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“JOSH IS DOING WHAT?” Surely Anne had misunderstood Steven’s explanation.
“He’s adopting his niece and nephew. The girl is two and the boy is nine. Josh didn’t tell me the whole story... But it turns out he grew up in foster care and only located his sister this past year. And you remember hearing she and her husband died last month in a car wreck?”
“Yes. That was so awful.”
“So now he’s fighting for custody, and evidently that’s why he’s trying to get Olivia to marry him. But we’re sworn to secrecy on that.”
“Well, it explains a lot. We can’t even tell the girls?”
“No, we can’t. He needs the ad litem to believe he and Olivia were already planning to marry. He can’t find out they’re getting married so he can win custody.”
“But a marriage like that would never work,” Anne objected.
“I agree, but that’s not the current issue. His problem now is he and Olivia are getting temporary custody of the kids for two weeks, starting Sunday.”
“And it’s a problem because they’re not married yet?”
“No. It’s a problem because Olivia is supposed to go with us on the big ski trip starting next weekend.”
“Oh... that’s right. So she can’t go?”
Steven smiled. “I hope you don’t mind, but I offered for Josh and the kids to come with us.”
“That would be fun. Micah and Ellis will have a playmate. Is there enough room in the house?”
“It’ll be a little tight, but we’ll make do. He also needed to find a nanny, pronto. So I gave him the number for our agency.”
“And maybe the little girl could come here in an emergency. I’m sure Heidi could handle a third.”
“Yes, but Heidi’s off until after the first of the year, so that would mean Charlie would be watching her. Are you up to some kind of matchmaking scheme again?”
“Who, me? Matchmaking?” Anne blinked her eyes in a parody of innocence, continuing with an exaggerated Southern drawl, her hand pressed over her heart. “Why, I would nev-ah do such a thing!”
Steven’s mouth twisted as he attempted a stern look while obviously trying not to laugh. “Seriously, Anne. Don’t start meddling.”
“I’m just kidding. I think it would be kind of hard on Charlie, even though she swears she doesn’t have any feelings for Josh. Hopefully, he won’t have a nanny-emergency until Heidi comes back.”
He looked unconvinced, but Anne could hardly be offended by his skepticism, since she had a rather colorful track record.
“When will he get final custody?” She tried to change the subject.
“I’m not sure. He said the hearing is scheduled for February.” Steven raised his eyebrows. “So his plan is to be married by then.”
“Are you kidding? He’s planning to marry Olivia by February?”
“Yes, but she hasn’t agreed to do it. Listen... He also wants us to help talk her into it.”
“I don’t know if I can do that. Did you tell him we would?”
“I told him we’d talk about it. And I told him at least we wouldn’t try to discourage her. Is that fair?”
“But this seems like a terrible idea for Olivia. I don’t see how she couldn’t get hurt, unless there’s a chance they might really love each other.”
Steven grimaced. “I don’t think it’s a love match. He’s offering to pay for her medical school in exchange for a year of marriage, with an annulment at the end.”
Anne groaned. “Oh, no. Isn’t there something you can do? Can’t you somehow fix this thing so he can adopt the kids without being married?”
He rolled his eyes. “Contrary to popular belief, you can’t fix everything by throwing money at it. But I’m going to meet with him to talk more. He could adopt both kids without being married, except he’s got competition for the little girl. His sister’s in-laws want to adopt Chloe. I think he should try to talk to them, but he’s really angry they don’t want the boy.”
“Why would they only take the girl? I can’t believe they’d want to separate the kids.”
“Evidently, the boy has a different father. So they only want custody of their son’s daughter. But I think it’s possible they’ll listen to reason, if Josh can control his temper with them.”
“It would be so much better if Josh could just adopt them on his own, without involving Olivia.” Anne looked up through her lashes and batted her eyes at Steven, pooching out her lower lip. “Are you sure we can’t tell anyone? I think Emily and Charlie—”
“That’s not going to work. The answer is no. I promised we wouldn’t talk about it.”
“He’ll have to say something to explain things when we go on the ski trip. Right?”
“That’s his problem. He can explain it when the time comes, or he could decide to tell everyone the truth tomorrow. But we’re leaving that decision to him.” He gripped her hand, pausing until she gave him her full attention. “Anne, are we in agreement? We only have permission to help persuade Olivia to marry Josh. So other than that, you’re not to interfere.”
Anne’s mind was already whirling with possibilities. Josh and Olivia obviously needed her help. They just didn’t know to ask for it. She could still help solve their problems, but she’d have to be careful not to be discovered. A sigh slipped out. “Why does life have to be so complicated?”
“I know,” said Steven. “This is insane. We should write a book about it.”
*****
“SO MOM,” EMILY SAID, with a quick glance to assure no one could overhear their conversation in the break room at Gherring Inc. “It’s really interesting about Josh and Olivia, isn’t it?” She suspected her mother might know about Olivia’s pregnancy.
“Uhmm... Yes. It’s really interesting.”
“I mean. You know. How they’re planning to get married so quickly?”
“Yes.” Her mother’s eyes were wide with surprise. “You know about that?”
“I know why Josh wants them to get married. Do you know why?”
“I know why, but I just found out. And I thought you didn’t know. And I’ve been warned not to talk about it.”
“Well, Josh talked to Spencer on Monday. How did you find out?”
“He talked to Steven last night. But Steven didn’t think you knew about it.”
“Josh probably didn’t want us to talk to each other about it. He’s probably afraid someone will hear about it. Olivia hasn’t even told her sisters or her parents, has she?”
