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H olding her like this reminded me of old times, times I’d never bloody forgotten, times I never wanted to either. My heart tightened, making me realise just how much I missed her. My eyes dropped to her lips. I was unable to tear myself away from her. Her words brought me crashing back down to earth

“Beck,” she repeated.

“Stop saying my name like that, Em.” I tightened my hold on her waist as she let out another small gasp. She loved the feeling just as much as I did, but I knew she was too stubborn to admit it. “What happened between us wasn’t our fault. We were just too fucking stupid to realise.”

“That doesn’t change anything. You could have gotten on a plane, you could have come back.”

Hearing her whisper those words cut me the same as the first time she said them. I mean, I could have fought harder. I could have come back to see it for myself, but no, I gave up too damn quickly! But the idea of seeing her truly move on so soon after I left would have cut me. One thing was for sure. I was determined to show her just how much she meant to me. She might have thought I was here for Liam, but in reality, I was here for her too.

“Did you ever think I didn’t get on a plane because the thought of seeing you with someone else would have killed me?” I asked.

“I can’t do this with you, Beckett. You’re here for Liam. What we had is in the past; it doesn’t matter anymore.”

“Of course, it matters.” I cupped her neck and brought her closer, our lips now brushing. All the memories and nostalgia came flooding back.

The door opened, and the doctor stepped inside, stopping in his tracks. “I’m sorry to interrupt. Shall I come back?” the doctor asked, much to my irritation.

What a cock block.

Cheers for that one, doc.

“No, it’s fine. We’re done here.” Emily removed herself from my hold. I felt the sudden rush of coldness, and I didn’t like it. Not one damn bit. “I’ll wait out there for you.” And with that, she left.

Fuck.

“Okay, you’ll need to take these crutches with you, just in case you need any extra assistance if it gets too uncomfortable or too much.” He glanced over at me. “I would also suggest that you rest, especially today.”

“No can do. I made plans with my son, and I won’t be letting him down.” I was adamant. I had missed so much time with Liam as it was. I wasn’t going to ruin his afternoon. “I’ll use the crutches today to give me that little bit of additional support.”

“Beckett, don’t do anything that could set you back. You haven’t even started physiotherapy yet.”

“I plan on being back on that pitch as soon as I’m cleared. I won’t do anything that could ruin that.” That was the truth, of course it was, but as much as football was my life, so were two other people.

“Good. If you need anything at all, you know where I am until you leave.”

“Thanks, Doc.” He took my arm as I stood, unsure of how I would do with applying weight to my ankle for the first time.

Fuck, it felt weird, and he was right. There was a little discomfort, but I’d be fine. It wasn’t anything I couldn’t handle.

“You still have plenty of strength in that ankle, but I meant what I said. Take it easy.”

“I will.” I slipped my legs into my sweatpants, and it felt amazing to wear something other than shorts, especially when it had been so bloody cold outside. “Thanks again, Doc.”

I left the building, slowly making my way to where Emily had parked.

“Are you okay?” She asked, holding open the door for me.

“All good.” I nodded. “Let’s get Liam for our afternoon out.”

Liam was already waiting outside with Harry when we arrived to collect him, wearing a smile so wide, you could have seen it from the moon.

He waved goodbye to Harry, and slid into the backseat.

“You excited, mate?” I asked, looking over my shoulder at him.

“So excited!” He laughed, barely controlling his happiness. “Ice cream is unlimited today, right?” Knowing there would be sweet treats at the mini golf place he shot his shot.

“That all depends on what your mum says.”

I relaxed back in the front seat, my ankle throbbing, but I was determined to spend today with them, all while trying to take it as easy as possible. Being so close to Em, it was like no years had passed. The only difference from all those years ago was the increased tension. The want and need I had for her was still just as strong, if not stronger.

My only regret was not kissing her in the doctor’s office.

Ten years ago…

After school, Em stopped in front of a lonely house on top of a hill in our town. Her face lit up the second she saw it in its dilapidated state. I couldn't see the attraction myself.

