Page 165 of Hiding in the Outfield

My eyes fly wide, and heat smacks my cheeks.

Frankie’s hand covers his smile, and his shoulders shake. “I’m sorry, Ollie-babe. We aren’t alone.”

The screen swirls, ceiling, bed, and then Shane’s face appears. “Ohmygod! Olander, did you finally get dicked down? Are you on my team, bro?”

Despite my embarrassment, I grin. You can’t not with Shane. “Yeah, man. I’m a fan—to put it lightly.”

“Yes.” He closes his eyes and does a quick, downward fist pump. All I can picture is Napoleon Dynamite. His blue eyes pop open, and the excitement practically overflows. “I’ll hit you up. I have suggestions, bro. Welcome to the blissful world of bottoming. My favorite position is when you start on all f⁠—”

A hand slaps over Shane’s mouth, and Paulie’s head slips into the screen’s frame. “Dude. There is such a thing as oversharing, you know that?”

Shane glares, then⁠—

“Fucking ouch!” Paulie jerks his hand away. “Did you bite me?”

Shane shakes his nose at Paulie. “Yes. Sex positivity, bro. Don’t shame.”

Paulie slumps back in Frankie’s bed. “Fine. I wasn’t shaming, though. I just don’t think we need every intimate detail of your sex life, is all.”

Easton’s head pops in sideways. “Hey, Olander. Maddy says hi too—or he would, but he’s too busy laughing at Shane and Pauls.”

I send him a wave.

“Do I get to talk to my boyfriend?” Frankie’s annoyed voice comes from off screen.

“Oh, sorry,” Shane says.

The room jerks, and then I’m staring at my man again.

“Hi,” I say.

We share a small smile.

“Hi.”

“So…is there a reason all the guys are with you for this call?”

His gaze darts away, and my gut clenches. There’s a hesitance? A nervousness?

“Um, yeah. So, I have some news…”

“What’s the news?” I prod softly.

Those brown eyes lock on mine. “I quit my job today.”

I inhale sharply. “Y-you did?”

Does this mean… Could this mean… Dear God, let it mean what I want it to mean.

“I was wondering if maybe you had room for an unemployed actuary in your hotel room…while he looks for a new job in San Francisco,” he whispers.

“Yes.” My word bursts out before he even finishes. “Yes, yes, yes.”

Then the reality of what he just said sinks in. My brows crash together.

“What happened, Frankie? Are you okay?” God, I was selfishly just thinking of myself and the joy of having him with me. This is a huge deal. He loves his job.

“Yeah. This is the right decision.” His smile is too wide, though. His face too tight. “I put in my two-week notice, so after that, I’m all yours, loverboy.”