Page 130 of The Love Penalty

“She’s right. We don’t know what’s happened to you in the past, but if there’s any way we can help you get over it…” I leave the statement hanging, hoping he’ll fill the space, but he doesn’t, so I try for a different angle. “Or maybe there’s a special person who you’re too shy to connect with? I mean, could we help?”

He glances across at me, his shoulders deflating. “You’re not gonna let up on this unless I spill, are you?”

I give him an apologetic smile, then shake my head. “You don’t have to tell us. We just… want you to be happy.”

“I am happy.”

“Well, we want you to be even happier.” Rachel beams from the back seat. “Come on, Bax. Let us in. We won’t tell the guys if you don’t want us to. We just want to know if the big, quiet goalie has himself a love interest.”

She wiggles her eyebrows, looking adorably cute… enough to make Baxter’s lips twitch. “No love interest, because…” His face washes with the saddest frown, his voice soft and broken when he finally admits, “I can’t have the one I want. She’s in love with someone else and they’re married now, and…” He shrugs. “I’ll never meet anyone else like her, so… I’ll stay in my cave. I like my cave.” His voice is getting gruff now, which makes it hard to believe him.

“What’s her name?” Rachel whispers. “Does she go to Nolan?”

“No, she’s from my hometown.” He shakes his head, his expression turning gooey as he whispers, “And her name’s Tamara Tan.” The nostalgic smile on his face tells me he’s walking back to a sweet time in his memory. I don’t know if he had her once and lost her or if he loved her from afar and didn’t act before she was taken by someone else.

I want to ask, but I don’t want to push it. I just want to let Baxter hang out with his sweet memory for a while.

Sharing a look with Rachel, we settle back in our seats and drive the rest of the way home in silence. By the time we get back to the house, Baxter’s gone into hiding again. He quietly gets out of the car and waits for us to shut our doors before locking it.

I trail in behind him and find the whole crew lingering in the lounge. The atmosphere is subdued, and Baxter takes his leave without a word, darting down to his room before I can thank him again for taking me. Fezzik scampers after him, his little nails clicking over the entryway as he chases his favorite person in the house.

Liam’s the first to notice us and bolts out of his chair, coming over to wrap his arm around Rachel, and Caroline gasps when she sees me, running across to envelop me in a fierce hug that makes it hard to breathe.

“I just heard what happened,” she wails in my ear.

“How?”

“I spoke to Asher,” Ethan pipes up.

I gaze across the room at him. “Is he okay?”

“Should be home any minute.”

Turning for the entryway, I’m tempted to wait for him outside, but the door clicks open before I reach it and Asher walks in looking wrecked.

“Baby,” I whisper, launching myself against him.

He holds me tight, kissing the side of my head and murmuring into my ear, “Are you okay?”

“Yeah.” I sniff and briefly update him.

He tells me I did good, rubbing my back and comforting me when I should be the one comforting him.

Wrapping my arm around his waist, I walk with him to the living area, where everyone’s looking at him expectantly.

“It was shit,” he tells us. “But I did get to punch him a couple times, so…” He holds up his hand, showing off his red knuckles, and Casey stands, giving him a serious look before starting a slow clap.

Asher closes his eyes with a pained frown. “Don’t fucking slow clap, man. We’re probably gonna get kicked out of Hockey House.”

“I gotta do this,” Casey argues. “You’re a fucking legend, dude.”

Asher’s eyes pop open, and he glances around the room in surprise. I’m sure he was expecting disappointment and anger, but all I’m seeing are nods of understanding and approval.

Soon, Rachel gets in on the clapping, and then Liam joins in too.

“Is this the cheesiest moment we’ve ever experienced?” Mick asks the room before joining in on the clapping and then throwing in a whistle as well.

“Puck yeah!” Ethan laughs and starts whooping and clapping as well.

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