“Spill it.” She didn’t flinch at his intense stare.
“I may have... sort of... suggested Grace was considering plastic surgery.”
“What?”
“Shhhh! Keep your voice down—they’re all staring.”
Olivia threw a look over her shoulder and smiled at her siblings. She spoke without moving her lips. “Why would you suggest such a thing?”
“I only said she’d considered it, but I had talked her out of it. It was to protect her from her stalker.”
Olivia’s whisper was strident. “Grace had a stalker?”
“No. Actually, Jasmine Colter’s client had a stalker on Colt 57. Have you seen that show? And her client had plastic surgery to hide from her stalker. I used the plot to convince Brad to tell Grace he was willing to move away from New York City. I was only trying to help them get back together where they belong.”
Her mouth was hanging open. “And Brad believed you?”
He rolled his lips in across his teeth in an effort to stop his smile. “Brad and Josh both believed me.”
“Oh... my... great... grandma. You are in so much trouble.”
“But everything’s okay, right? I mean, Grace doesn’t have to know. And it’s not my fault Brad thought she was having plastic surgery instead of a biopsy. I told him I’d talked her out of it. I’ve just got to talk to Brad and Josh before she wakes up. I haven’t quite figured out my story yet. Have you got any advice? You know, as a younger sibling with years of experience? Can you help me come up with an explanation for Josh and Brad? Or maybe I should fly back to California before Josh comes out of the ER.”
“Uhmm...” Olivia’s wide eyes were fixed over his shoulder.
The hair stood up on the back of Ben’s neck. “Josh is standing behind me, isn’t he?”
“Yep! Nice knowing you.” Olivia melted away like butter.
He felt an iron hand clasp his bicep. “Ben, I hope you’re working hard on that explanation.”
“Josh!” Emily cried out, rushing to join them. “What happened? How’s Brad?”
Josh leaned over to speak in his ear. “This conversation isn’t finished.” He emphasized his words with a vice-like compression on Ben’s arm before turning to Emily and the rest of Grace’s family.
“He’s got a concussion, but he’ll live. The CT scan was clear of intracranial bleeding. I’m not sure he’s ever going to remember the details very well.”
His scowl deepened. “So why are all of you here? And what’s Grace doing here? She had some kind of biopsy?”
Connie answered, “She had a breast biopsy—a needle biopsy on a couple of cysts. And yes, I know most people don’t have sedation for that procedure, but Grace is a little spastic about these things.”
“She told all of us the wrong time for the procedure—two hours later than the real time.” Hannah pressed her lips together.
“She texted me with the right time,” Connie defended.
“But not me,” said Hannah. “Or any of the rest of us. If you hadn’t told us, we wouldn’t even be here yet.”
Josh shook his head. “I know this is a supportive family, but still... All of you here for a needle biopsy? Is ther
e something you’re not telling me? Do they think it’s cancer?”
Emily said, “I was supposed to be here early to sit with her so she wouldn’t be nervous, but I didn’t find out about the time change until eleven thirty.”
“I was coming for the show,” Claire chuckled. “Ow!” Olivia elbowed her ribs.
“What show?” Ben asked.
Connie seared Claire with a ‘we’ll-talk-about-this-later’ look. “I assume Claire is referring to the fact Grace will probably be a little loopy when she comes out of surgery.”