Tanner Quinn has two goals for senior year: win a state title in baseball… and make sure no one finds out he’s gay.

He’s spent years perfecting both plans—training with ruthless discipline, keeping his head down, and locking every piece of himself behind a perfectly curated mask.

But everything shifts the moment Easton Chase walks into summer workouts. Charming, intense, and wrestling with a past he won’t talk about, Easton slides into Tanner’s world with alarming ease. At first, it's just a workout. Then it turns into late-night Mario Kart. Soon, Easton becomes part of the Quinn household—with Tanner’s chaos-gremlin of a little brother determined to glue them together.

And suddenly, the lines Tanner drew in permanent marker aren’t looking so permanent.

Teammates. Friends. Something more.

Tanner’s number-one rule—never fall for a teammate—was supposed to protect everything he’s worked for. His reputation. His championship run. His secret.

But the closer Easton lets him get, the harder it becomes for Tanner to decide who he’s protecting… and why.

As old wounds surface, team pressure intensifies, and Tanner’s carefully built life begins to wobble, he’s faced with the hardest choice he’s ever had to make:

Is a shot at love worth risking the dream he’s built his life around?

And if the truth comes out, what does he stand to lose… and what might he finally gain?

Perfect for readers who love:

Slow-burn queer romance

Closeted athlete stories

Found family & brotherly chaos

“We’re just teammates (we’re absolutely not)” tension

First love with high emotional stakes

Sports drama with heart

A heartfelt, high-stakes YA romance about identity, pressure, and the terrifying possibility of letting yourself be seen.