Page 25 of One and Only

“You look a little …”

“Like I’m gonna pass out? Yes.”

His jaw clenched. “Look, I know this isn’t ideal. I hardly know you.”

I laughed incredulously.

“But how is this different from you asking the douche with the rose to marry you for money?”

Honestly, I wanted to be annoyed. I wanted to say that the guy from last night wasn’t a douche, but he really kinda was.

“I would’ve asked him if Rocco hadn’t planted theShrekimage in my head.”

Beckett’s gaze sharpened immediately. “So you didn’t approach anyone else?”

“No,” I said begrudgingly. I rubbed my forehead. “I didn’t … I don’t know how to say it. It sounds—”

“Insane?” His voice was dry, but his face was quite serious.

I managed a nod.

“Because it is,” he said easily. “Only someone desperate would ever think about marrying a stranger for something like this.”

My heart raced. He was serious.

There were a million things to consider.

Two million things we needed to discuss.

“And you’re desperate enough to do this for me?” I asked quietly.

“That’s the thing, Greer. I have enough reason of my own. You won’t find anyone else who can say that.” His eyes blazed with intensity, something visceral that I felt all the way down to my toes. “I will do anything for my daughter, and if this is my chance to have the kind of time with her I’ve only ever dreamed of, then I’m going to take it.”

A father’s love for his daughter. What a powerful, unique thing.

They watched us grow and wanted to protect us. They wanted to make us strong and confident and brave, and be by our side when it mattered.

I thought about Tim, and how the only time I heard him break down about his cancer was because of this specific moment he’d miss.

To be the man who held his daughter’s arm as she began a new life with her husband. The symbolic giving away of a woman he helped to raise, whom he loved and cherished.

He had that kind of love for me, and Adaline and Poppy. It didn’t matter that Adaline and I didn’t share his blood, he loved us all the same.

He’d do something desperate and reckless for us, just like Beckett was willing to do for Olive.

And just like I was willing to do for Tim.

I stood from the stool, approached him with even steps and a growing sense of determination.

Maybe I couldn’t fix everything. Maybe I could only fix one thing for each of us.

Beckett unfolded his body when I got within arm’s reach, and the tendons in his jaw rippled underneath his skin as he took in my expression.

Because I was in flats, I tilted my chin up to meet his eyes. “I was going to talk myself out of the plan before you pulled me into this room,” I admitted.

“You make it sound like I kidnapped you,” he said, totally affronted.

A smile threatened when I patted the side of my purse. “Nah. You know what I keep in here.”

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