Page 85 of One and Only

His face pulled into a slight sneer. “I’m not stupid. If I say yes, you can get me in trouble.”

I crossed my arms. “Also true. You ever seen what a nail gun can do to someone’s balls?”

His eyes widened, his face leeching of color. “You’re crazy.”

I smiled, leaning in closer to the fence. Then I tapped my temple. “I’d remember that if I were you.”

He reared back. “I’m telling my teacher.”

I shrugged. “Go for it. No one heard me say anything. That’s how it works, right? You push her when no one’s watching so you can’t get in trouble for it?”

His face bent in a frown.

“Someday, you’re gonna bully someone who’s ready to fight back, and I can’twaitto hear about it.”

He sucked in a breath and took off running.

I didn’t feel smug, though. And I didn’t quite feel as victorious as Julia Roberts inStepmom.

I felt helpless.

When I got back in the car, Olive was eyeing me with a mix of curiosity and caution. “What did you tell him?”

“Nothing you need to worry about,” I told her.

And probably something I’d get in trouble for, once Beckett and Josie were apprised of the situation.

I knew him well enough now, he would have been the pragmatic level head. He would have approached everything with calm deliberation.

As I buckled myself in, a hysterical laugh fought to break free at how very much the opposite I was.

“I think I might get in trouble with your dad for that,” I told her.

She met my gaze in the rearview mirror. “I’ll stick up for you, Greer.”

Well shit.

My throat went all tight and achy. “Thanks, Olive.” Before we left the school, I sent Josie and Beckett a text that I had her from school and that I could tell them about what happened later, then I glanced at my watch. “We’ve got a couple of hours until your dad is home. Want to stop at the art supply store and pick out some new stuff?”

“Can we get some new markers?” she asked, eyes bright and the tears long gone.

I’d probably drop thousands without hesitation if it kept her in that kind of mood, but I decided not to tell her that. “You got it, lady. Let’s go do some damage.”

* * *

As it turned out, the damage was already done. We pulled up to the house about two hours later with two big bags from the art supply store and our bellies full of ice cream from the place we’d found just next door.

Even with her newfound trust in me, Olive was a quiet companion for running errands, but the girl did know how to spend someone else’s money just fine.

All it took was a few big-eyed looks, and the expensive markers magically found their way into our cart, along with some nice spiral-bound drawing notebooks and some new pencils I’d been eyeing for myself.

I felt good.

I felt like I was totally nailing the stepmom thing.

Until I put my car in park and caught sight of Beckett waiting for us on the front porch. Through the windshield of my car, his eyes snagged heavy and loaded on mine. My stomach churned uncomfortably, and it felt like someone was pressing with all their might against my chest.

“I’ll get the bags, okay?” I told Olive. “You go say hi to your dad. I’m sure he wants to hear about your day.”

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