Page 40 of One and Only

They all laughed, Greer leaning into my shoulder as she covered her mouth.

When the table was cleared and Poppy helped Sheila with the dishes in the kitchen, Greer and I sat out on the front porch with Tim. His eyes were closed as he rocked back and forth in the big wooden chair, and I studied Greer’s face as she watched her dad.

The love was clear. It didn’t matter that he wasn’t her biological dad.

Greer looked at him like I looked at Olive.

She’d do anything—moral implications be damned. Quietly, I slid my hand over hers, gripping her fingers. Greer’s eyes were glossy with tears, and I watched her force them back by sheer force of will.

“I like you, Beckett,” Tim said quietly. His eyes slowly opened, locked unerringly on the place where my hand held hers. “And I like seeing you happy, my sweet Greer.”

“You’re the only person who calls me sweet,” she said, voice light and teasing.

“Maybe.” He sighed. “Maybe. But that’s because I know you. Do you think she’s sweet, Beckett?”

I turned, giving her a frank appraisal, which she met head-on.

“No,” I said quietly. “I wouldn’t call her sweet.”

Her cheeks blushed a pretty pink, but she kept her gaze on mine. “What would you say, then?” she asked.

“She’s fearless,” I said. “Some people are too afraid to love that way, undaunted by whatever might come next, which might look like sweetness to some. But I just see a big, brave heart.”

I blinked away, shocked by what I’d said. Based on how Greer’s hands fidgeted under mine, she felt the same way.

When I glanced back at Tim, he was watching us with a small, satisfied smile on his face.

“I like that answer,” he murmured. The front door opened, Sheila joining us while Poppy continued to dry dishes in the kitchen.

I squeezed Greer’s hand, and when she gave me a questioning look, I nodded.

We’d never find a better time to do it or better circumstances.

“Sir, ma’am,” I said to Tim and Sheila, “I know this is going to seem awfully sudden. I’m never a man who does something without thinking it through or without being sure of my next step.” I sucked in a deep breath. “Your daughter has spun my world around since I met her. And I think she feels the same way about me.”

Greer gave me a soft smile. My heart thundered in my chest when Tim and Sheila exchanged a look.

My voice was strong and steady when I spoke next. “I’d like to marry Greer, if we could have your and your wife’s blessing.”

His mouth fell open, his brows shooting up on his forehead. Sheila sank down into the chair next to him, like her legs slowly gave out. “You…” He exhaled a shocked burst of air, meeting his wife’s eyes briefly. “Holy shit, really?”

“Greer,” Sheila breathed.

Greer laughed quietly. “I know how this sounds.” She turned her hand over, winding her fingers through mine. “And we know how fast we’re moving.”

The woman beside me squeezed my hand, passing the proverbial baton.

“I need you both to know something,” I said. “About my daughter, and how she plays into this.”

And they listened without interruption, their expression varying between sympathy, and understanding, and blatant concern. Weaving that kernel of truth into the conversation helped me look them in the eye.

When I finished, Sheila was covering her mouth with one hand. Tim let out a slow breath.

“You’re a good father, Beckett,” he said. “No one would ever doubt that. And I know a little about how much a loving parent will sacrifice for their kids.” He cleared his throat. “I’ve got seven adults walking around this earth, and they all have pieces of my heart. I can’t get them back, and I wouldn’t want to, even if I could.”

Sheila wiped away a quiet tear, settling her hand on her husband’s back.

“But I don’t want my daughter used as a pawn, either,” he said quietly.

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