“No, I don’t think so,” said Anne. “You know, Steven told me not to interfere, but I can’t just sit back and do nothing. I figure this needs to go one of two ways. Either we need to get those two to fall madly in love with each other, or we need to talk them out of getting married.”
“I couldn’t agree more. I can’t believe Olivia’s even considering marrying Josh with plans to end the marriage in a year.”
“I know. Right?”
“It’s stupid. There are plenty of single parents out there. I don’t understand why they’re even considering getting married when they don’t love each other.”
“Yes. If only the grandparents weren’t fighting for custody,” said Anne.
Emily gasped. “Whose parents?”
“His parents. That’s the whole reason Josh wants to get married. It’s the only way he can be sure the grandparents won’t win custody.”
“How awful to have such terrible family relationships. No wonder Josh never talked about his family or his past.” Emily legs felt weak, and she sank into her chair. Josh’s parents were trying to win custody of Olivia’s baby? It was unbelievable. Surely the courts would never rule in their favor. “This is ridiculous. There has to be some other way. I don’t think Olivia should marry him like this, but now I can see why he’s so adamant about it.”
“He’s been told he and Olivia have to be married to be certain they’ll get custody. But Steven wants to help Josh try to reason with them. Right now, Josh is so angry he says he’d lose his temper if he talked to them.”
“I’d be angry, too, if I were him. When are they going to tell Olivia’s parents?”
“I don’t know. If you ask me, they should be upfront about it. I think Olivia’s trying to protect Josh. She probably thinks her parents will be pretty upset.”
“When I talked to her, she didn’t tell me about the whole custody battle thing,” said Emily. “That’s totally bizarre.”
“Well, Steven’s doing everything he can. He knows some pretty good attorneys who may be able to help,” said Anne. “I’m glad you talked to Olivia. I was worried about her. How’s she handling everything? Is she feeling a lot of pressure?”
“I think so. She said she was glad to be able to talk to someone. And I’m afraid she’s not taking good care of herself right now. She’s working double shifts to earn extra money.”
“I’m so glad we talked about this.” Her mother grinned. “I’m gonna make sure she gets pampered on the ski trip.”
“Yes, and we’ll be sure she gets plenty of sleep as well.”
“Does Charlie know?” asked Anne.
“I don’t know, but I don’t think so. You know, Mom... Despite what she says, I think Charlie still has a thing for Josh. I’m afraid she’s gonna be really hurt when all of this comes out.”
“If Charlie had moved here six months ago, it’s possible all of this would have been happening with Josh and Charlie instead of Josh and Olivia,” Anne remarked.
“Mom, do you really think so? I mean, Charlie’s been holding him at arm’s length for two years.”
“Yes, but I think she might not have held him off if she hadn’t been living in Colorado. And you know how Charlie is. She has a soft spot for babies. And if you’re right and she still has a thing for Josh...”
“But if it had happened with Charlie, I don’t think Josh would only want to get married for a year. I think he’d want to get married forever.”
“You’re probably right.” A wistful look settled on Anne’s face.
“Mom, you’re not wishing it was Charlie in this predicament instead of Olivia?”
“No, I guess not. But you know I always look for romance whenever I can find it, and this situation isn’t very romantic.”
“You’ve got that right,” Emily agreed. “I really feel sorry for Olivia.”
“I’m with you. Olivia’s under a lot of pressure right now.”
“I’m so glad we talked about this.” She lowered her voice as someone joined them in the break room.
“Me, too.”
*****
“OLIVIA?”
“Yes, Dr. Branson?” Olivia knew her annoyance was obvious. She’d done her best to avoid Josh during her shift in the emergency room.
She saw him wince at her formal address. “Come on, Olivia. There’s no one around us right now.”
“But we’re still at the hospital, and anyone could overhear us,” she said with pronounced irritation.
“I just wanted to check on you. You were great yesterday at the hearing.”
“I didn’t do anything.”
“Yes, but you showed up. That’s what I needed.”
Olivia refused to be buttered-up by his gratitude. She crossed her arms and lifted her chin. “So it’s all arranged? You’re getting the kids on Sunday?”
“Yes, and I won’t be at Sunday night dinner. I’ll make some excuse. But you don’t have to miss it.”
“But you’ll expect me to come over after work during the week, right?”
“Yes, you need to spend time with the kids.”
She scrunched up her nose. “Josh, you remember I haven’t agreed to the marriage, right?”
“Yes, but for now, you’re all I have.”
“Kids aren’t really my thing, you know.”
“I know. But you don’t have to take care of them. You just need to play with them a little bit. You could do that, couldn’t you?”
“Sure, Josh, but—”
“And you get to go on the ski trip. It’s all arranged with Steven. He knows the whole story.”
“But everyone else doesn’t know the story. When are you going to tell them?”
He blew out a heavy breath. “I’ll tell Grace and Brad on Wednesday, when they come back in town. But I was kind of hoping to wait on everyone else.”
“And how are you going to explain it when you show up on Gherring’s jet with Jace and Chloe?”
“I was just going to say they’re my niece and nephew, and not explain why they’re with me. No one’s even told Jace what’s going on.”
“And I’m supposed to act like I’m in love with you whenever I’m around the kids? Including the whole time we’re on the ski trip?”
“Will it be such a hard thing to do?”
Olivia was incensed at his teasing grin. “It’s getting harder all the time.”
“Jace will be so excited about everything going on, he won’t notice whether you and I are acting lovey-dovey or not. He’s only nine.”
“Okay, fine.” Abruptly she changed her tone. “We can discuss that patient’s medications after I check the vitals, Dr. Branson,” she said for the benefit of the nurse who arrived behind Josh. “Hi, Rachel. I like your earrings.”
