Page 45 of The Only Goal

Oh no! I hope he’s not getting into the paint! Baxter’s been working way too hard and?—

Another laugh reaches me, and I recognize it straight away.

Baxter?

Climbing over the gate, I run up the stairs and follow the sound of their voices.

Moments later, I’m peeking through a half-open doorway, and my heart melts on the spot.

My little guy is painting the wall, his ragged, untamed lines so chaotic compared to the perfectly neat ones Baxter is doing above. BB doesn’t seem to mind. He’s moving behind Kai and painting over his work like it’s no bother at all.

Music is coming from a speaker in the corner, and Kai trots back over to the paint tray, dipping the roller in, then looking up at Baxter with a cheeky grin.

“Don’t you do it.” Baxter laughs.

Kai’s giggle is adorable as he runs the roller up Baxter’s jeans before jumping over to the wall.

Bax makes a big show of his displeasure while Kai giggles and squeals, leaning away when Baxter comes after him with his own roller. I can see the paint on his arms already and figure this must have been going on for a while.

They haven’t noticed me yet, and I’m glad, because I just want to stand here for a minute and watch them.

My son is getting to experience the awesomeness that is Baxter Brown.

I remember that time we painted my room. I didn’t tell my parents we were doing it, and they threw a fit when they got home and found Baxter and me caked in bright orange paint. The walls of my room were jarringly vivid, but I loved them. Baxter’s proud smile was everything, until my mother and father yelled him out of the house and told him to stay the hell away from me.

Thankfully, he ignored them, and we snuck to our few secret hiding spots until Mr. Brown managed to smooth things over a week later. Baxter was allowed back under very strict conditions.

At first, I was worried that my parents would totally screw up my friendship with Baxter, but they never could.

No, I left that job up to me and my stupid mouth that just had to kiss him.

My insides clench.

It wasn’t just that afternoon that pushed him away.

And it wasn’t like I pushed him that hard. I nudged, and he ran a mile. After that, the distance between us just got bigger and bigger.

Then when I needed him the most, he was too far away to reach.

My heart starts to cry as I think about that night I went to him in tears and the despondent look on his face when he told me to leave…

CHAPTER 20

BAXTER

The night Tammy found out she was pregnant…

Tammy’s tears have always been my undoing.

Knowing she’s upset kills me.

And even though we’re not really friends anymore, I can’t ignore what I’ve just seen.

She’s sitting on her bed, sobbing into her hands so loudly that I can actually hear her.

As usual, her parents aren’t home, and she’s all by herself. Her sister’s away at college now, and even if she was around, she probably wouldn’t bother to check on her.

Where the fuck is Hudson? Shouldn’t he be there comforting her?

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