Page 75 of Golden Goal

“I’m sorry to bother you. I know you’re busy.”

“It’s no bother. Want to come in?” I step out of the way.

“No, Hazel’s asleep next door, and I don’t want to be gone long. I was hoping you could do me a big favor. I wouldn’t ask, but it’s an emergency.”

“Sure. You could have called me.”

He runs a hand through his hair. “I didn’t even think about it.” He grimaces. “Can you stay with Hazel? She’s asleep and should be for the next few hours. I wouldn’t ask you except—“

I put a hand on his arm to stop his rambling. “Of course. What’s going on?”

“Hadley drove my truck tonight even though I told her to take the G-Wagon, and now the truck won’t start. She’s stuck in Ocala.”

My chest tightens.

I wish I could count on my brother the way Hadley can count on hers.

“That sucks. Did she call a tow truck?”

“It’s on the way. She said she could get a rideshare home, but I’d hate for her to drive all the way back here with a stranger.”

“Understood. Let me grab my stuff, and I’ll be right over.”

“Thank you.” He turns on his heel and hurries back over to his apartment.

He greets me at his door a few minutes later when I knock. Ushering me inside, he gives me a hurried set of instructions about how to make a bottle for Hazel if she wakes up, tells me where the emergency numbers are in case I need them, and then he’s off.

A few hours later, I’m almost through the movie I’m watching when Hazel cries out. I pause it and head into Holt’s room, and over to the crib.

“Hey, Hazel girl.” I reach down and pick her up, but as I lift her out of the crib, she cries harder.

“Shhhh. It’s okay. Let’s get your diaper changed.” I make quick work of changing her, hoping it will help, but she just cries more, her face turning red.

“Oh, my sweet girl. It’s okay. Are you hungry?” I cuddle her closer to me, rocking her gently as I walk out of the bedroom and into the kitchen. She continues to sob.

Now I know how Holt felt all those months ago, when she would cry late at night.

Somehow, I manage to make her a bottle one handed, but it’s all for naught because she refuses it, and cries even more.

“Daddy will be home soon, baby girl.”

I lift her up and put her over my shoulder, wondering if maybe she has gas stuck. I pat her gently on the back, and the crying stops for a second. I breathe out a sigh of relief but then feel something warm running down my back.

“Oh no. Oh no.” I reach for the burp cloth that’s lying on the arm of the couch, and she starts crying again.

Holt trusted me with his daughter for a few hours, and now she’s throwing up. This is all my fault. He’s going to hate me. Blame me for Hazel getting so worked up she got sick.

Before I can so much as move, I hear the front door open, and tears well in my eyes as Hazel continues to cry.

“What happened?” Holt asks, rushing to my side.

He takes Hazel from me, rocking her the same way I was, except when he does it, it has the expected effect, and she starts to calm down.

I shake my head. “I’m sorry. I don’t know.” The tears fall harder now. “She woke up a little bit ago. I tried everything. Changed her diaper. Offered her a bottle. I thought maybe she had a burp stuck. And then this.”

“I got her. I’ll clean her up.” Hadley takes Hazel and walks out of the living room.

“Come on. Let’s get you a clean shirt.” Holt takes my hand and leads me into the bathroom. “Be right back.”