“This is the house I’d love.” She beamed. “Remember, the one I told you about that day in the library.”

“Really? But it’s a dump?” I teased, scrunching my nose up at the sight.

“Hey! Don’t call it a dump. It has character, don’t you agree?”

“No, I don’t think I do.”

She looked at me over her shoulder as I wrapped my arm around her waist, bringing her body flush to mine. “Can’t you see what I do?”

“No, baby, no I can’t.”I spun her around to face me, her excitement still present in her eyes as well as the surprise from me twisting her toward me.

“Well, I can. It tells a story. You can tell it’s seen good and bad days.”

“Definitely more bad days,” I joked as she narrowed her eyes into slits.

“Maybe so, but I don’t see those. All I see are the memories it holds, the love that was once shared within those walls and the home that could be made.”

It hit me then. A person didn’t need to be good on the outside to be seen by Emily. She’d like you for you and would always manage to see the best in you.

It was at that very moment that I fell in love with Emily Ryton. And that same exact moment that I kissed her for the first time.

I tucked a stray hair behind her ear, my movements gentle, yet a little hesitant. My thumb lingered on her cheek as I cupped her face. Emily leaned into me as if she was being pulled by an invisible thread. It was all the approval I needed from her.

As time slowed around us, her sweet, yet fresh perfume filled my senses. It was so influential that it made my chest tighten. Her eyes closed as I brought my lips to hers in a soft kiss. I didn’t want to push it. I wanted it to be perfect for her.

I pulled away ever so slightly, the warmth of her breath still lingering on my lips.

“Don’t start something you can’t finish, Ashmore,” she whispered with a hint of mischief in her voice.

I said nothing else as I pressed my lips against hers once more. There was more need and desire the second time around. I deepened the kiss, slow and unhurried, wanting to savour every second of tasting her. Her heart practically slammed against my chest as it violently pulsed against her ribcage. Her hands rested on my waist as I took full control of the moment.

I intended on being her last kiss just as I was her very first.

When I finally pulled away, we barely said a word. We didn’t need to. All we shared was a quiet smile, knowing that what we shared between us was special. I looked back up towards the house and realised that maybe it did actually have character to it, especially as I was now seeing it through Em’s eyes.

Present day…

The second I came back to the present, I realised we had already arrived at the mini golf course. Liam could barely contain his excitement, and I loved seeing his face light up.

“Do you need your crutches?” he asked as he practically jumped out of the car.

“Just in case, yeah.” I took my crutches from Emily who already had them out of the boot of the car. “Thanks.”

“Right, shall we get going then?” Emily matched our son’s excitement as he gripped her hand in hers and swung them. Seeing how they were together was a beautiful experience, and I hoped I’d get to see a lot more of it.

“Beckett, are you any good at mini golf or do you just stick to football?” Liam asked, glancing up from beside me.

“I’ll let you in on a little secret, if you want?”

“I love secrets!” He beamed, his whole face lighting up like someone had flipped a switch. His grin stretched wide, and his hazel eyes sparkled with pure mischief.

“I actually used to beat your mum at mini golf all the time,” I whispered loud enough for Emily to hear.

“Hey! I won sometimes!” She protested as Liam giggled in between us.

“Only because I let you.” I winked at her, teasing her a little.

Liam seemed to love our bantering almost as much as I did, and when we were distracted by life, it seemed as though she forgot a little about the past and didn’t push me away.

“You’ll have to take it easy on me, mate. You know, since I just had my cast off.” I begged with fake puppy dog eyes that amused him no end.

“You know, I could,” he paused, “but I won’t, so you better bring your A game.”

“Oh, trash talking, eh?” I took the blue golf ball from Em as Liam grabbed the green. “Ready?”

“I was born ready.” He smirked, the exact one I used to give when I was his age to the other kids on the pitch when I knew they didn’t stand a chance.

