Page 89 of Third Time Lucky

“Right.” He scrubs the back of his neck, his brow furrowed. “Then you shouldn’t keep him waiting. Can you call me later? Just to let me know Tani is okay and you don’t need me for anything?”

This man is too good to be true. “I will. And I’ll owe you a backrub. Probably naked.”

His lips curve, a spark of relief in his eyes. “Sounds promising. Probably.”

I lean in and kiss the corner of his mouth. “See you later.”

Derek is already opening the door for me when I get to the curb. “Do you have any idea what’s going on?”

“I’ll tell you what I can on the way, sir.”

When I’m in the car, I text Tani with shaking hands. Ten minutes ago, I was in heaven. Now I’m a nervous wreck.

Did I see what? What’s so urgent? And why couldn’t I tell Elliot about it?

“Is she hurt? Is it my mom or Rick, Derek? Is everyone safe?”

Derek offers a quick assurance. “No one’s hurt. It’s nothing like that. It’s about the reporters.”

“The reporters?” Oh. That. “They found out Elliot was here, didn’t they? Is that what’s wrong?”

“That’s part of it, sir.”

I was hoping for another week, but it was bound to happen. We both knew it after he bought the building and started contacting some of his old coaches about his idea. Elliot told me not to worry about it more than once. He and his manager were already communicating with the team owners, discussing family-friendly venues for his single-father debut. He decided putting it out there in the right way would be better than them discovering the truth on their own.

But it looks like they waited too long.

“Part of it? What’s the rest, Derek? You know I need specifics.”

His sigh is so profound I feel it knotting my stomach. This isn’t good.

“The reporters want to know about you, specifically. The man connected to EJ Ransom.”

“Me?”

He hesitates. “Someone saw you two together and things escalated from there.”

Because the universe sucks balls.

We were so careful. Weren’t we?

I got the hotel room in my name while Elliot was pretending to peruse the gift shop. We were either in my office, our building or his. Before that the only time we were out together was at the pub.

This was the worst-case scenario I was trying to avoid. Not for my sake. All of my clients know I’m gay. I have it in my damn bio on our website, precisely so we won’t have to deal with preconceived notions or phobias. It’s Elliot and Rue I’m thinking about. And those baseball fans. Anxiety about them in particular has kept me up at night.

“Have they said anything about Rue?”

“They have. In fact, I heard someone on my way over wondering if that wasn’t how you two met. Since you’re the Manny guy. Their words, sir. Not mine.”

On the way over? So we’re on the radio now?

I groan and face palm. “I need to warn Elliot. And someone has to call Joan. She has the girls today.”

“Ms. Chahal was adamant that you wait and handle this with her. She said he needs to make his own decisions for his family, but you were hers.”

There’s no humor in my laugh. That’s my girl. She’s the smart one, and most likely the half of my brain I should listen to.

She thinks he’ll reject me on television. Deny everything, which makes the most sense for him, and leave me flapping in the breeze. She’s been here with me before. She doesn’t want me to be there to witness it firsthand. “She’s trying to protect me.”

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