Rachel’s face flamed bright red, as Josh turned around to look at her. She covered her mouth with her hand, her cackle ringing out, echoing down the hallway.
Olivia wondered why she’d never noticed Rachel’s hyena laugh before.
*****
CHARLIE WAS TOTALLY worn out. After a week of keeping Micah and Ellis, she was glad for the weekend break.
“I don’t know how Mom and Steven do it,” she told Emily and Spencer, as she helped set the table for dinner. “Day after day. I mean, I love the boys, but they wear me out. I’m sure I’ll miss them, but I definitely need Saturday and Sunday to recover.”
“I know what you mean,” Emily agreed. “After I babysit the twins, I just fall into bed and go straight to sleep. They never stop moving.”
“Well, I really appreciate y’all cooking dinner for me tonight. Hopefully, I won’t pass out and drop my head into my bowl of chili.”
“So are you coming over to Mom and Papa’s house for Sunday night dinner?” asked Spencer.
“I wouldn’t miss it,” Charlie said with a wink. “Sunday dinners are one of the main reasons I moved to New York. What are you cooking?”
“I’m making lasagna.”
“But he makes real lasagna, from scratch,” Emily hastened to explain.
“Really?” Charlie grinned. “I thought lasagna only came from the frozen food section.”
The chili was consumed quickly, with moans of appreciation coming from Charlie. “Ohmygosh! This is so awesome. I haven’t had good chili in forever.”
“It’s especially good when you add the extra onions and cheese and sour cream,” said Emily.
“I know,” Charlie agreed. “I usually skip the onions, but I don’t need to worry about my breath tonight. No one’s getting that close to me any time soon.”
“We should remedy that,” Emily declared. “Do you want to go out dancing Saturday night? I bet Hannah and Claire would go with us.”
“But not Olivia?” Charlie queried.
“Uhmm, she might. But you know... She’s been working a lot of extra shifts and all...”
Charlie gave her sister a measuring look. “Or is it because of the Olivia and Josh thing? Did you find out they really are getting married? Because you can tell me—I’m totally over him.”
Emily hesitated, exchanging glances with Spencer. “No. We still don’t know if they’re going to get married. And, we both think it’s a bad idea.”
“Why is that?”
“Uhmm...” Emily screwed up her face. “Because...”
“Because he doesn’t love her,” declared Spencer. “And he’s a jerk!”
“Spencer,” Emily scolded.
“I don’t care. I’m still mad at him, and it’s his fault.”
“What’s his fault?” asked Charlie.
“Everything!” Spencer declared, clanging the dishes together as he cleared the table.
“Spencer, you’re going to break something,” said Emily. “And ix-nay on the Josh ashing-bay.”
“Why? What did Josh do?” asked Charlie.
Emily put her hand on Spencer’s arm to prevent him from responding. “We just don’t think they should get married. Olivia’s feeling pressured, and they’re not doing it for the right reasons.”
“Well what are the reasons, then?” Charlie asked.
“Just tell her,” Spencer growled. “She’s going to find out eventually. And it’s not like she’s going to tell anyone. Your mom and dad already know.”
Emily hesitated. “Maybe it would be better if you found out from us. But please don’t say anything, and you have to act surprised when Olivia tells you.”
“Tells me what?” Charlie asked, with growing exasperation.
“Olivia’s pregnant!” said Spencer.
Charlie felt a surge of nausea as she struggled to keep her composure. Somehow this was worse than thinking they were just in love with each other. She spoke in an even tone, careful to banish any emotion from her voice. “Then I think they should get married. They obviously love each other, and Josh needs to step up and make a commitment.”
“Josh is willing to make a commitment all right,” Spencer fumed. “But only a short-term commitment.”
“What do you mean? Short-term?” asked Charlie.
“Olivia says they’re not in love. So they’re contemplating getting married for a year,” said Emily.
“But that doesn’t make any sense. Why get married at all? You must have misunderstood.”
“No, there’s some weird custody thing going on with Josh’s parents. Josh thinks they might win custody if he and Olivia don’t get married.”
“That’s ridiculous! The courts wouldn’t take a baby away from the mother and give it to the grandparents. Would they?”
“I think it’s just some cockamamie story Josh concocted to pressure Olivia into this short-term marriage,” Spencer complained.
“That makes more sense. Josh probably loves her, and he’s hoping to pressure her into marriage with the threat of losing the baby. I bet he totally wants to stay married forever.” This explanation made sense to Charlie.
“But Olivia said he offered to pay for medical school if she agreed to stay married for a year.”
“Yes, but think about it,” Charlie argued. “He figures he’s got a year to convince her to stay married.”
“Oh, that does make sense,” Emily agreed. “Maybe you were totally wrong about him, Spencer. I mean, Olivia was the one who told me she wasn’t in love with Josh. Did Josh ever actually say he didn’t love Olivia?”
“No...” Spencer hesitated. “I guess that’s possible.”
“I feel so much better.” Emily’s face relaxed in a smile.
Charlie mirrored her expression, though she was aching on the inside. How stupid could she be? How could she possibly have feelings for Josh when she’d worked to crush those emotions for two years? Well, she was a big girl, and she simply had to deal with it. She loved Olivia like a sister, and she certainly wasn’t going to let this come between them. Although it hurt to think of Josh and Olivia having a baby together, she couldn’t let herself dwell on it. She wanted Josh to be happy. And if Olivia could make him happy, she wanted them to be together.
She knew it in her head. Now if she could only convince her heart.
