Chapter 65
Rosalita put her hand on her hips as soon as Alfie walked through her door. “Have you talked to him yet?”
Alfie could have brushed his sister off by asking whom she meant. Of course he knew. “I have talked to Rhys,” he said. “We just had a whole bus ride together. Why would I have not spoken to him?”
Rosalita stared at him, one eyebrow arched up. He hated when she did that. Like she could see right through him. Rosie had been adept at it since she had been little. He could never get anything past her.
“No,” he said. “I told you there was no reason to talk to him. I saw the way he looked at them.”
“Yet you still slept with him.”
“I never told you… It was a mistake.”
“You don’t have to tell me. I know my big brother. Even if I don’t want to think about it. That’s like Mami and Papi.”
“I am not that much older than you.”
“It is the principle of the matter.” She stuck her nose up in the air. He could see the way her lips twitched. She could be such a brat at times. “I don’t know why you always think this is a mistake. Unless you did it because you wanted to sabotage his new relationship.”
“No,” Alfie said fiercely. “I would never do something like that.” Not on purpose at least. He had been wondering if unconsciously that was exactly what he was doing. If he couldn’t have Rhys no one else should? No. He did not want to be that kind of asshole.
“I did not think you would,” Rosalita said, and that eased some of the weight on his shoulders. “What is your problem, Alfredo?”
“I do not know why you think I have one. Just because you are in bliss to be marrying the person you love does not… Rosie, what is the matter?” he asked when her face went ashen. “Has Jen done something? Did she change her mind?”
He could not believe it of the woman who so obviously loved his sister. She started getting things together to get her passport so they could have their honeymoon back home in Venezuela. Despite her strong fear of flying.
Rosie would have loved to get married there, but their marriage wouldn’t even be recognized. Instead he would make sure everyone could come here.
“No, no.” Rosie turned away from him, her hands twisting together. “Nothing is wrong. I do not know what would make you think that.”
“You could never convincingly lie. Except to Papi. What is the problem, Rosalita?”
“I don’t know if I can do it, Alfredo,” Rosalita said. “I love her, and I want to marry her. I don’t have doubts about that. I just want my family to be here. All of them.”
He turned her gently toward him and cupped one hand around the side of her face. “They will be.”
“How can you be sure? Papi’s health hasn’t been good. Marisa is going to have two babies. What if Carmina gets pregnant too? She won’t be able to fly. Maybe this was a huge mistake. I don’t know if I can do it.”
“You can do anything,” Alfie told her. “I will do everything I can to make sure they are here for you.”
“What if you aren’t? What if you get traded away? You could be all the way on the other side of the country by then.”
“Then, I will fly back here. I will do whatever is needed to be here for you. So will the rest of the family. If you had to change your plans, Jen would still love you.”
“I really wish you’d listen to your brother,” his sister’s girlfriend… fiancée now he supposed, said, coming through the door. “Since you won’t believe me when I try to assure you.”
“I just want everything to be perfect.” Rosalita ran into her fiancée's arms.
“I know,” Jen said. “We have nearly a year to make that happen. I just wish you would stop making yourself sick with worry.”
“Do you even know whom you are marrying?” Alfie grinned when he got a wry smile from Jen and a stream of Venezuelan curses from his little sister that he certainly hadn’t taught her.
He kissed the top of Rosalita’s head. “I’ll just leave you in more capable hands.” He should get to the clubhouse and get some practice in. He doubted he’d done any good here. He’d at least have a better chance on the field.
Even if it meant having to face Rhys again.
She looked up at him. “Háblale.”
Talk to Rhys. That sounded like a worse idea than ignoring the problem and bashing some balls instead.
Alfie stopped stock still in the middle of the clubhouse. Well, now he knew what Rhys spent his night doing. His stomach twisted into a tight knot at the realization.
It shouldn’t have taken Alfie this long to get up the nerve to talk to Rhys. He wanted to get it right. He didn’t want to lose one of the best friendships he’d ever had. That was the very opposite of what he wanted.
He’d left last night before Alfie could talk to him.
You had the whole busride, pelutudo.
Yes, he had. Except the things he wanted to say to Rhys, he didn’t want an audience for.
His teammates were a bunch of cabrones metiches.
He’d stopped at Rhys’s apartment, but he hadn’t answered the door.
Or his phone calls. He’d assumed he’d been out at a club, dancing off whatever emotions he’d let himself feel.
It shouldn’t somehow be worse that he’d gone home with a person Alfie knew Rhys liked.
He didn’t have any right to feel any of that. He didn’t have any ownership over Rhys because they’d slept together. Again. It’s not like he’d asked Rhys for more. He knew better than to think they could ever make that work. Not when Rhys wanted so much.
Alfie only wanted him.
It was better this way. Mel could give Rhys whatever Alfie seemed to be lacking. They could keep their friendship just as it was. Alfie could deal with that. As long as he could ignore the sourness in his stomach as Mel laughed at something Rhys said.
Alfie’s attention was drawn to the teenagers standing with them. He felt confused all over. Rhys slept with a lot of people. He didn’t get how he could do that, but he didn’t judge him for it. He’d never stayed in contact with them. Certainly hadn’t brought their family members here.
What was he doing?
One of the teens wore a chest protector and had an old catcher’s helmet in their hands. “Were all our AA catchers unavailable?” Alfie stepped up to them. “We had to go to the high school?”
Rhys turned toward Alfie, but there was something reserved in it. Like he was the one wearing that catcher’s mask, keeping it between him and the rest of the world.
Or at least between him and Alfie.
“Denny, here,” Rhys said, gesturing to the teen, “has aspirations of being a catcher. I told them I’d help them figure out their stance. Cam is going to throw some pitches. Nothing major, just a short demonstration then the field will be free for practice.”
“I can’t believe I’m going to get to play with actual baseball players,” Denny said, the excitement evident in their voice. “Then watch you all practice. This is going to be the best day ever.”
When Alfie glanced over at Rhys and the way he smiled at Mel, he thought it might be his worst.