Page 47 of The Only Goal

My suggestion surprises her enough to stop her shoulders shaking. She looks up at me and then nods. “Okay.”

And five minutes later, we’re tramping through the darkness toward the edge of the forest. We started building the treehouse when we were eleven. We wanted it ready by the summer and spent every spare weekend we could finding bits of wood and adding it to the structure. My dad found out about our project a few weeks in and came to check on it… and basically rebuilt the thing so it was up to code. He’d get home from work and disappear for a few hours, and it took me three days to figure out where he was going. By the time I showed up, he’d completed the structure, and then Tammy and I filled it with all our shit. She called them treasures, while most people would call it junk. To us, we were kings of the realm. Tammy didn’t want to be a queen or a princess; instead, we were warriors, guarding our keep and fighting off imaginary trolls and dragons. That was the best summer.

Even as we grew older, we’d keep using it, although we haven’t been here since senior year began. And as I climb the rickety ladder, I seriously have to wonder about its safety.

I’ve grown even bigger this year, my hockey training contributing to my strength and muscle weight gain. But it gives me the ability to pull Tammy up with ease and make sure she’s secure on the solid floor before closing the hatch.

She sets the lantern on the table and plunks down on the huge pillows Mom made for us. Dust billows up around her and she coughs, waving her hand through the air.

“Wow,” she splutters. “You haven’t been here in a while either, huh?”

I run my flashlight beam across the walls and nod. “Not since last summer.” I can’t help a soft laugh. “Remember how we did that sleepover and a frickin’ woodpecker decided to have a night rave?”

She lets out a watery laugh. “That’s right. I don’t think I got any sleep. Plus, I was paranoid my parents would figure out I lied about going to Grace’s house instead. They would have killed me if they knew I was out here with just you.”

My laughter dies, my tone getting serious without me meaning to. “Still a good night, though.”

“Yeah.” Her voice is so wispy, I barely hear it.

Switching off my flashlight, I let the lantern take over and stare at her through the soft glow. Half her face is cast in shadow, but I can still see her chin bunching as she fights off even more tears.

“Tammy, what is it?”

She sniffs, pulling her knees to her chest and hugging them tight. “You can’t tell anyone. I haven’t even told anyone.”

“You know your secrets are always safe with me.” I try for a smile. “I never talk anyway, right? And who am I gonna tell? I’ve got like no friends this year.”

Shit, I didn’t mean to say that.

I clench my teeth and look away from her.

This sad silence seems to fill the air, and I don’t know how to get rid of it. Threading my fingers together, I grip them so tight it hurts.

She sucks in a shaky breath. “I’m pregnant.”

The world falls out from beneath me. Everything plummets, like the treehouse has just given way and there’s nothing to stop me from falling to my death.

“What?” I stare across at her, unable to hide my shock.

She sniffs again. “I just took a test. Actually, I took three, and they all say the same damn thing.”

“But…” My chest caves in, the air rushing out of me in a heavy whoosh. “You and Hudson are sleeping together?”

Her expression buckles when I glance at her, and she nods.

“For how long?”

Closing her eyes, she lowers her chin and mutters, “A few months. We… started just after New Year’s.”

“New Year’s.” I nod, my jaw clenching so tight I think my teeth might crack under the pressure. “I thought…” I swallow, my voice coming out hard and low. “I thought you weren’t ready for sex.”

CHAPTER 21

TAMMY

The night Tammy found out she was pregnant…

It’s impossible not to miss the angry hurt in his voice.

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