*****
CHARLIE WAS LOOKING forward to a night of dancing—it would be a blast. Olivia, Hannah, and Emily were all going, and Spencer insisted on chaperoning. Claire objected to being left behind but, unfortunately, she was still underage. After a week of nannying with the twins, Charlie was ready for something fun. Even better, she had a new dress to wear. She and Emily had gone shopping at her mom’s favorite secondhand store, and both had found fun dresses to wear. Charlie thought hers was a bit risqué, but Emily had insisted she’d fit right in with the New York club scene.
She examined herself in the mirror. She’d applied a bit of makeup—just some mascara, eye shadow and lip-gloss—but the result was striking. Her gold eyes looked exotic, framed by soft brown curls hanging down to the middle of her back. She normally tucked her tresses into a baseball cap or at least confined them in a ponytail. But tonight, they were flowing over her shoulders. She pulled them out of the way to study the back of the dress. It dipped into a low v, highlighting her smooth muscular back. It was a little too low for her taste, and she decided it was a good thing her hair covered most of her bared skin. The soft silk dress, in a gold that matched her eye color, fell several inches short of her knees, and her heels made her exposed legs appear even longer. Satisfied with her inspection, she grabbed a sweater. With the extra coverage, she’d not only be warm when she was outside, but also have the option of donning it to eliminate male attention should she gain more than she wanted.
Steven had offered the use of his limousine for the evening since he and Anne had planned an evening at home. By the time the entire group had collected in the limo, the laughter was irrepressible. Charlie couldn’t help feeling somewhat awkward around Olivia, but she seemed totally unaware. Charlie stole glances at her abdomen, but there was no apparent bulge on her tall, thin frame. She must be very early in her pregnancy. Although she knew Olivia was feeling all kinds of stress and pressure, she couldn’t help feeling a bit of envious of her friend who had captured Josh’s heart and was carrying his baby.
Charlie’s mind was working overtime. Had she made a mistake when she’d rejected Josh two years ago? Was it possible his feelings were genuine? Something more than physical attraction? Something more than the thrill of a challenge? No matter the truth of his past affections, two years of separation would have sabotaged any chance they had.
She suppressed a sigh. No use dwelling on what might have been. Instead, she would encourage Olivia in her feelings for Josh. If Josh was in love with Olivia and they were having a child together, the best possible outcome would be for them to commit fully to each other in a loving marriage. And Charlie would do everything possible to help that happen.
“So Olivia,” Charlie tapped her arm to get her attention. “How do you like working with Josh at the hospital?”
Charlie didn’t miss the roll of her eyes. “It’s fine, I guess. The single nurses and doctors are always falling all over him.” She chuckled. “Not that he ever notices. He’s pretty oblivious most of the time.”
“So how long have you been dating?”
Two red spots appeared on Olivia’s cheeks. “We aren’t really dating. I mean... We’ve always been more friends than anything. He was just around because of Brad dating Grace.”
“But evidently Josh has changed a lot in the last two years. I wouldn’t have believed it, but he seems like pretty good husband material, right?”
“Uhmm, maybe,” she replied, tilting her head as she peered at Charlie, wrinkling her nose.
“I mean, you have to admit he’s pretty hot, right?” Charlie pushed her point across. Maybe Olivia had spent too much time with Josh to see how good-looking he was. Perhaps, the glamour had worn off. She needed to help her see him through fresh eyes.
Olivia tried to fend off Charlie’s awkward line of questioning. What was she up to? Had Emily and Spencer told her about Josh’s marriage proposal and the reason for it? Why was she trying to get Olivia to admit Josh was attractive? Unless... What if Charlie was in love with Josh? Maybe she was fishing for information. This could be a perfect solution to her problem. What if she could get Charlie to agree to marry Josh before February? Obviously Josh used to find her attractive, even if he’d lost interest in her recently. Yes, this was a perfect opportunity.
“Yes, he’s good-looking,” Olivia agreed. “And you should see him in a swimsuit. Talk about steaming hot!”
“Muscles in all the right places?”
Was that a hungry look on Charlie’s face? “Oh, yeah.” Olivia stretched her smile from ear to ear. “And you’re completely right about him changing over the last two years. He’s not a player at all anymore. He really doesn’t go out to clubs or date anyone. He’s either working at the hospital, volunteering, or exercising.”
“Wow, I’m really impressed. He’s changed more than I ever realized. So you’re saying he really would make a good husband?”
“Absolutely—he’d be a great husband.”
“And you believe he’d be faithful?”
“I have no doubt he’d be faithful.”
“Well, I think the two of you look really good together.”
“You do?” Wait, this was supposed to be about helping Charlie picture herself married to Josh. “That’s funny, because I actually thought you and Josh looked good together.”
“Me and...” Charlie choked. “Oh, no—that was a long time ago. I think he pretty much hates me now. Didn’t you see how he looked at me at the wedding? But it’s okay. I just wanted you to know I want y’all to be happy.”
Olivia flashed a benevolent smile. Charlie didn’t fool her for an instant. She still had feelings for Josh. And if she could rope Charlie into agreeing to the marriage, the ad litem might not even notice the switch. They were both about the same height, and they both had long brown, curly hair. Charlie’s was a little longer, and she had gold eyes, as opposed to her own brown ones. But it just might work.
“Thanks, Charlie. That means so much to me. I hope we can spend more time together, now you’re back in the city. I feel so much more optimistic, now.”
“Great. I wanted you to know I’m backing you. And I didn’t want you to feel awkward about Josh liking me in the past. He’s obviously in love with you now.”
“What a sweet thing to say, Charlie. And don’t worry, Josh will have plenty of opportunity to show his true feelings.” Yes, indeed. She was starting to see a possible way out of her predicament without feeling responsible for Josh losing the custody battle. She pulled out her cell phone and sent a message to Josh.
