The Plan (The Hillers of Barratt County #4)

Prologue

PROLOGUE

Georgiano Maxwell Hiller the Third’s world was lying on a cold table somewhere, without him. He couldn’t get to her now. He hadn’t been able to do anything to help her today. He had had to watch as others pulled her free, rescued her, and tried to help.

He just prayed now that they had helped her in time. That they had been in time. Medical help had been on that highway, two cars back. His little sister, a nurse, and her closest friend—a doctor. They’d been there to help, two cars back—they’d almost ended up in the ditch too. But they’d been there to help.

His wife of ten years was back in the operating room now, giving birth without him. Much earlier than she should. Much earlier than she would have if some lunatic hadn’t run their car off the road.

If the impact hadn’t been on his Veronica’s side…

It had struck between the back passenger door and the front passenger door. Where his pregnant wife had been sitting in the front. And his pregnant baby sister in the back.

George’s nightmares weren’t even as terrifying as that moment had been. When he had turned to look at them—two women he adored.

Now he just sat there, in a waiting room chair, bruised, battered, and hurting. Down to his soul. While they waited.

While others tried to keep his wife alive. While others brought their children into this world. Without him. He had been too injured to be allowed back there. And it was an emergency C-section, happening as quickly as they could make it happen. One full of too much risk.

His own brother had told him that. Told him George wouldn’t be able to be there with her. When she needed him most. Guthrie had told him—he couldn’t be there this time.

Veronica. She needed him and he wasn’t there.

But his brother Guthrie, an OB-GYN at this very hospital, in charge of the maternity department, had promised to go in with her. To not let her be in there alone. His brother would be there next to Veronica. No matter what happened.

It just wasn’t enough.

George needed to be with Veronica, more than he even needed to breathe.

She was his heart and soul, that woman. And always would be.

“Tell me…how did you two fall in love? I’ve never really heard the full story,” Veronica’s sister said. She held her daughter in her arms. The little girl was only two months old. Celia’s older two children, Cameron and Liam, were with her father-in-law.

While they waited.

George leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. Forcing himself to breathe. In, out. His world, his heart, his very soul, was back in that operating room now. “I loved her practically from the moment we met. It just took me a few years to realize. And…I was almost too late.”

He couldn’t lose her. He just…couldn’t.

His mother had called—she had the kids. She was bringing the kids to him now. They needed him. He was going to keep himself together for his kids. Somehow.

“She…became my world.”

Celia’s hand covered his. George looked at this sister-in-law he knew less than he did the rest.

And he just talked.

As he remembered.

The day he realized Veronica Lake was his entire world…