Hiding Secrets in the Outfield

PROLOGUE

FRANKIE

Five years prior to Stealing Forever.

His coffee order sits nestled next to mine in the cardboard tray, and a smile threatens. At what it represents. Him and me. He’s an iced nonfat milk latte, two pumps of vanilla syrup, and extra foam. I’m an Americano over ice with a dash of oat milk.

Nick and Frankie.

My phone rings, and I pull it out of my pocket. Paulie. I put it up to my ear. “Hey, little bro.”

“You on your way?”

I somehow keep the excitement vibrating inside me controlled enough that I don’t throw the tray of coffees onto the sidewalk. “Yeah. I’m heading up to his office now.”

This is the first time I’ve needed to travel to the San Francisco office for work—the office Nick splits half his time in. He spends the other half in Providence with me.

“I wish I could be there to see his face.”

My smile finally breaks free. I can’t wait to surprise him. Our two-year anniversary is next month, and I booked a winery tour for this weekend to celebrate while we’re both out here.

“I could maybe video call you after, and we could say hello.”

“Please do. Mom will be so jealous knowing I got to see Nick and she didn’t.”

My family loves Nick. Mom was a little nervous at first. Nick’s five years older than me and a few levels above me at the consulting company we work at.

It’s not a good idea to date someone you work with, Francesco. I don’t want you risking your career. Isn’t that against company policy?

It’s not. Frowned upon by society? Yes. But as a gay man, I’m used to their frowns. And I don’t give a fuck about them. Plus, we only work together on one client, and he’s not my direct boss.

We’ve kept it quiet while we figure out where we’re headed, though.

No reason in telling the entire office about us if it’s not something that’s going to last. But I think that’s going to change soon.

Three months ago, Nick asked me to move in with him.

We got a little apartment together in Providence.

Now that we’re approaching two years together, I’m hoping to…gauge where he thinks we stand future wise. We’ve never discussed marriage, and I’m not sure if it’s something he wants.

“Breathe, Frankie,” Paulie says.

I let out a breath. My brother knows me better than anyone. He’s my staunchest supporter and fiercest protector.

Normally, you’d think a little brother is the one being protected, but unfortunately, I’ve had a knack for picking real winners in the past. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve cussed out a bitch when she’s done Paulie wrong too.

My little brother is a sweetheart with a heart of gold, and incredibly talented when it comes to baseball.

Cleat chasers were on him like a hound scenting fresh meat when he got to college.

Used him. You don’t use my little brother.

Don’t fucking mess with a Nebiolo.

“I don’t know why I’m nervous. It’s not like I’m asking him to marry me.”

“But you want to. And you want him to be in that place too. It’s scary. I don’t know where he stands on the marriage front, but I don’t know, Frank… He fits in so seamlessly with our family. And he knows how Mom feels about marriage.”

Which is exactly how I feel about marriage too. While it’s not something I have any desire to jump into at twenty-three, it’s something I really, really want one day.

“She’s already been talking to our tailor about designs for your tuxes,” Paulie continues on. “I mean, we’re a raucous Italian family, and he hasn’t been scared away. That means something.”

I chuckle and push through the lobby entrance of our office building.

Mercari, our company, takes up two floors and has open-floor seating except for Principals in offices—which includes Nick.

I ended up finding a seat on the floor below Nick’s, which worked out well because I was in meetings all morning.

Now I can just sidle on up to his office with his favorite coffee and a surprise, baby.

“I guess I should go. Thanks for the little courage boost.”

“I know you. Plus, it’s your first time traveling on your own. To a new city—a huge city. That’s scary all on its own.”

I shrug even though he can’t see me. “I’m a big boy now.”

“Mr. Hotshot Actuary. Such a badass.”

“I’m very cool, I’ll have you know.”

“Total freak in the spreadsheets.” His grin is heavy in his words. “You may hide it well, but I know how hard you nerd. And I love that part of you.”

My heart swoops in my chest. It’s not something others besides my family have appreciated. Until Nick. He gets it because he nerds out over numbers just as much as I do. It’s amazing to finally be understood.

The elevator dings. “All right. I’m hanging up now. Love you, byeeee.”

“Don’t forget to video call me!”

I hang up with a laugh and stuff my phone back in my pocket.

I bounce slightly on my toes. I am practically levitating with excitement.

It took everything in me to keep this from Nick.

We had a video call last night, and it took some real creativity on my part to hide the fact that I was in a hotel and not our apartment.

Thank God no one else is in the elevator. If I had to wait for multiple stops, I’d probably jump out of my skin. The elevator slows to a stop, and the door opens.

Go time.

I swipe my badge and push into the area our company occupies.

I walk past the bathrooms and kitchen, then enter the offices and seating area.

I scan the plaques on the wall. He should be the first office when I turn around the hall.

It’s almost noon. I’m hoping we can go grab lunch if his work schedule allows for it too.

My attention locks on the office. I can’t quite make out the plaque, but the dark hair and the build of the man behind the desk are all Nick.

I slow because he has someone in his office with him. I guess I can just wait in the hall until he’s finished. Nick stands and walks around his desk, grabbing his jacket.

Dammit. This is not going to go as planned if he already has lunch plans.

I had checked his status on our work email, and he hadn’t blocked off lunch.

I pause a few yards from his door and shift on my feet. Maybe I’ll try again after—

Nick leans down and kisses the woman.

I blink slowly. I couldn’t possibly have seen what I think I just saw.

Nick smiles at the petite blonde. Everything in me works in slow motion.

My pulse putters at a snail’s pace, lungs drawing in air like a slow leak.

My gaze sluggishly falls to her very pregnant stomach.

Latches onto his hand resting on the side of her belly.

Onto a ring finger that holds a gold band I’ve never seen before.

My insides seize. Twist. Someone is wringing out my heart like a wet cloth. My eyes lift to his.

Clash with his.

Those brown eyes go wide, swallowed by flaring pupils. Shock. Fear.

Caught.

He gives a nearly imperceptible shake of his head.

Not here.

Lucky for him, he gets his wish. He guides the pregnant woman out of his office and turns the opposite way down the hall. I couldn’t have said anything if I wanted to. Not without the rebelling contents of my stomach surfacing.

I stand there and watch them walk away. Feet incapable of moving. Body incapable of functioning.

They disappear, and my gaze drifts back to his office.

To the pictures littering his desk. He doesn’t have frames on his desk in Providence.

There’s one of him with that same blonde smiling at the camera, a sonogram in her hand.

Oh God. I force my gaze to the next one.

Nick in a black tux, her in a white dress, veil a blur around them as he dips her.

I spin on my heel and rush down the hall. Acid burns in my throat and my stomach lurches. I crash into the bathroom, toss the coffees in the garbage, and dive for the handicap stall.

I don’t even manage to get the door locked. I collapse in front of the toilet and lose whatever is left of my breakfast. My throat burns, pressure hammers against the backs of my eyes. My body convulses even as nothing else comes up. There’s nothing left.

I fumble blindly for my phone. Press call.

“Hey, hey!” Paulie says, then raises his voice. “Hi, Nick! How—”

“He’s married,” I choke out.

The phone goes silent. A heart rate monitor flatlining.

My body shakes, and my breaths fall choppy and discordant. Everything spins.

“Chessie?”

My brother’s words flit to me from far away.

“Chessie? I’m getting on the next plane.”

My stomach heaves again. He’s married. He’s having a child.

“I’ll be there soon, Chessie. I love you.”

I finally thought I’d found my forever. A guy that was different from the rest. Loved me. Saw me.

Turns out, he was the worst of them all.