Chapter 11
After church on Sunday morning, Olivia stopped by the hospital to check on Martha, feeling guilty that she needed to keep her visit brief and get back to her studies. The poor woman must be lonely lying in the hospital bed, day after day with no one to talk to. The door was ajar, so she peeked inside without knocking, in case Martha was asleep. But Martha wasn’t alone. Collin sat in the chair adjacent to the bed, chatting animatedly. He said something in a low voice that made Martha laugh.
The last time Olivia had seen Collin he was running away from her as fast as he could after she’d practically begged him to kiss her, albeit in a non-verbal fashion. This was going to be awkward. Too awkward.
She backed up quietly, shutting the door.
“Go on in, honey.” A nurse the size of Kansas herded her into the room, pushing the door open wide. “Look Martha, you have another visitor. You’re popular today.”
“Hi.” Olivia pasted a smile on her face, searching in vain for a crack to fall into and disappear. She looked everywhere but at Collin, who was probably doing the same thing. “Don’t want to intrude. Only wanted to stop in and see how you’re feeling.”
“Have a seat, honey.” The nurse shoved her toward the empty chair beside Collin. “I only have to check vitals and I’ll be out of your way. I’m sure Martha wants a little girl-time. She probably gets tired having no one but this handsome young man to talk to every day.” She threw back her head, laughing at her own joke as she took Martha’s blood pressure.
Collin comes to see Martha every day? I’m such a terrible friend. I haven’t checked on her in a week.
Olivia perched on the edge of her seat, folding her hands in her lap and keeping her elbow tucked in, away from Collin.
“Olive Oil, how have you been?” asked Martha with a wink.
“I should be asking you that question—you’re the one in the hospital. But you seem in much better spirits today. Are you feeling better?”
The nurse butted in. “She isn’t using as much pain medication. I think she’s worried she’ll miss something. This lady likes to be in on every conversation.” The nurse chuckled again, leaving in the same flamboyant fashion she arrived. “I’ll be back later, Martha. Don’t let me catch you up doing the twist.”
Martha smiled at Olivia. “I do feel better than last week. And did Collin tell you the news?”
She felt his gaze and heat permeated up her neck all the way to the part in her hair. “No, Collin and I don’t cross paths much. What’s your news, Martha?”
Collin answered, “She’s getting a kidney transplant.”
“And Collin’s the one responsible,” Martha added, bestowing a magnanimous smile on him. “It took him less than twenty-four hours to find the money.”
His face glowed bright red. “Like I said, it hasn’t been finalized, Martha. But I have a really good lead. I’m meeting with him tonight.”
“I’m just happy you didn’t involve your father in all this. So proud of you for rejecting all his money. Didn’t want him to have power over you again.”
Though it seemed impossible, his face grew even redder. It was a few seconds before Olivia realized she was staring at him with her mouth hanging open. Beyond her shock at even more revelations about Collin, she worried that Martha might have her hopes dashed. “Martha, I’m glad you’ve decided to fight this thing, but you know it may be a long time before you get matched with a new kidney, right?”
“Collin told me he has it all worked out. He found a way I can get a kidney without having to wait—something about a pair-matching program. It’s all very exciting. I can handle dialysis, as long as I know there’s an end in sight. I won’t complain about it, either. I’m so lucky to have Collin looking after me.”
Collin looked at the floor, but Olivia could still see how embarrassed he was. She didn’t know anything about a universal donor program, but leave it to Collin to find an innovative solution.
She’d been so wrong about Collin, having pegged him as a spoiled rich kid with no sense of responsibility. Unfortunately, the moment she started to reconsider her negative assessment, he lost interest in her. Now she wished she had a do-over.
If she’d realized the truth about Collin, would she have chosen him over Blake? Interesting question. Maybe not. At least not when Blake was in his Real Santa costume. When he was in disguise, he took on a different persona—more confident and edgy. Somehow, he stripped her defenses and left her emotions bubbling on the surface. He knew exactly what to say to get her riled up—exactly how much he could tease her without going too far. In addition, he responded as passionately as she did, as if she were a valued treasure, precious and rare. If only he were as magnetic without the presence of his disguise.
Though, if she admitted the truth…Collin was every bit as alluring as Blake. Perhaps even more. And he had no need to hide behind a mass of red velvet and padding.