“This almost makes me wish I just sat out and watched now,” Emily quipped, whilst smiling at Liam more so than me.

I would win Emily Ryton back. No matter what, she belonged with me just as I did her.

“No way are you sitting out of this one. We need someone to lose,” I teased, shooting her a wink.

For a split second, she froze, caught off guard. Then she let out a soft laugh and rolled her eyes, but not before I caught it. The faintest flush bloomed across her cheeks, she ducked her head slightly, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear, trying to hide the soft shade of pink that had crept across her skin, but the smile tugging at her lips gave her away.

It was subtle, but real—and unless I was imagining things, that blush said more than she meant to let on.

“Who says that’ll be me? How do you know I haven’t been practising?”

“Have you?” I asked with a quirked eyebrow.

“Well, no, but—” She paused, knowing just as well as Liam and I did that she’d come in third.

Hole after hole, Liam managed to score a hole in one. He loved every bloody second of beating me. I wasn’t really bothered about winning. What I was bothered about was having a family day with them. Seeing them smile and laugh together made my heart swell with something that felt a lot like love.

“Last one… Are you ready to admit defeat yet?” Liam teased.

“As you said, we still have one more to go.”

We approached the hardest one yet, and even I had to admit it looked impossible to conquer. It was a sharp, tricky par three nestled in a corner of the course that was surrounded by jagged rocks and an unforgiving patch of fake grass that seemed to twist and roll like an uneven carpet. The hole itself was guarded by a narrow, winding stream that snaked its way across the green.

After watching the players before us, it seemed as though patience and precision were required. All it would take was one wrong angle or a too-strong swing for your ball to disappear into the water or spiral off the course entirely.

“You ready?” I asked Liam.

“Watch and learn.” He smirked as Emily stepped back. She had given up and was enjoying the ongoing banter between Liam and me.

I kept an eye on Liam as he judged everything perfectly. He lined up his ball where he thought it should go before giving it a tap with just enough power to clear every single obstacle. We all watched as everything seemed to move in slow motion, watching and waiting for that hole in one…

“I did it!!” He grinned, jumping up and down with excitement at his triumph.

I took my place on the course, placing the ball in the same spot Liam did while he tried his best to distract me, and shit, did it work. I tapped the ball too hard, only for it to end up in the fucking water… Brilliant.

“So, how’s it feel losing to a seven-year-old, Beckett?” he teased.

“If you have to use cheating tactics to win then we need a rematch.” I laughed.

He gave me a genuine, heartfelt smile and said, “Don’t be a sore loser, it doesn’t suit you.”

“You know what, usually I hate losing, but I can cope with losing to you.” I ruffled his hair as he handed his mum his club and ball.

“Can I go and play over there?” He pointed over to the playground area between the course and the ice cream shop.

“Of course, just stay where we can see you.” Emily gave him a reassuring smile before he sprinted off in the direction of the other kids.

“How’s the ankle?” she asked, still keeping her distance.

“It’s fine. A little uncomfortable, but I expected that.” I gripped my crutches tighter. It was the only thing I could do to stop myself from kissing the most infuriating woman I knew. “Besides, I kind of forgot about it when I saw how much fun Liam was having.”

“You’re really good with him,” she complimented.

I knew deep down that I still affected her. I knew that, no matter how much of a front she tried to put on, she still had feelings for me.

“Why don’t you go and find a table, and I’ll get the ice cream.”

She sat down at a table close to the ice cream shop, already pulling out her purse, but there was no way she was paying. “You don’t need to do that. I’ll get it,” she offered.

“Put your bloody purse away, Em, I’ve got it.” I politely demanded.

“Fine, but I’ll get something for us next time.” She was adamant, but I just shook my head, knowing I’d never let that happen.

“I’m going to take a wild guess and say your favourite is still salted caramel?”

“How’d you remember that?” she asked, taken aback that I remembered more than just her old food order.

I leaned down close to her, bringing my lips to her ear as the warmth of my breath tickled her skin. “Because I still know my girl.”