Brett finished toweling off and crossed his arms over his chest. “So why didn’t you?”
I blinked and looked at the floor as if the beige carpeting would reveal my secrets. “I was just… I was… he took me completely by surprise. I was enamored the moment I put eyes on him.”
Brett chuckled, his chest bouncing. “Sounds about right. Rome, bro, you’re experiencing what we all do. It’s okay.”
I held my arms out wide. “Not on national television!”
The door suddenly swung violently inward as Emma charged in with Hiroshi hot on her heels. She marched right up to me while Hiroshi made fruitless attempts at guiding her back outside.
“I don’t care, Rome,” she said and jammed a finger into my sternum. Small, but mighty. “Look at me.I don’t care. I think it’s wonderful you found someone. I think it’s a beautiful thing to see a shift in you the past week. But you need to know there iszerovendetta that I came onto you and you shut me down. And honestly? I think I figured it out back then.”
“Emma—” Hiroshi started but she kept going.
“I don’t care that you’re gay but Idocare aboutyouand I really do care about this team. These rumors are going to spread and they will not only damage the team but they’ll damageyou. You’re too kind of a person to have that happen to.”
“How?” Brett barked. “How the hell is him being gay going to damageanything?”
She leaned to look beyond me and at Brett. “Name meonecurrent out and proud MLB player. Go ahead, I’ll wait.” Silence except for the bubbling of the hot tub. “There. Exactly my point.” She looked back at me. “The Riders would support you. I have faith in the company for that. What wedon’tknow is everyone else. Imagine this spreading to the Brawlers? Those guys target Riders outside of the game as it is. Imagine what they can do in the game when you’re up to bat?”
Again, the room fell into silence. Emma huffed in a breath and exhaled, then stepped back. “I’m sorry that I made you uncomfortable. That wasn’t my intention. I just need answers so I can get ahead of everything.” She sighed again and took a step toward the door. “Think about what direction you want to go. I’m pulling you from any postgame interviews until we can get a lid on this.”
“What will you—” I started to ask.
“I’m not outing you. Toanyone. You can trust me. I’ll find a good excuse.” She spun to face Hiroshi. “I apologize for ‘tormenting your boys,’ as you said. This wasn’t the time, you’re right.”
With that, she was out the door. Hiroshi wasted no time. “We’ll pull you from the lineup. You’re not in a good space right now to play.”
I waved him off. “I’m fine. If anything, the game will help clear my head.”
“You sure?”
“I am, yeah.” I blew out air through flared nostrils. “Need to go run this off.”
“Cold plunge, baby,” Brett said. “Way better than running.”
“Nah,” I said and then left the room without saying much more. I heard Hiroshi say something to Brett as the door closed. A few teammates walked by as I stepped into the hallway. Fist bumps all around.
I walked to the nearest conference room in a haze. The word “rumor” echoed in my head on an endless loop. My chest constricted, palms sweaty, as I shut the conference room door closed and thumbed the lock. A simple, circular table sat at the center surrounded by four leather office chairs. I took a seat, pulled out my phone, and thumbed to the only person who could help me get through this.
It rang only once.
“Figlio?”
“Ciao Papà. Do you have time to talk?”
Chapter Nine
Alex
AHEAVYBASSline reverberated in my body, rattling my bones as high hat cracked my ears. A soprano with a slightly Scandinavian accent belted out a tune, some trite lyrics about love in the clouds and thunder in the night. Lights strobed high over the dance floor, a sweaty, churning mess of bodies, the heat against whom the A/C fought valiantly. I stood in a trio of buddies, a tight little circle, while holding the plastic cup of my gin and tonic. My friends went all out, launching themselves up to their newest favorite song while I bounced on my feet to the beat, body stiff as a corpse, with only the slightest of head bobs every other beat.
I hadn’t been to a gay club in two years and,,, wow. Did not miss it. How had I ever enjoyed this?
I sucked down the rest of my second gin and tonic and felt my vision twist as I excused myself from my buddies. I squeezed between hordes of half-naked people, a few of them with wandering hands, as I pushed through and popped out the other side to the collage of high-top tables presented before a long bar. The music faded only a fraction but thankfully the dimmed lighting didn’t strobe in my face. I excused myself past a hen party, each of them drunker than the next, and found anopen spot at the bar.
“Hey cutie,” an immaculately muscled bartender cooed as he came over. He wore a tank top that might as well have been painted on. Hair slicked back. A thick chain with a padlock hanging around his neck. “‘Nother gin and tonic?”
“Just a lite beer, please. Could you close the tab?”
