Page 22 of One and Only

Behind the anger, behind the distance he’d put between us and him, was a scared boy who didn’t want to lose his dad. The big sister in me wanted to drag him by his ear back home, wanted to smack him upside the head for acting this way.

But I wasn’t stupid. And I didn’t want to make anything worse.

Parker was trying to assert control in a situation where he felt like he had very little.

Something uncomfortable tugged underneath my ribs. Wasn’t I trying to do the same thing?

“It’s not easy for any of us, Parker,” I said quietly. “That’s the point. Just give me ten minutes, and I’ll go.”

Olive skipped over to us, and I immediately softened my expression. She only gave me the briefest of smiles, but I could already tell that those were hard-earned.

Very much, I mused, like her dad. He kept his distance from where Parker and I stood, watching his daughter as she approached. When she tugged on my brother’s hand, he crouched and leaned in closer. Olive cupped her hand over his ear and whispered something, only allowing the briefest glimpses in my direction.

“I’d love to play bean bag toss, Olly-pop,” Parker said. He gave me a smug smile. “Since there’s no conversation here that needs to be had.”

I narrowed my eyes and gave him my bestI’m flipping you off in my headexpression.

Judging by the look he gave me in return, he was giving me one right back.

My shoulders sank when he scooped Olive into his arms and strode to the opposite side of the field to play whatever game awaited them next.

Kids ran in screaming, laughing packs, players and front office staff mingled with families of all sizes, and suddenly, I felt very alone on that big field.

You can’t fix everything, Greer.

Oh, I hated hearing that voice whisper in the back of my head because yes, I fucking could.

Determination had me gritting my teeth, and as I tried to figure out my next move when it came to the big tall dummy currently ignoring me, a quiet figure joined me.

I didn’t feel dwarfed by many men—the perks of being tall—but Beckett Coleman’s broad shoulders and big arms brushing against mine did the trick quite easily.

When he left the restaurant the night before, I tried to imagine how I would’ve felt if he’d sat down as a husband candidate.

Besides the immediate and obviousholy shit, the heavens have opened up and smiled upon my quest.

“Do you have a minute?” he asked, breaking up the pointless path of my thoughts. “There’s something I want to talk to you about.”

I let out a slow breath, tearing my eyes away from Parker. “Yeah, what’s up?”

He held out a hand, gesturing toward the doors. “Privately, if that’s okay.”

My gaze moved to his face, but I couldn’t read anything on it.

The man had a really good poker face.

I nodded.

“There’s a conference room right across the hall. I’m going to tell Parker to stay with Olive, but I’ll meet you in there.”

How very mysterious.

He didn’t wait for me to agree; he didn’t give me a smile or a hint as to why this couldn’t take place right there. Our little foursome had stayed removed from most of the crowd the entire time I was there.

Instead of leaving the field for the conference room, I turned by the doors and waited for Beckett to join me. He crouched by Olive, his big hand spread over her back. She nodded as he spoke to her, right by her ear.

Watching him with her was like poking a particularly nasty bruise, for multiple reasons.

I was younger than Olive when my mom married Tim. He was the only father I remembered.

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