* * *
Collin shrugged,turning his attention back to Martha. “I need to go, but I’ll be back tomorrow. Hopefully, I’ll know for sure about the money. Even if it falls through, I’ll find a way to get your transplant paid for.” He dropped a kiss on her forehead before heading toward the door.
“I can’t stay long, either.” Olivia threw out her comment as Collin escaped the room, expecting he would hang around in the lobby to talk to her. “I can come back on Friday. I’ve got a huge test Friday morning, so I’ll either be ecstatic or depressed when I see you.”
“Are you going to school for nursing, Olive Oil?” Martha lifted her hand, and Olivia moved to grasp it.
“No, I’m already a nurse. I’m in medical school. Going to be a doctor.” At least I will be if I pass my test. Her head throbbed, as life’s pressures descended once again.
“I’m sure you’ll be a great doctor. You’re a sweet girl.”
“Thanks, Martha.” Olivia patted her hand and turned to go.
“Olivia...”
“Yes?” She tried to hide her impatience, worried she would miss Collin if she delayed.
“Have you thought about what I said last week? About Collin?”
“When you told me to take care of him?”
Martha nodded, her chin quivering. “I thought you might be willing to go out with him. He’s too shy to ask you, but he might do it if you asked him.”
“Shy? You think Collin is shy?” She clapped her hand over her mouth, stifling a laugh. She didn’t want to hurt Martha’s feelings, but the woman obviously hadn’t seen Collin’s brash and cocky side. “He’s one of the most confident men I’ve ever met—overconfident, really. He’s never had any trouble asking girls out. He’s asked me out plenty of times.”
Martha’s mouth stretched in a knowing smile, her eyebrows lifted high. “But you turned him down, didn’t you?”
“I did. I turned him down. But that’s because I underestimated him.”
“I know.” Martha expelled a long, heavy breath of air. “Collin is all bravado and bluster. He didn’t mind asking you out when he knew you’d say no. But once that changed—once he thought you might accept—he talked himself out of it. Mark my words, he’ll never ask you out again.”
Olivia blinked. Could Martha be right? Hopefully, that wasn’t true. Hopefully, he was in the lobby right now, waiting to talk to her when she came down.
“Listen, Martha, I need to hurry and catch him before he leaves the hospital.”
“Okay.” She grinned, her eyes sparkling. “Go get him.”
Olivia dashed out, striding like a speed walker. She passed a slow-moving, kind-faced woman who shook her head at her apparent haste. Olivia reached the elevator and pushed the down button. The numbers over the door changed so slowly she thought for a moment it might be stuck. She punched the button a few more times for good measure.
“That doesn’t really work, you know. Late for an appointment?” The kind-faced woman had joined her, and Olivia wanted to scream in frustration at the time lost.
“Sort of. Someone’s waiting for me, and I don’t want to miss them.”
“Ah,” she said. “Must be a boy.”
Her face looked less kind, now—more meddlesome.
“Mmm...” Olivia declined to comment.
The bell dinged, doors opened, and Olivia wedged onto the side of the crowded elevator. To her great irritation, the nosy woman squeezed in front of her, forcing her into the back corner.
After stopping on two different floors for people to exit and enter, the elevator finally opened on the lobby floor. Everyone filed off, and Olivia hurried out, scanning the waiting area where Collin had been waiting last Sunday.
No sign of him. He was gone.
“Did you miss him?” asked the woman with beady eyes and an elephant-sized nose.
Olivia stomped away without answering, smiling as she imagined shoving a brown paper bag over the woman’s head.
* * *
Inside the plush apartment building,Collin rode the elevator to the penthouse floor that was the home of his cousin, Steven Gherring. Though he’d lived in New York for the past three years, he’d never visited his cousin’s home. Contrary to Charlie’s opinion, Collin knew there was no love lost between Steven and his first cousin, Evan, who happened to be Collin’s father. The only thing they had in common was Gram, his great-grandmother, who held an obligatory family gathering each December. For the most part, Collin and his brother, David, avoided Gram, since she disapproved of their lifestyles. It occurred to Collin that his decision to attend law school might garner approval from his feisty great-grandmother, who seemed destined to outlive everyone in her family.
