Best Laid Plans (The Best Girls 4)

“Maybe Charlie wouldn’t have turned you down. You never gave her a chance.”

“I couldn’t risk it. The kids’ custody depends on me getting married. And anyway, she doesn’t love me. She’s doing everything she can to help Olivia and I get together.”

After a few moments of contemplative silence, Steven told Josh in a tired voice, “You need to know I’m working on the legal end of this custody battle. I don’t want you to get your hopes up, but I’m doing everything I can. If you could gain custody without getting married, then you could start all over with Charlie. Maybe this time things would work out.”

“But if I can’t get my hopes up for that possibility, what should I do in the mean time?”

Steven closed his eyes, rubbing them with his fingers. “I have no idea.”

JOSH SAT IN THE DEN, alone with his thoughts, while the rest of the group gathered in front of the fireplace. He had a slim hope Steven might be able to work a miracle. But other than that, his only real option was to make the marriage with Olivia work. And he knew Steven was right. It had to be a real marriage. It couldn’t be a short-term contract. He could do this—it was mind over matter. He could learn to love Olivia. She was beautiful and smart and sweet. All he had to do was put Charlie out of his mind. Maybe if Olivia saw how devoted he was, she would learn to love him as well. One thing was certain—being around Charlie was like playing with fire. And he’d already been burned.

He felt a tap on his shoulder and turned. “Uncle Josh?” said Jace. “Could you come help me?”

“Sure, buddy. I thought you were already in bed.” He followed Jace up the stairs toward his room. “What do you need help with?”

“Well, I was showing Aunt Charlie the pictures on my phone...”

“Pictures?”

“Yeah, pictures of my mom and my dad.” He glanced warily at Josh. “Are you mad at me?”

“Mad at you? For looking at pictures of your parents?” Josh stopped Jace in the hallway and knelt down in front of him, holding his shoulders. “Jace, of course I’m not mad. You can look at your pictures all you want. And you can show them to me, too.” He pulled him into a hug and squeezed him fiercely. “You know, I didn’t know my parents,” he told Jace, when he felt his little body shaking with sobs. “But my Grandma raised me, and she died when I was just your age. And I looked at my pictures of her all the time. I still do. Okay?”

“Okay,” he muttered with a shuddering breath.

“Did something happen to your pictures?”

“No,” Jace said. “Something happened to Aunt Charlie.”

Josh rushed into Jace’s room to find Charlie passed out on his twin bed, with her head at an awkward position against the wall.

“What happened to her?” he asked Jace.

“I don’t know. She fell asleep, and I can’t wake her up.”

“Did she take something?”

Jace shrugged. “I don’t know what you mean,”

“I mean, did she take a pill to make her sleep?”

“I don’t know.”

Josh felt her pulse at her neck and saw her gentle breathing. He took her hand between his and began to slap her palm. “Charlie! Hey, Charlie! Are you okay?” He pried each of her eyelids open and examined her pupils. Then he pinched the inside of her arm. She moaned and moved her arm in response, but remained asleep.

He told Jace, “Don’t get everybody excited, but will you go get Grammy, please?” As Jace dashed off to retrieve Anne, Josh gently lifted Charlie into his arms and carried her out into the hallway. He realized he wasn’t sure which room was hers, so he checked several rooms trying to ascertain where her bed was. He was still carrying her in his arms when Jace came running up the stairs with Anne behind him, closely followed by every other member of the household.

“What happened to her?” asked Anne, rushing to put her hand on Charlie’s forehead. “Is she sick? Did she pass out?”

“I think she’s just asleep, although I can’t seem to wake her up.”

Steven groaned. “Did she take a sleeping pill? The Best girls seem to overreact to any type of drug.”

“Did you check her pupils?” asked Brad.

“Yes, they’re normal and she responds to pain, at least a little. She just won’t wake up.”

“I’ll look for drugs. Where’s her bathroom stuff?” Brad asked Olivia.