Page 121 of One and Only

Greer

“I think she’s broken,” one of my brothers whispered dramatically. “I didn’t know a human being could cry this much.”

When I snatched a book from the end table and chucked it at him, I was two inches off from hitting him square in the balls.

Cameron deflected it with an incredulous huff.

Erik laughed, but his smile faded immediately when Lydia leveled him with a wife-death glare from where she sat on one side of me, rubbing my back.

Poppy was on the other side, the official holder of the tissue box.

Adaline was on FaceTime, watching everything with a sympathetic look on her face.

My mom and Tim sat on the couch, holding hands and just trying to keep their adult kids from losing their minds.

Judging by my general state, they had some more work to do.

I’d hardly stopped crying since I got back home.

There was a pile of tissues on the coffee table, and I plucked another one out of the box in Poppy’s hands to blow my nose.

“How is there anythingleftin there?” Cameron asked.

“Cameron Wilder,” my mom snapped. “Go outside if you can’t be nice.”

Tim settled back in his seat, laying his hands over his stomach and sighing. “Doesn’t it feel like they’re little again? You used to say that a dozen times a day.”

My mom managed a tiny smile. “At least.”

“Josie will forgive him,” Poppy assured me. “She has to. We can all see what a good dad he is.”

I rubbed the wadded-up tissue underneath my nose. “I think she will too, but at what cost? What if …?” My voice trailed off, the tears threatening to bubble over again. “What if she tries to change the custody agreement, or he gets less time with her because we did this big, horrible thing?”

“She won’t do that,” my mom soothed. “She might be upset for a while, and she’s earned the right to be. But I don’t think she’ll take it that far. She knows you’re both good people just trying to do right by the people you love.”

I shook my head. “You didn’t see her face. Or his,” I whispered brokenly. “I don’t think I can ever forgive myself if he loses time with her because of this.”

“Do you want to get out of Oregon for a bit?” Adaline asked through the phone speaker. “Emmett will be gone for a week on that retreat he’s doing with his offensive line and receivers, so I’ll have the house to myself. We can eat horrible food and watchPretty Womanon repeat if you want,” she said.

I shrugged. “I don’t know. We’re so busy at work and … I have to go back to get the rest of my things.” My eyes watered again. “I hope it’s okay if I move back in for a while,” I said to Mom and Tim.

They shared a look, and Tim patted her hand. “Of course you can. Your mom pretends she wants the house empty, but she’s full of bluster.”

Mom smiled.

Poppy laid her head on my shoulder. “I’m sorry, Greer. I really thought you two were…” She paused. “The dream.”

Her words caused a splintering down the center of my chest, jagged and sharp. If I tried to touch it, it would make me bleed.

My mom tapped Cameron’s arm. “Everyone out. Time for the rest of you to make yourselves busy, we need to talk to Greer.”

Tim held up a hand. “Before you do, though, I’d like to make a statement.”

We all quieted.

One by one, he looked us square in the eye. “If anyone else in this family pulls any more of this fake relationship bullshit before I die, I’m cutting you out of my will.”

Cameron pinched the bridge of his nose.

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