“What were you talking to Olivia about?” Emily asked Charlie in a low voice. “Remember, no one’s supposed to know about Josh and the baby.”
“No worries—I was just letting her know I didn’t have feelings for Josh anymore. Everyone at the wedding knew about Josh kissing her, so that’s not a secret. I got her to admit he’s really good-looking and great husband material.”
“I guess that’s pretty good.”
“I won’t say anything about the baby. That’s her story to tell, anyway.”
Charlie studied Olivia again. Was her face glowing? That was supposed to happen when you were pregnant, wasn’t it? Olivia looked up from her phone with a dazzling smile. Yes, she seemed to be radiant. It was no wonder Josh had fallen in love with her. She was beautiful and smart, and they both loved medicine and helping people. Charlie bit back the jealousy threatening right below the surface of her altruism. She refused to be selfish. Josh and Olivia’s marriage would be the best thing for them and for the baby. And she would do everything in her power to make it happen.
*
JOSH HAD ALREADY SHOWERED and was preparing to tumble into bed, exhausted from a stressful day in the emergency room, when he received Olivia’s text.
Please come to Rend 27. Here with my sisters. Need dance partner.
He’d heard of Rendezvous Twenty-Seven. It was a hopping new club, the type he would have frequented in the old days. But after he’d met Charlie, he’d completely dropped out of the social scene. He swore as he glanced at the bed beckoning to him. He must be getting old. It was ten o’clock on Saturday night. He had to pick up the children in the morning at eleven. He would gladly have skipped dancing and gone straight to bed, but he was trying to do everything possible to make his potential wife happy. He sighed and texted her back.
He pulled on a pair of khakis and a shirt with a tie. He might be overdressed, but he didn’t want to chance being underdressed. He had no idea what Olivia was wearing. Luckily, the club was a short cab ride from his apartment, so he arrived at the club twenty minutes from the time he received Olivia’s text.
He squeezed through the crowd of people, searching for Olivia and her sisters. He scanned the nearby tables, without success. Then he thought he spotted her on the dance floor. But as he moved closer to her, passing between undulating bodies in the strobing lights, he realized the girl he’d seen from behind had longer hair than Olivia. He started to move away, when he noticed the swaying hair revealed a smooth bare back. The silky gold dress dipped down to drape softly across a tight bottom, and the legs extending from the hem of the dress seemed to go on forever.
He paused, allowing himself a moment to enjoy the view. He hadn’t let himself appreciate the beauty of the female form in a long time. He groaned inside, realizing he’d chosen a path for his life that allowed for no physical pleasure to assuage his needs any time in the near future. Only now, enjoying the view of this beautiful girl, did he recognize exactly how unpleasant that was going to be. Better he turn away, rather than stay and torture himself wishing for something that could never happen.
The girl’s dance partner evidently appreciated her form as well. Josh spied the man’s hand sliding gradually downward under her hair from the top of her back. As his fingers reached the small of her back, he attempted to slip beneath the fabric, but the girl quickly grabbed his hand and removed it. He watched as a bit of a struggling ensued, with the girl attempting to extricate herself from him, while he tightened his hold on her. When the guy became bolder still, pawing her with drunken hands while she fought against him, crying out, Josh stepped forward to intervene. Abruptly, the girl’s knee shot up in a violent jab, and the man grabbed himself, sinking to the floor.
Josh reached out and touched her arm. “Hey. Are you okay?”
She jumped and swirled around, her huge golden eyes wide and wet with tears. “Josh!” she exclaimed, throwing herself into his arms.
“Charlie?” He wrapped her trembling body in his arms without a second thought. He soothed her, murmuring, “It’s okay. You’re okay.” He guided her away from the collapsed figure, and they stood on the dance floor, swaying gently until she calmed down. His senses were heightened as he became aware of her soft form pressed against him, his body responding to the sensations despite his efforts to remain unaffected. The scent of her hair wafted through his nose, clean and fresh, with a hint of vanilla, and he fought to keep his head clear. He continued to calm her with quiet words, rubbing her back gently, his hands deliberately remaining high and far from temptation. But the feel of her smooth bare skin under his fingers was disconcerting to say the least.
“I told Emily this dress was a bad idea,” Charlie muttered. “He kept saying ‘You know you want it, baby!’”
Josh chuckled. “I guess he found out you really didn’t want it.” When her shaking stopped, he made no move to release her, permitting himself one last forbidden moment with Charlie in his arms. He almost gave in to his desire. If he tried to kiss her right now, he knew she wouldn’t stop him. He could sense her body’s response to him. It could be so good. But he needed a wife if he wanted to gain custody of Jace and Chloe. Their lives were more important than his needs. And Olivia was here, waiting for him.
Resolved, he pulled himself away from her, his body complaining at the loss of contact. “Are you here with Olivia?”
Her eyes widened and her face flushed. “Ohmygosh! Yes, she’s right over here.” She weaved her way with rapid steps across the crowded floor, leading him toward the table where Olivia was waiting. She stopped and turned back. “I’m so sorry, Josh. It wasn’t your responsibility to save me from my own stupidity. I shouldn’t have worn this awful dress.”
Before she could escape, he caught her arm and bent down to speak in her ear. “Charlie, that wasn’t your fault. He was a drunk and a jerk. Your dress is beautiful, and you’re beautiful in it.”
He tried to read the emotions on her face. Gratitude, embarrassment, maybe even desire, and something else. Was it regret? Sadness? Disappointment?
