Page 162 of Hiding in the Outfield

My lips burn from how tightly I’m pressing them together. The goddamned audacity of this fucking prick.

He shakes his head and sighs. He knows my answer. “Nothing I can do for you then. Oh, and don’t even think about telling Rosanna about this. Your word against mine… Wouldn’t go so well for you. Especially considering I’m a married man, and you’re…well, you’re the employee who has been making me uncomfortable with his unprofessional crush for years now.”

My jaw almost drops. Almost. But I keep it locked into place, because this man doesn’t deserve to know he’s shocked me.

I step up to him. Lean in. Hover an inch from that lying bastard’s face. “Fuck. You.”

I spin on my heel and storm out of the coffee shop. By the time I get back to my computer, my hands are shaking. I take a few slow breaths and open a spreadsheet I was working on this morning. I just need to click around. Something—anything—to dispel the shock, outrage, and…and utter despair over that interaction.

I don’t understand how there are such villainous people in this world. They fool you so easily, too. So kind, so loving when they draw you in at first, until you’re so far in their clutches you wouldn’t ever recognize what’s lurking underneath. If I had never stumbled across Nick’s wife all those years ago, I never would have found out who he truly is. He’s a serpent in disguise.

And now I have—I check the time—a half hour until I need to meet with him and Rosanna and pretend like everything is all right. Then present with him tomorrow in front of our clients. Then what?

I stand.

Then fucking nothing.

I stride to Rosanna’s office. She’s alone—thank you for small miracles. I tap the doorframe, and she gestures me inside. I close the door behind me and take a seat.

“Rosanna,” I begin. “I have really loved working for you. You have been an incredible boss and an incredible mentor.”

She watches me carefully. “I take it this means Nick is going to be able to work something out? And he’ll be your new boss soon.”

I shake my head. “I spoke with Nick, but I realized this still isn’t what I want.”

It’s not. I cannot and will not work with that man. Even if I could find a way to avoid being assigned to any clients with him—which wouldn’t be a possibility considering we’re already on clients together—I can’t work in the same office as him. Not to mention, I’d report to him. He’d be responsible for my merit and bonus. Who knows what he’d try to pull? It’s too toxic. There are other places where I can work without compromising my mental health.

“I think it’s time for me to look elsewhere. This is me officially giving you my two-week notice.”

Her jaw goes slack.

Yeah, Rosanna, I’m shocked too.

And scared.

I stand. “I’ll be back for our meeting.”

“Frank…”

I shake my head. “I’m firm on this, Rosanna. This is what’s right for me.”

Then I walk out of her office and hope to God it’s true.

I push into my house later that evening. Despite trying to sneak out of work as early as possible, Nick managed to keep Rosanna and me back late—to the point we ordered food and continued working after dinner.

I hate that he’s actually good at his job. We’re going in hard for a win tomorrow, hoping to convince our client to sell us another part of their business that’s out to bid right now. We all agreed we wouldn’t let them know I’m leaving yet. I’m their main point of contact, and they love me—obviously, I’m a fucking amazing consultant and an absolute delight—so we don’t want to ruffle any feathers while we try to win this new work.

I sigh as I drop my briefcase on a chair in the kitchen. I head for the living room where the boys are posted up on the couch. They had a four o’clock game, so it must have been a quick one. Paulie, East, and Maddy are on the couch, Easton’s head in Maddy’s lap, his feet in Paulie’s. Shaney-babe’s by himself on the loveseat reading. He’s getting through those puckboys awfully fast. I climb in next to him and curl into his side.

He ruffles my hair. “Hey, you okay, bro?”

“I quit my job today.”

His hand stills, and the room goes silent.

Paulie’s stare burns into me. I slowly lift my gaze to his. He cocks a brow.

I sit up and rest my elbow on my knees. My head falls into my hands as I let out a groan. “I gave my two-week notice. I don’t have a plan, other than I’ll be job hunting. In California.”