Page 124 of One and Only

Erik paused. “Can’t I do one scary big brother talk? I’m never around to intimidate anyone anymore,” he asked his wife.

She pointed at the house, face unflinching. “No.”

Everyone shuffled past me, and just before she followed, she stopped to squeeze my shoulder. “Good luck,” she whispered.

Beckett pulled the car to a stop with his eyes locked on mine through the windshield.

He took a deep breath, never breaking the stare as he opened the door and unfolded his body.

The car door slamming echoed through the trees, and for a moment, we simply stared.

I could be patient.

I could wait this out.

Give him time to say what he needed to say, for good or for bad.

Except after about five more seconds, I heard myself say, “What are you doing here?”

Patience, as it turned out, might be a work in progress for me.

When he took a few steps closer, I saw the fire roaring in his gaze. “I’m here to get my wife.”

Chapter27

Beckett

My wife.

The words were out before I could register I’d said them.

Two hours in the car, countless things that I’d practiced in my head as my car ate up the miles between me and Greer. The nearer I got, the surer I was.

I’d never once practiced that line. All it took was the sight of her, and the words were there, as easy as breathing.

Her face was slack with shock where she sat on the porch.

I approached slowly and steadily, and her eyes shone with nervous anticipation as I came closer.

I didn’t want to sit next to her on the porch. I wanted to face her, wanted to memorize every inch of her while I told her all the things I wanted to say.

And like she’d heard me think it, Greer carefully stood, her hand gripping the porch rail. She’d been crying, and the proof of that pain on her face sank like a blade into my chest.

“When did you come to this conclusion?” she asked in a shaky voice.

“About an hour after you left.” I wanted to reach for her. Wanted to cup her face in my hands and feel her curl up against my chest as my fingers sank into her hair.

“Olive?” she asked.

Slowly, I shook my head. “Josie said she needed a day or two to cool down, and we’d talk then.”

“Are you okay?” she asked.

“No.” It was the only honest answer I could give her. I was terrified of a lot of things. That Josie would leave and take Olive with her out of anger. That she’d stay, and I’d lose my chance. And on top of those things, I was terrified that I’d lost Greer too.

That my initial burst of panic over what had happened cost me this incredible person who made my life better. Made me better.

“No, Greer,” I said again, “I’m not okay about her. And I’m not okay about you leaving either.”

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