“Thanks, Josh. I... I want you to know that I... I wish you the best. You and Olivia. She’s a great girl, and you deserve each other.” She slipped from his grasp.
Upon reaching the table he noticed, with some regret, she donned a sweater that covered the expanse of her bare back.
Olivia had observed their approach with a broad smile. “Hi Josh.” Her voice was light and cheery. “Don’t you just love Charlie’s new dress?”
He frowned. Was she teasing him? Testing him to see if he’d remain faithful despite the fact that their marriage would be a business deal?
He pretended he hadn’t noticed the dress, glancing Charlie’s direction. “Sure. I guess it’s okay. But you look very nice tonight.” He bent down to give her a kiss, but she quickly turned her head, offering her cheek.
Olivia raised her eyebrow slightly and gave him a warning glare. “I thought I was clear about that.”
“If we’re engaged, we have to at least appear affectionate,” Josh whispered in her ear.
“Everyone’s going to know the whole story soon enough. Remember, I’m only committed for two weeks. Have you been working on an alternate plan?”
“There’s no good alternative. Remember? We discussed this. You’re my only real option.”
“You’ve tried reasoning with the grandparents?”
“No.” His voice darkened with his expression. “But it won’t work. It’s a waste of time.”
“I thought of some other nurses who’d agree to marry you.” Her eyes twinkled with secret mirth.
“Who?”
“Jenna Sanders, Ester Baldwin, Felicity Downing, Brianna Faulkner,” Olivia began naming girls, ticking them off on her fingers. She hid her amusement at his reaction, knowing that Josh wouldn’t find any of these choices the least bit attractive.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” he said through gritted teeth. “Those girls are... None of them are...”
She opened her eyes wide, feigning surprise. “It shouldn’t matter whether you’re attracted to them or not. You said yourself, it’s simply a business deal.”
“Yes, but I have to live with them and see them every day. And I’ll have to pretend to be in love when we’re in public. It’s a lot easier to do with a girl that’s beautiful like you are, than with... with a girl who’s... repugnant,” he finally spat out.
Olivia graced him with a serene smile. “Well, I’m flattered you think I’m beautiful. But surely you could think of some other girl who might be persuaded to marry you. Another girl you might find slightly attractive.”
“No, there isn’t anyone else. We have to make this work. Please!”
Olivia released an exaggerated gasp. “I just thought of someone.”
Suspicion flared in his eyes, and he responded with sarcasm. “Who are you going to suggest this time? Winnie Smith?” He named a fifty-year-old widow who worked on their floor at the hospital.
She leaned forward and motioned for him to put his ear close to her lips. “Why not Charlie?”
*
HIS HEART TUMBLED INSIDE his chest. Without thinking, his eyes slipped to where she was sitting across the table, her face deliberately turned away from them, clutching her sweater over her chest. He saw a man approach her, presumably to ask her to dance, and felt a surge of jealousy. But she shook her head and sent him on his way, as she turned to give all of her attention to a napkin on the table in front of her. His chest constricted at the thought of marrying Charlie. No. Was it possible? Would she consent to marry him? Was it possible she’d developed feelings for him after all this time? No. Her body responded to him, but not her heart. Only moments ago, she’d told him she was happy he was with Olivia. She would never trust him enough to marry him, even as a strictly platonic relationship.
“I’ve already told you that would never work.” He forced his eyes back to Olivia. “She’d never agree to it.”
“Maybe. But just hypothetically... Let’s say Charlie agreed to the same deal you offered me. You pay for a year of law school in exchange for a year of marriage. Of course, it wouldn’t be a real marriage. Strictly a business deal, totally non-sexual. Would you do it?”
Josh’s emotions battled within him. He tried to imagine himself living with Charlie, but not able to touch her, to hold her, to kiss her. Day after day. Wishing he could make love to her. It sounded agonizing. Better to marry Winnie Smith.
“No way. I couldn’t do it.”
“And why is that?”
“Because I said so. It just won’t work.”
“But—”
“I said no!” his voice rose. Charlie’s gaze was drawn toward the outburst, before she averted her eyes.
He lowered his voice. “I considered the possibility before I even approached you. You’ll have to trust me on this—it won’t work.”
“But—”
“This discussion is over.” He mustered all the authority he owned and crammed it into his words.
*
CHARLIE SWAM IN MISERY watching Josh and Olivia, who seemed to be in the midst of a heated discussion. She hoped Olivia hadn’t seen them dancing together after Josh rescued her. That might be all it took to convince Olivia she couldn’t trust Josh. And it wasn’t his fault he’d had to come to her rescue. If only she hadn’t worn this ridiculous dress that evidently made men feel she wouldn’t object to a little groping. If Olivia broke it off with Josh, she’d feel responsible.
A light bulb lit in her head. If Olivia saw her dancing with other guys, she would know Charlie wasn’t interested in Josh any longer. She turned and spotted the guy she’d previously blown off sitting at the table behind her. She steeled her nerves and approached his table.
The tall man with dark close-cropped hair and blue eyes appeared startled when Charlie tapped him on the shoulder. But his face brightened, and he accepted with a smile. He led her to the dance floor with a light touch of his hand at her waist. He seemed to be a nice guy, and Charlie noticed he was actually quite attractive, although she didn’t feel the startling physical response to him she had with Josh only moments before.
“I’m Derek, by the way.” His breath tickled her ear as he spoke over the loud music.
“And I’m Charlie.”
They danced for a while without further conversation, but Charlie did her best to paint an adoring expression on her face, for Josh’s benefit. When she grew too warm for the sweater, she dropped it off at the table, where Josh was now sitting alone. He did little to hide his scowl at her dance partner, who waited on the dance floor for her return. Fearing her lack of coverage would lead to a repeat of her earlier near disaster, she confronted Derek with a stern voice.
