Page 87 of One and Only

“It’s a role you asked me to play,” I said, quiet but firm.

Beckett exhaled a puff of air, turning slightly toward me to fully meet my gaze. His eyes were hot and his face stern, but he didn’t argue.

I kept going. “And it’s a responsibility that you and Josie have given me of your own free will, more than once. When you had your bachelor party, and when she called the school of her own volition to add me to the pickup list.” An urgent, undeniable knot of emotion was climbing up my throat, and I ruthlessly shoved it down. “Two days ago, I wouldn’t have even been able to pick her up, let alone walk her out of that school and be in a position where I’m the first adult she can confide in. And she did.”

The heat in Beckett’s eyes shifted a little with each word. It didn’t fade, and it didn’t disappear. It changed. And I wasn’t sure what it meant.

“Shetrustsme, which I don’t take lightly. And I know you don’t either.”

He groaned, covering his face with his hands so I couldn’t see his expression while he processed that little gem.

“I know she’s not my daughter.” My throat tightened at the words. “And I’ve never had to deal with school politics before, so I hear you. I shouldn’t have said what I said. I will apologize to Josie. I will happily call the little shithead’s parents and apologize for crossing the line, but I can’t apologize for protecting her in the same way I’d protect anyone else in my family.” I paused, my voice threatening to crack on the last word. “I had to dosomething,” I whispered.

Beckett was pressing the heels of his palms against his eyes, and I tried to figure out if this was making it even worse or if I was making some invisible headway.

The corded muscles in his forearms flexed, and it was no longer the third thing I noticed. With his elbows braced on the tops of his thighs and his hands covering his face, he was the very picture of a conflicted man.

I could only imagine the thoughts going through his head. There were so many to choose from, but they all pretty much rotated around one theme.

What the ever-loving fuck did I do marrying this woman?

Something urgent chased through my brain because last night had felt so different when he came home—sweet and flirty and a new sort of comfortable. This was not sweet. Or flirty. And it sure as shit wasn’t comfortable.

“Please don’t ask me to do nothing if she’s in my care,” I continued. “I know that part of your job as her dad is teaching her how to fight her own battles. That’s what my parents did too. But I can’t do nothing if I see her like that.”

Beckett speared his hands through his hair and stared down at the ground. Then he pushed off the porch and paced forward a few steps.

Oh gawd, he couldn’t even look at me.

This was really, really bad.

Finally, Beckett dropped his hands and took a deep breath. But still, he didn’t face me.

“I’m sorry I did that,” I whispered. “And I hope you can forgive me.”

He held up a hand, turning slightly. “I’m not mad.” The sound of his voice was husky, curling around the words like he couldn’t believe he was saying them.

I blinked.

“Not mad is a good start,” I ventured. “I mean, you’d have every right to be if you wanted. I did ask a kid if he knew what happened when you took a nail gun to someone’s balls.”

“You said what?” Beckett’s voice was a low hush, something I felt all the way down my spine.

I winced. “It wasn’t my finest moment, I know. I was just so …angry. And it really is okay if you’re upset. I overstepped.”

The muscle in his jaw flexed.

“I’m not mad,” he said again. His eyes were on fire. “I’m trying very hard not to kiss you right now.”

Chapter19

Beckett

The words dropped between us, detonating with the grace of a nuclear bomb. And for once—finally—I was the one delivering the blow.

It was always her—the head-whirling storm that had descended into our life, who didn’t think before she spoke or acted or pushed forward.

But for once, the truth burst out of me without a single attempt to stop it. Because if I hadn’t said the words, I would’ve simply grabbed her, simply would’ve taken her face into both hands so I could stamp my mouth over hers.

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