as the worst. I don't want to sound dramatic, but the fault lies entirely with Payton Lopez. She walked into my life with her mile-long legs and dark brown waves and threw me the curviest of all curve balls. Overnight, my ability to pitch disappeared with my ability to charm, and I found myself riding a one-way ticket to being the most expensive bench warmer in the M.L.B. The only solution: get Payton to fix what she broke, something she agrees to on one very easy condition. Before long, what started as a way to get my pitch back soon turned into any excuse I could find for us to spend time together. Before long, I had everything I didn't even realize I wanted. Now, I just need to prove to her that while I exist without baseball, I can’t live without her. Payton Lopez might have thrown me a curveball, but I’m pitching it right back. The Shake Off is a grumpy/sunshine, friends-with-benefits, sizzling TikTok sensation. Perfect for fans of Hannah Grace and Elle Kennedy.