“Now you need to know that just because this dress is sleazy, it doesn’t mean I’m sleazy. So don’t try anything.”
“I would never try anything. And I don’t think you or your dress is sleazy. You look sexy and classy.”
“Sorry. I had a bad incident earlier tonight with a guy who got pretty handsy.”
“That’s awful. No wonder you’re worried, but I promise you’re safe with me.” He drew her into his arms for a slow dance. “Are you okay if my hands stay right here?” He grinned as he held her loosely with his hands near her shoulder blades.
“Sure,” she chuckled.
“On the other hand, I don’t want you to think I don’t find you tempting. So, if you change your mind...”
Charlie punched him, playfully. “No, I’m afraid I won’t be changing my mind. But if you want someone who’s more willing, you might ask that girl.” She pointed with her chin to a girl, gyrating in a dirty dance with two guys who had their hands all over her.
He raised his eyebrows, but shook his head, turning his attention back to Charlie. “I prefer to stay with my present company.” He scrutinized her face. “Are you like a model or someone famous? I feel like I’ve seen your face before, in a magazine, maybe.”
“Does that line usually work?” She laughed, realizing she was having a good time.
His deep voice resonated in a chuckle. “I don’t know. This is my first time to try that one.” He squinted at her. “No, really. It was a legitimate question. Have we met before?”
“I don’t think so. I just moved here from Colorado.”
“That’s not a Colorado accent I hear.”
“No, it’s a Texas accent.”
“I like it. And what’s a Texas girl doing in New York City?”
“I’m going to law school at Columbia, starting in January.”
His face split in a huge smile. “No kidding? I’m two years ahead of you at Columbia. That’s awesome—my buddy won’t believe it. We’re here celebrating the end of the semester.” He paused and cocked his head. “Maybe I saw a picture of incoming students. I don’t know...”
“I’ve heard studying takes up most of your time in law school.”
“Only if you want to pass. Unless you’re one of those geniuses with a photographic memory.”
“No pictures taken in this brain. I’m sure I’ll have to study all the time.”
At the song’s end, he glanced over her shoulder where his buddy was now watching him from their table, laughing and making congratulatory gestures toward him. “My friend, Lance, is goofy, but would you like to meet him? Or better yet, do you have a girlfriend who looks just like you?”
Charlie noticed her group had returned to their table. “We don’t look just alike, but we’re both tall. Is that close enough?”
“Seriously? You’ve got a single friend? That’s awesome.”
Derek brought his buddy over to Charlie’s table for introductions.
“This is my sister, Emily, and her husband Spencer. And this is my other single friend, Hannah. And this is Olivia and Josh—they’re engaged.”
Olivia frowned. “No we’re not.”
Josh’s face was inscrutable. “Technically, we’re not. But we’re engaged to be engaged.” He reached out to hold Olivia’s hand, but she snatched it away.
“Eh-hem,” Charlie cleared her throat. “This is Derek and Lance. They’re third-year law students at Columbia.”
They chatted over the noise of the nightclub until Olivia suggested they go somewhere for coffee.
“It’s almost one o’clock,” Josh pointed out. “Maybe we should call it a night.”
“You can go home if you like,” said Olivia. “But I’m in the mood for Bubby’s Pie Company.”
With the enthusiastic agreement of the group, Josh was forced to tag along. Charlie hoped his mood would improve with the change of venue. Olivia was acting a bit irritated with him.
Joining the others in the back of the limousine, Derek peered at both Charlie and Emily. “So who are you, really?” he asked Charlie. I’ve seen a picture of both of you, somewhere. I just can’t place it. And you’ve got a limo, so...”
“They’re nobody,” announced Hannah with a grin. “But their father, I mean, their stepfather—”
“Has money,” Charlie interrupted, throwing a warning glance in Hannah’s direction. “Okay? Our stepfather is rich. But it’s not our money, so it doesn’t matter.” She really didn’t want to start her career in law school with the notoriety of being known as the stepdaughter of the famous billionaire, Steven Gherring.
“Whatever,” said Lance. “Cool limo!”
“Charlie,” said Olivia as she moved across the limousine, squeezing onto the seat between her and Derek. “I’m hoping I can borrow a pair of goggles for the ski trip. Do you have an extra?”
“Sure,” said Charlie. “I’ll bring all my extra’s on the trip.”
But Olivia had already turned her attention to Derek.
*
EMILY SAT BY SPENCER, fidgeting nervously with her ring. Things were not going well in the quest to help Olivia accept Josh’s proposal. Josh sat in the limousine, staring with undisguised irritation at Olivia’s overt flirtation with Derek. For her part, Charlie seemed miserable. After repeated attempts to break into the conversation, she’d finally conceded defeat, and pulled out her cell phone.
Emily felt her cell phone vibrate. She opened up a text from Charlie.
Help!
Emily turned up empty hands to indicate her lack of suggestions to improve the situation. Hannah was hitting it off with Lance, as he regaled her with stories that had her laughing until tears came to her eyes. Spencer was frowning at Olivia. He’d been doing that a lot lately.
She elbowed him to get his attention, whispering, “What can we do?”
“Someone needs to tell her to grow up and act responsibly. Did you notice she had rum in that coke she drank tonight?”
Emily’s whisper was harsh. “She’s pregnant. Doesn’t she know better?”
“She’s a nurse; she knows perfectly well. It’s one thing to have a moment of weakness and get pregnant, but it’s another thing to knowingly endanger your baby.”
“Are you going to talk to her?”