Collin wedged two fingers inside his too-tight, starched collar and gave it a tug, then blew on his clammy palms before pressing the door buzzer. Why did I think this was a good idea? Steven will shoot me down before I even finish presenting Martha’s case. Don’t even know why he agreed to meet with me.
The doorknob rattled and Collin tensed, prepared to face the imposing figure of his cousin, Steven Gherring. Though Collin was an inch over six feet tall, Steven still had a couple of inches advantage in height. But when the door swung open, it wasn’t Steven who greeted him.
“Hi, Collin. Come in,” said Anne Gherring, Steven’s effervescent wife and the mother of their twin sons.
Collin felt a tug on his arm, jerking him through the doorway. From her ponytail to her jeans, t-shirt, and bare feet, Anne was the opposite of what one would expect of a billionaire’s wife. “We’re so glad you came to visit. I told Steven we should’ve invited you a long time ago.”
“Uhmm...” Collin cleared his throat, confused by her greeting. “You know why I’m here, right?”
She waved her hand. “We know all about that. Charlie told us. We’ll get to that soon enough.” She turned her head, cupping her hand around her mouth. “Steven! Collin’s here!”
Steven strode into the room, clad in casual jeans and a black t-shirt, the likes of which his father had never worn. Always concerned with appearances, his dad stressed the importance of dressing in expensive clothes. “Dressing better than your opponent gives you the upper hand in any negotiations.”
But instead of gaining confidence, Collin felt awkward and overdressed.
Collin offered his hand and Steven shook it with a firm grasp.
“Good to see you, Collin. Charlie and Josh talk about you all the time. And we hear about you from Jace and Chloe.”
“They’re great kids,” Collin offered, unsure what the proper response should be.
“Next time we’ll have you over for dinner,” said Anne.
“Next time?” The question slipped out before he could stop it.
“There will definitely be a next time.” Anne pursed her lips as she shot a glance at her husband.
Steven chuckled. “You see, Collin, I’m in a great deal of trouble for how I’ve excluded my family from my life. You’re doing me a big favor coming here today. My wife loves family, and I love my wife. Around here, if Anne’s happy, everyone’s happy.” He held a hand to his mouth and whispered an aside, in a loud voice. “And visa-versa.”
Anne guided him to the living area and indicated a comfortable chair for him to sit. She and Steven took the couch opposite.
“We’ve probably only got a few minutes before the twins wake up from their nap,” she said. “Why don’t you guys get this money-talk over with?”
Steven leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “Tell me about this woman who needs a kidney transplant.”
Finally on solid footing, Collin shared Martha’s story, succinctly and without emotion, as he’d practiced. When he finished, he was surprised to see Anne dabbing at her eyes.
“Sorry about the tears,” Anne said, grabbing a tissue from a nearby box. “I tend to be a bit on the emotional side.”
“More than a bit.” Steven softened his comment with an affectionate kiss on her cheek.
Collin watch the interaction with unguarded interest, shocked to see his cousin, one of the wealthiest and most influential men in the country, displaying such vulnerability. Perhaps this was an act—a display for Collin’s benefit—though he couldn’t fathom the purpose.
“Let me ask the obvious question.” Steven steepled his fingers, his expression unreadable. “Why not ask your father to help this woman? I know Evan could easily part with this amount of money without crimping his style.”
“The short answer is I already asked him. He agreed to help, but his conditions were unreasonable.”
Steven raised an eyebrow. “He wanted you to pay him back?”
“No, that would’ve been reasonable.” Collin steeled himself against an onslaught of emotion. “He wanted me to meet with my mother. I refused.”
From Anne’s wide-eyed look, Collin assumed she was dying to ask questions, but she pressed her lips together and remained silent.
“I take it you don’t have the best of relationships with her,” Steven remarked.
“In the twenty-five years since she deserted our family, she’s never tried to contact me or my brother. I have no idea why she wants to speak to me now, but I have no interest in anything she might have to say.”
After a moment of contemplation, Steven nodded. “I understand your decision.”
In the silence that followed, Collin grew more and more despondent, faced with the inevitability of rejection. Though he assured Martha he would find the money for her treatment no matter the result of this meeting, he had no other avenues to pursue other than to beg the doctors and the hospital for mercy.
Steven cleared his throat, commanding his attention. “I would also have conditions if I cover these medical expenses.”
