Best Laid Plans (The Best Girls 4)

Jace loved the fact he wasn’t the one producing the spectacular falls and even managed to retrieve one of Claire’s poles, while spouting some advice about keeping her weight forward. Charlie was proud of her for at least attempting the jump, since both Hannah and Olivia seemed to be afraid to try anything challenging. Jace made it clear he intended to ski a black run before the end of the week. Claire was also planning to conquer at least one black diamond run, but Hannah and Olivia expressed no interest in attempting anything challenging.

The four sisters were so different from each other, with Grace and Claire, the oldest and the youngest, being the most adventuresome and athletic. Charlie complimented Grace on her skill with the snowboard and her rather fearless attitude.

“That’s because you’re so short you don’t have far to fall.” Olivia made the wisecrack, dodging the snowball Grace threw at her head.

Steven, as with every sport, was an excellent skier and snowboarder. Anne, wasn’t quite as skilled, but because of her extreme competitive nature, she always kept up with him and refused to allow any fears to hold her back.

Emily and Spencer were well paired. Spencer was naturally athletic and competitive, while Emily was a smooth, graceful skier, having skied every year since she was five years old.

Charlie had to admit Derek might have bested her on the snowboard if he’d spent half as much time on the slopes. But for now, she enjoyed the fact she could beat him in any race and out-jump him, throwing in a tail-grab or even an occasional three-sixty.

No matter what trick she accomplished, Derek would always throw in, “Yes, but you looked goofy.” This was his way of teasing her for riding ‘goofy-foot’, the term used for riding a snowboard with the right foot forward.

But Josh... Josh was amazing. She hadn’t seen him on a board, but he was probably as good as she was on a pair of skis. She was itching to race him on a black, or maybe get him into a terrain park. Seeing how easily Jace had picked up the skill, she surmised athletic ability must run in his family. She wondered if his sister had also been athletic. What a shame Josh never got to know his sister, and no wonder he was so determined to make sure Jace and Chloe grew up together.

“Can I ride up with you?” Anne asked as they approached the two-person lift at the bottom. “We’ve hardly even seen each other this whole trip.”

“Sure Mom. Is this your way of telling me you want to try snowboarding again?” Anne had attempted boarding once in the past. But after one day of being flung forcibly to the hard ground onto her knees or her bottom, she swore never to try again.

“No, thank you. I’m happy to merely ski for the rest of my life. But I can’t wait to teach Ellis and Micah how to ski. I remember how cute you girls were when you were riding the lifts. Your legs were so short they stuck straight out in front of you and your skis were straight up and down. And we had to give you a boost to get you up onto the lift.”

“What are they doing at the child care? Do they just play in the snow?”

“You’ll have to go see. It’s so cute. They have a playground in the snow. And they put these little short skis on their feet and they just naturally figure out how to move around with them.”

“Awww, how adorable.”

“I’ve been thinking...” Her mom’s voice was tinged with worry. “I wondered if you might be willing to help Olivia a little.”

“Help her with what?”

“Well, you know... She doesn’t really like kids all that much. I thought maybe you could kind of take them off her hands some. I know she’s planning to leave all the actual parenting to Josh, but occasionally he’s going to be gone, and they’ll be her responsibility. Like, if he gets called into work at night. We’ve offered to help, but I thought you’d be a good backup.”

“Surely after a month or so she won’t be afraid to be left with the kids anymore. I mean, she’ll get used to it.”

“Well I suppose she could, but she doesn’t want to. To tell you the truth, I’m kind of worried about Jace and Chloe.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know how to put it... I’m afraid they’ll feel... rejected, I guess. Because I think they’ll be able to sense Olivia resents them.”

“She would never resent them. Olivia’s not like that.”

“Well, I don’t think she would do it on purpose, but this is obviously not the life she would have chosen. She wasn’t ready to be a mother, and these aren’t her kids.”

“But Mom,” she said, “When you love someone, you willingly make little sacrifices. I mean, if Josh loves those kids, she’ll love them, too.”

“It’s so interesting you should say that,” Anne remarked.

“Why?”

“Well, that’s exactly what I thought. I thought if Steven had already had some kids I would have loved them to death, just because he loved them. Just like Steven loved both of you. But Olivia... Well, I don’t want to judge her or anything, but I’m not sure she really loves Josh. I mean, at first I thought she was pretending she didn’t love him because she thought he didn’t love her. But now...” Anne clamped her lips tight. “Oh, Charlie—I shouldn’t have said anything. That was a terrible thing to say. Please forget I said it. I’m a terrible gossip, and I hate people who gossip.”

“It’s okay, Mom. I know you didn’t mean to be critical. You’re just worried.”

“No. Seriously. I’m sure she loves Josh in her own way, even if I don’t understand it. Everything will be fine. I’m sure it won’t end up in a divorce where Jace would have to deal with losing another mother.”

“A divorce?”