“I’ll call her out in public if she tries to drink alcohol or even caffeinated coffee at Bubby’s,” he muttered. “Otherwise, we’re going to have a little private chat after Sunday night dinner.”
“Do you have any ideas about getting her to pay attention to Josh instead of Derek?”
“I don’t know what to do. It’s like I don’t even know my sister anymore.”
Olivia’s laugh caught their attention, and she exclaimed, “Derek! You’re hilarious.”
Josh’s face reddened until it seemed certain steam would soon pour from his ears.
Emily received another text.
You’re not helping!!!!
*
JOSH MANAGED TO SECURE a seat next to Olivia in the restaurant. Although everyone else ordered food, some opting for breakfast while others chose from the delicious assortment of pies, he found he had no appetite whatsoever. He was irritated with all his companions at that moment.
Olivia’s sister, Hannah, ignored everyone else, focusing her attention on Lance. Josh estimated Lance to be a good bit older than her twenty-one years—too much older, in his mind. She was young and innocent, and Lance looked anything but innocent to Josh. Although she wasn’t his actual sister, Josh felt a brotherly responsibility toward her as he did all of Spencer’s sisters. He made up his mind to find an opportunity to warn her about relationships with older men.
Spencer and Emily seemed to be on a health kick, with Spencer specifically forbidding his sister, Olivia, from ordering coffee with caffeine. He’d personally known Spencer to drink large amounts of heavily leaded coffee in the past, so he wasn’t sure why he seemed to feel it was his place to police others on their consumption. Luckily, Josh had already planned to order decaf. In his present mood, he would probably have had a yelling match with his friend had Spencer dared to criticize his coffee choice.
Derek and Charlie were sitting across the table. Charlie was flirting with him like he’d never seen before. She seemed a bit uncomfortable with it, but determined to compete with Olivia for his attention. Meanwhile, Josh’s supposed fiancée was asserting her independence, obviously flaunting her interest in Derek for Josh’s benefit. Josh couldn’t decide which one bothered him most. He was upset with Olivia for her attempt to renege on their agreement. But his stomach was churning while watching Charlie fawning over Derek, casually touching his arm, leaning against him to study the menu, offering him a view of a lot more cleavage than Josh felt was appropriate.
Derek appeared to be thoroughly enjoying the attention, and it was all Josh could do not to knock the silly smile off his face.
“Derek,” Olivia asked, “have you been to see After Midnight? It’s the musical about Duke Ellington.”
“No. Law school doesn’t leave much time for attending Broadway shows. Too much studying.”
“Well aren’t we just fortunate to have your company tonight?” remarked Josh with heavy sarcasm.
“Yeah!” Derek agreed, oblivious to his tone. “Finished until January. Practice Court was wicked.”
“I bet you could give me a lot of good advice,” said Charlie.
“Absolutely. It’s so lucky we ran into each other tonight.” Josh noted Derek’s gaze drifting downward toward the neck of her dress.
“Hey, buddy!” Josh snarled. “Her eyes are up on her face.”
Derek’s face reddened. “I haven’t done anything wrong. And what business is it of yours? Are you her father?”
“Ignore him, Derek.” Charlie glared at Josh. “He’s just afraid you’re going to make a move on his girl.”
Derek looked confused. “You and Josh?”
“No!” shouted Charlie and Josh in unison.
“Josh is in love with Olivia,” said Charlie, with an emphatic nod in her direction.
“Hey man, I’m not trying to take Olivia away from you,” said Derek.
“I wouldn’t worry about it if you were trying,” Venom spewed from Josh’s lips. “I just think you need to keep your eyes where they belong.”
Olivia sported a smug smile, while Spencer and Emily gaped in shock.
“Josh. You really should learn to control your temper,” Olivia said. “You aren’t very good at hiding your true feelings.” She gave him a wink.
“I’m not trying to hide my true feelings. You know my feelings for you. You know what you mean to me, sweetheart. You know exactly how important you are to my life.” He hoped he was getting his point across to her. “I couldn’t possibly make it without you.”
“Now, darling,” she said, batting her wide eyes. “I think we both know that’s not exactly true. But we’ll talk about it later. Right now I just want to hear what Derek has planned for his Christmas break.”
Derek pulled on his collar. “Uhmm... nothing special, really.”
“Maybe we could meet up again,” Olivia suggested.
“Olivia.” Josh tried to control his ire, even as he felt the blood pulsing in his head. “I think we’re going to be quite busy. Perhaps you’ve forgotten about... about our appointments.” His voice took on a pleading tone. “We are still in this together, aren’t we?”
Olivia patted his hand and gave him a sweet smile. “Don’t fret so much. You’ve got to learn to trust me.”
Charlie and Emily exchanged a bewildered look. But Spencer rose up from the table, saying, “Well, it’s time to get Olivia home so she can get some rest.”
“Why me? Why aren’t you worried about Hannah getting rest?”
“Do you really want me to answer that?” asked Spencer.
“Yes, I do.” As Olivia spoke, she crossed her arms and lifted her chin. “You’ve been acting so weird. What on earth is wrong with you? And since when do you think you have a say in what I drink or what time I go to bed at night. You’re worse than Grace.”
“Well, you don’t seem to know how to take care of yourself.”
“Spencer,” Emily warned.
“What? She should know better. There’s no excuse. She was drinking alcohol tonight.”
“I can legally drink alcohol, and I only had one rum and coke,” Olivia retorted. “And I’m not on call tonight, and I’m not driving.”
“That’s fine for you,” declared Spencer, as the muscles in his jaw clenched and unclenched. “But what about the baby?”
The silence was deafening.
