Page 164 of Hiding in the Outfield

“And true family sticks together,” Maddox says firmly.

A little tension eases from Shane’s frame. My poor golden boy will always hold on to that fear his father left him with. I hold out my hand to him, and he laces our fingers.

“You’re right, Shaney-babe. Family.” I squeeze. “Always.”

I look around the room. “I’ll miss coming home to you all.” I let out a dramatic sigh. “I’ll miss the eye candy.”

“Jackson’s not exactly hard to look at,” Maddy says with a grin.

“Truth,” Easton says. He sits up and snuggles into Maddy’s side. Maddy drops a kiss to his curls.

A subtle yearning builds in my chest, and it confirms this is the right decision. It’s a huge change—a complete overhaul of my life—but then I get that. Not every day, but for every moment I can steal when Jackson’s not traveling. And the off-season…oh, the off-season.

“So, what’s next?” Paulie’s question rings through the room.

“I guess I should book a flight,” I say faintly. “For two weeks from now.”

“We’ll help you pack!” Shane says.

“He’s going to need to hire a moving company,” Maddy says. “All this furniture, and don’t get me started on the cookware.”

Shane gasps. “Ohmygod, cannot forget the cookware. Extra bubble wrap.”

“He and Jackson need to actually get a place to live first,” Paulie adds.

Easton whips out his phone. “I’ll pull up a realtor site right now.”

My mind spins as they throw things back and forth too fast for me to follow

“Does Jackson know?”

I blink, unsure who asked the question. “Not yet. I just gave my two-weeks this afternoon…and he’s still playing right now.”

A shit-eating grin spreads across Paulie’s face. “Can we all be there when you tell him?”

“He’s going to piss himself!” Shane says, punching the air.

FIFTY-SIX

JACKSON

I’ve barely walked into my hotel room when my phone lights up with an incoming video call from Frankie. It’s late his time, but he’d wanted to have a call as soon as I got home. Home. A huff falls from me as I press to accept the call. This is not home. Not this sterile hotel room.

“Hey, babe.” My voice softens as I take in his face. He’s fresh-faced, hair still slightly damp. Looks like he’s already washed up and ready for bed.

“Hey, dolcezza.”

My stomach flips as the light accent rolls off his tongue. God, he’s sexy. Heat simmers low in my gut. Ever since I bottomed for him, I’ve been craving. Once was not enough. It unlocked something in my brain, in my body. My body needs Frankie filling it.

“I miss you.” My voice comes out huskier than I’d intended.

Frankie’s eyebrows shoot up, and a tiny bit of sin glitters in his eyes. “Apparently so,” he murmurs.

“Sorry.” I try to clear the desire from my tone. “I guess you didn’t fuck me hard enough, because it’s only been a couple days, and I’m already dying for it again.”

“Oh, shit!”

“I did not need to hear that.”