Page 101 of One and Only

Micah approached, and I shook his hand. “Big day,” I told him. “You ready?”

He nodded, eyes bright and excited. “As ready as I’ll ever be. I was told to come fetch you. I think Olive was hoping to see you before the ceremony.” He pointed down a hallway to our right. “Third door on the left is where the girls are getting ready.”

“Do you want me to come?” Greer asked. “I can wait here if you’d rather see her alone.”

I held out my hand in answer, and she slid her fingers through mine with a relieved smile.

“Good,” she whispered. “I didn’t really want to stay, but I thought it was the polite thing to do to offer.”

I was still smiling when the door opened up a crack. Josie’s friend answered the door, making sure the bride was out of view before she let us in.

“Hey, Beckett. They’ll be right out,” she told me and Greer.

I squeezed her hand.

Josie and Olive came around the corner, and my chest cracked open in a big, messy burst.

Releasing Greer’s hand, I crouched down as Olive approached. “Sweet pea, you look so beautiful,” I said. Her dress was a pale yellow replica of Josie’s, with little cap sleeves instead of thin straps, but the same lace along the skirt. In her hair was a delicate crown of white flowers. She walked into my arms for a hug, and I smiled up at Josie, whose eyes were glossy with tears.

“Did you see my flowers?” Olive asked. Gently, she touched the wreath in her hair.

“I love them.” I tapped the end of her nose.

“Josie, you look incredible,” Greer told her. “I love the lace on your dress.”

Josie smiled, but then gestured at Greer to spin. “Umm, I’m sorry, I’m too busy checking you out right now.” She shook her head. “You arehotin that dress.”

Greer laughed, her cheeks going pink again. “I wondered if it was too much,” she said, then she glanced down at me. “But he insisted.”

Behind us, one of the bridesmaids snorted. “I bet he did.”

Her tone wasn’t outright mean, but there was enough of an edge to it that I stood and wound my fingers through Greer’s again.

Josie pinned her bridesmaid with a sharp look, then smiled at Greer. “I’m glad he did. You look amazing.”

Olive did a spin of her own, smiling when the skirt swooshed out around her. “You ready to walk down the aisle?” Greer asked her.

Olive stopped, briefly shrugging one shoulder. “I told Mom that I probably didn’t have to. No one will notice if I don’t do it.”

Josie and I traded a look.

This was always Olive’s struggle. She didn’t want eyes on her, in case she messed up. But she almost always hinted that no one would notice her absence.

Greer made a small humming noise, pulling up slightly on the edge of her skirt so she could crouch down by Olive. I wasn’t sure how she managed it with her feet encased in dangerous-looking heels. But she balanced effortlessly, gently taking one of Olive’s hands.

“You know, I was a flower girl in my second cousin’s wedding,” she said. “I had a huge basket of pink rose petals.”

Olive held her own basket out. “Mine are yellow and white.”

Josie and I traded another look. Normally, this is where I’d step in if Josie wasn’t making headway. It was an odd comfort, having someone else who seemed to know how to handle her.

“Do you know what I did when I walked out there?” Greer asked.

Olive shook her head.

“I hung onto that basket for dear life and didn’t drop a single petal because I was so focused on getting to the end of the aisle,” Greer said. Then she shrugged. “And even though I didn’t do it perfectly, I was so glad I did it when I got to the front of the church because only a super special group of people get to stand at the front of a wedding.” She leaned in. “It’s the Very Important People group. The people who love the bride and groom the most.”

Her eyes went wide, and she glanced up at Josie, who winked.

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