Best Laid Plans (The Best Girls 4)

“So why does he want to get married, anyway?” asked Hannah. “You’ve been saying you’re going to explain it ever since Grace’s wedding, and you haven’t done it yet.”

“I think it’s Josh’s story to tell,” said Olivia. “Maybe he’ll explain it on the ski trip.”

“But Olivia, I think he’s in love with you,” Charlie argued. “I really do. I’ve seen how he looks at you. It’s like his life would be over without you. He’s really devoted.”

“That’s not what you saw, Charlie.” Olivia made the assertion with a confident tone. “He thinks he needs me, but he doesn’t. And need isn’t the same as love. But it doesn’t matter, because I’m not in love with him. And he knows it.”

Charlie restrained herself from arguing further. She had no right to tell Olivia to act differently than she’d behaved herself. Now Josh was going to be hurt all over again.

Unless... Unless she could change Olivia’s mind. Steven said Josh was joining them on the ski trip. Perhaps during their week in Colorado, there would be an opportunity. She could even enlist her mom’s help. The thread of a plan began to weave in her mind.

“UNCLE JOSH?”

“Yes, Jace.” Josh was wrestling with Chloe, who was squirming and screaming in objection to putting on a diaper.

“No! No dy-pee! I not a baby!”

“Yes, you are,” said Jace. “You’re only two. You’re a baby.” At this, Chloe began to cry in earnest.

“Jace, you’re not helping,” Josh growled. “What did you want?”

“I wondered when Aunt Olivia is coming back.”

“She’s coming over tonight.”

“Good.”

“Why? Do you like her better than me?” Josh quipped.

“She’s nice. She brought cookies. Hey, Uncle Josh?”

“Yes, Jace.” Josh struggled to pull a clean shirt over Chloe’s head.

“What do you do at the hospital?”

“I’m a doctor in the emergency room.”

“Oh! Do you poke holes in people’s throats and stick straws in? I saw this show on TV, and the doctor stuck a straw in this guy’s throat, and there was blood and everything, but then the guy started breathing through the straw! Do you do that?”

Josh finally succeeded in sliding the shirt down and forcing Chloe’s arms through the sleeves. Upon her release, she immediately took off at a dead run for the entertainment center. Josh caught her just before she crashed into the glass cabinet doors.

“So do you? Do you put straws in people’s throats?”

“Uhmm, no. I don’t think I’ve ever done that.” Josh gently placed the wriggling girl on the floor in front of a huge pile of oversized Legos.

“Awww.”

Josh couldn’t help being amused at Jace’s sad puppy dog face. He tried to think of something that might impress his nephew. “But a guy came in today with a broken leg, and his bone was sticking out.”

“Cool! Was there blood and everything?”

“Yes—lots of blood.” Josh smiled. “You’re not afraid of blood?”

“No way. I like it. And my friend at school, Gavin—sometimes when he’s sitting at his desk, blood will start running out of his nose. And sometimes it drips on his shirt and stuff. And he gets to go to the nurse. And one time I got to go with him because he was holding his head back, and he couldn’t see where he was going.”

“That’s pretty awesome,” said Josh. “If you like blood, maybe you might like to be a doctor some day when you grow up.”

“No. I’m going to be a jet pilot,” he said, plopping on the floor to join his sister. Chloe proceeded to scream in protest every time her brother picked up a Lego.