Page 31 of One and Only

He blew out a harsh breath. “Grilled cheese.”

I smiled. “Fancy grilled cheese or regular?”

Beckett was so off-kilter. He blinked a few times. “Both.”

“How long did you and Josie try?” I paused. “After she got pregnant with Olive.”

He scrubbed a hand over his jaw. “I don’t know. A month. Maybe two.”

My eyes moved over his lips. The shadow of stubble on his jaw.

“Greer,” he practically growled.

“Siblings?”

Completely bewildered, he shook his head.

“I have a lot. You know that, though. Four brothers, two sisters, one sister-in-law.” I walked a bit closer, trailing my hand over the edge of the counter. “Biggest pet peeve?”

“People assuming my daughter is stupid because she doesn’t talk much. And drivers who don’t use their blinker.”

Goodness. I fought the smile threatening to grow, not because what he said was funny, but he was so earnest, so damn serious, I could already imagine him taking on every person standing in Olive’s way.

“You and Josie went on dates? Things like that?”

He dipped his chin to his chest. “I suppose.”

“Favorite color?”

Beckett didn’t hesitate this time, looking a bit more comfortable with the constant barrage of questions. “Blue.” He paused. “Should I be asking you the same stuff?”

“No.” I took another step closer, studying his chest and arms. “Josie won’t worry about whether you know this stuff about me,” I said. “But if she’s even slightly protective, she’ll want to trust that I know you.”

That seemed to trip him up. “I don’t know if she will be or not. I’ve never … I haven’t dated anyone since her.”

My eyebrows popped up in surprise. “Really?”

“I only cared about Olive. And my job.”

I nodded slowly. The picture was coming together. Men like Beckett—conscientious and steady and solemn—were often the guys who flew under the radar. I’d never sought them out, and maybe that was where I always got it wrong in my past relationships.

Maybe I was about to find a whole new specimen that had gone previously undetected.

The good guy.

“And it just … didn’t work between the two of you.”

His eyes held steady to mine. “No.”

Just that.

No.

He gave me no other explanation. No further information.

Curiosity curled under my ribs, and I tamped it down ruthlessly. Now was not the time to indulge it. I’d have plenty of time for that.

Time ran down, bringing Josie’s arrival closer and closer, and there was only one other thing I truly worried about.

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