Page 123 of One and Only

I managed a shrug. “Nothing tonight. He needed some space, and I understand.”

“That boy feels something real for you,” my mom said. “I knew it from the first night. It’s the only reason I didn’t say anything.”

I glanced sideways. “Really?”

She nodded. “He sure didn’t know what to do with you, but I figured he’d get there eventually. You have a way of wearing people down, Greer Wilder.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “Thanks,” I said dryly.

Mom smiled. “You know I mean that in the best possible way.”

I sighed. “I don’t know if he’ll let himself figure it out,” I admitted. “And maybe with anyone else, any other man I’ve ever been with, wearing them down is perfectly fine.” I turned, my back to the window. “But I don’t want Beckett to simply wave the white flag and say,fine, I won’t resist anymore. That doesn’t feel much like love, does it?”

“No, I suppose it doesn’t.”

I took a drink of water, my throat ravaged from all the crying. “This might sound strange, but the fact that he resisted so strongly is how I knew it was real. Even if he couldn’t admit it.” My skin flushed warm when I thought about the reception. One moment in the dark. Hopefully not our only one. “If he cared less, he would’ve given in earlier.”

My mom’s smile was soft. “We’re treading awfully close to me having to hear about my adult daughter’s sex life, and I make a point to never do that.” She leaned in for a hug. “He’ll come around, Greer. I know it.”

Tim was already dozing on the couch, his stamina wiped from his daughter snotting all over him, and I watched while my mom covered him with one of the fuzzy blankets he preferred.

I took my water and wandered out onto the front porch, taking a seat on the top step to watch them play basketball. Poppy jumped in front of Cameron, kicking at his legs when he tried to dribble past her.

“Foul,” he yelled, jumping out of the way of her violent defense. “Holy shit, Pops, you can’tkickpeople in basketball.”

“You’re eight inches taller than me,” she said. “How else am I supposed to stop you from scoring?”

Erik and Lydia had given up. She sat on the hood of their car, smiling up into his face as he tucked a stray hair behind her ear. My brother kissed his wife, soft and sweet, then wrapped her in his arms.

My chest hurt, so I looked away.

I wasn’t sure what I planned to do about Beckett, what I planned to say when I saw him next.

I took a deep breath and stared out at the three sisters—the mountain peaks that always told me when I was home.

But tonight, even surrounded by the people I loved so much, it didn’t feel like home.

That was the place I’d left just a few hours earlier, and I didn’t know what to do about that.

Lydia made her way over and took a seat next to me. “Erik and I are going to go on a hike tomorrow while your parents watch Isla. You can join us if you want.”

I nodded. “Maybe some fresh air will do me good. Which hike?”

“Black Butte Lookout,” she said.

I was just about to answer her when the sound of a car hit my ears. The road leading back to the house was long, and it took a minute for the vehicle to come into view, and by the time it did, my heart was thundering wildly underneath my rib cage.

“Is that…?” Lydia leaned forward, eyes narrowed. Then she glanced at me, a huge smile blossoming on her face.

Cameron and Poppy stopped playing, Erik had turned toward the road, and we all watched in stunned silence as Beckett’s vehicle thundered down the road toward the house.

I was fairly certain my heart had stopped beating because I definitely couldn’t breathe and I couldn’t think, and if I tried to stand, my legs would probably give out.

So I kept my ass right where it was, my lungs desperately trying to pull in air.

Lydia was the first one on her feet. “Everyone, inside.”

Poppy sighed dejectedly. Cameron shoved her forward.

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