Page 69 of The One I Left Behind

“You got this!” Gillian screams.

“Hit it right back at him!” Laurel yells.

“Last one, Scar.” Walker exaggerates all his movements, and the third ball comes in perfect position for a hit.

“Swing!” Jude screams right when she should.

Scarlett does, and the ball flies. Lottie runs, and being the track star she was, she’s practically at third before Scarlett reaches first.

The ball hits the top of the fence and falls over.

“Home run!” we scream and run out to home plate.

All nine of us jump up and down with our arms around each other. While I’ve been away, I forgot what it was like to be with all my cousins. The way we all have one another’s backs and how we’re each other’s biggest cheerleaders.

Wild Bull sulks off the field with their bags.

I wink at Gillian before I go back into the dugout to grab my bag.

It’s good to be home.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Gillian

Friday night comes, and I purposely wear another sundress. For Ben, and also because it’s hot as hell outside.

Clayton comes out of his bedroom, his phone in his hand, a bag swung over his shoulder.

“Ready for Drew’s?” I ask.

His eyes lift, and he stares at the dress. “Going out with the boyfriend?”

“Coach Noughton? Yeah.”

He nods and goes to watch out the window for Betsy to pick him up.

“Hey, Clay. How would you feel if I had Ben over for dinner?”

His chest rises and falls with a sigh. “You know how much shit I’m getting.”

“Language.”

“Sorry,” he mumbles. “The other kids think Coach Reyes favors me because he wants to be on Coach Noughton’s favorite list.”

“I get it, I do, but you’re a talented player. Coach Reyes sees that. Even Ben said the other day how good you are.”

“He did?” His eyes widen.

“Yeah. Asked who you’ve been working with.”

“Did you tell him?”

I don’t mention that the conversation took another turn. A turn toward his dad and all the shit I never want Clayton to know. It’s bad enough his dad left the minute he found out I was pregnant. I don’t need to tell him that his dad physically abused me too. “I didn’t.”

“Why not?”

“I will. We got sidetracked.”

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