Page 18 of One and Only

Something about our exchange had her eyes wide and her mouth hanging open.

She cleared her throat when she realized I was staring. “Beckett,” she said, with a small smile.

Parker looked in her direction. “Oh, right. You two met recently.”

“Thanks again for connecting us,” I told him.

“That’s why you’re here,” Parker said to his sister. It sounded accusatory.

“One of the reasons,” she answered.

I blew out a slow breath, and she gave me a long, steady look.

Keep your mouth shut,that look proclaimed.

“I’m glad Beckett mentioned this event today,” Greer continued. “I would hate to miss an opportunity to see my brother.”

When Parker’s jaw tightened, the subtext of her statement had me staring down at the floor.

“I didn’t think anyone would drive over to Portland for this,” Parker said.

“Well, maybe you can let us decide that for ourselves next time.”

I knew Parker had a large family—a couple of brothers and at least as many sisters, but he’d been quiet about them the last few months.

Olive patted Parker’s head. Hard.

I smothered a smile.

“Sorry, Olly-pop, is the adult conversation boring you?” He squeezed her leg, and she giggled. “Ready to go play catch?”

She nodded, even though he couldn’t see her. My daughter’s eyes settled on Greer and the curiosity was clear, even though she’d never instigate conversation with an adult she didn’t know.

I tapped Olive’s leg. “That’s Miss Greer,” I told her. “She’s Parker’s sister.”

Greer somehow knew not to push for a handshake or high five, something most people did upon meeting my daughter. “I love your dress,” she said. “It’s perfect for playing football.”

Olive’s cheeks blushed pink, but without anywhere to hide, she simply dropped her gaze from Greer’s and tugged again on Parker’s head to get him to move.

This was always the point when I watched the people’s reactions carefully.

My daughter—for whatever reason—was painfully shy. Had been from birth, it seemed like. Meeting new people was difficult for her. And Josie and I had worked very hard, with more than one professional, to make sure we wouldn’t push her further into her shell by forcing her to interact before she was ready.

We never shamed her for not wanting to talk, and we gently corrected any adult who attempted to do that when they met her for the first time.

My gaze moved to Greer, the breath catching in my lungs while I waited to see how she’d react.

Olive’s eyes darted back over to Greer, who simply smiled. “If you need a third person to play catch with, you just wave me over, okay?” She leaned in. “I’mreallygood at making Parker miss.”

Parker scoffed. “Yeah, because you can’t aim for crap.”

When Olive smiled back at Greer—only the slightest curl to her lips, but a smile nonetheless—my heart stuttered over a few beats.

Parker walked into the practice field, where families and friends gathered in large groups. Music was playing, and they’d set up lawn games all over the field. The front office staff mingled, handing out balloons and gift bags full of Voyager gear to the kids running around, and the sound of chatting and laughter faded when the door swung shut behind Parker.

“So,” I said, “Parker had no idea you were coming, did he?”

Greer grinned. “Nope. I do love surprising my brothers, even when there’s a very healthy chance it’ll piss them off.”

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