“Steven, I don’t think—” Anne started to object, but Steven raise his hand to silence her.
“That’s to be expected.” Collin rushed to agree, ready to accept any demands he might make. “I can pay you back, but I have to warn you I’ll also have student loans to repay. Columbia isn’t a cheap law school.”
“But it’s a good one.” Steven smiled. “My alma mater.”
“Oh.” Collin had no idea his cousin had gone to law school. He wondered if that had been part of his father’s objection, since he was obsessed with Steven Gherring, constantly attempting to establish his superiority.
“However, paying me back is not part of the bargain.” Steven pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket and unfolded it, his eyes scanning the printed lines. “Based on Charlie’s information, I’ve already taken the liberty of researching Martha Avalon. I learned she’s been a long-term resident of a short-term homeless shelter, with ever increasing responsibilities for which she’s never been compensated, other than the provision of a bed to sleep in. It so happens I’m planning to open a new shelter, one providing expanded services, and I’d expect Martha to help administer that shelter, serving as a sort of house mom.” He looked up and added, “With reasonable compensation.”
Collin couldn’t believe his ears. “Martha would love that! I’ll tell her tomorrow. She’ll be so excited.”
“Of course, that’s assuming she survives.”
“She’ll survive if she gets a new kidney.”
Anne and Steven exchanged a worried glance.
“We certainly pray that will all work out,” Anne said.
“It will work,” Collin insisted. “I’m so grateful for your generosity.”
Steven nodded. “And here’s what I want from you...”
His heart sank. Of course it had been too good to be true.
Steven continued, “I’d expect you to serve on the board of directors at the new shelter for a minimum five-year term.”
“Board of directors?”
“An unpaid position.”
“I could do that.” He felt himself grinning. “That’s it? That’s all you want? Because I’m willing to pay you back.”
Steven’s eyes crinkled in the corners as he returned the smile. “That’s all I want.”
“This is awesome.” Anne clapped her hands. “You see, Steven? I was right, wasn’t I? Didn’t I say you shouldn’t judge the boys when you barely knew them.”
“I’ll admit, this one time, you were correct.”
“One time? Ha! I’m usually right, but you don’t usually listen.” She jabbed an elbow in his side.
“Don’t be so violent, woman. You don’t want to set a bad example for the younger generation.”
Their friendly banter reminded Collin of the witty exchanges between Olivia and him, a memory he pushed from his mind. No use wishing for something he couldn’t have. He’d already received more than he could ever hope for.
“But Collin, I do have some advice for you, and I don’t think you’re going to like it.”
“Advice? As in something optional I can choose to ignore?”
“Yes, I suppose that’s an accurate description.” Steven chuckled. “Certainly true when I give advice to Anne.”
She laughed, punching him on the shoulder.
“In that case, fire away,” Collin said, feeling relaxed again.
Steven looked him square in the eyes. “I think you should talk to your mother.”
Collin’s good mood vanished. “You don’t know her. You don’t know what she did. Or what she said.”
“That’s a lot to ask, Steven.” Anne’s jovial expression was gone. “It’s hard for me to be sympathetic with Collin’s mother if she abandoned her children.”
“Collin is my only concern in this situation.” Steven addressed Collin again. “I fear, if you choose not to meet with her, you might someday regret it. Maybe not, but how can you know?”
A number of harsh retorts came to mind, but he held his tongue. Unlike Collin’s father, Steven gave advice based solely on what he thought would benefit Collin. He had to respect Steven’s unselfish consideration. “I’ll think about it.”
“That’s fine, Collin. I’m sure you’ll make the right decision.” Steven gave a sharp nod. “I do have one more question, though. How are you planning to find a kidney for Martha? As I understand, the waiting list is quite long. I have to tell you I’m ethically against buying your way to the top of the list, in case that’s what you have in mind.”
“Actually, I’m planning to donate my own kidney. I have two good ones, so it’s no big deal.”
Steven’s brows twisted as he shook his head. “Collin, I hate to tell you this, but you’re very unlikely to be a match for Martha.”
“I’m pretty certain my blood type is O-positive, which makes me a universal donor. Although they test for matching antigens, even a one out of six match would make a more successful donor kidney than one from a cadaver, which is what Martha would get if she waits on the list for a year or two. The only real obstacle to my donation is the cross-matching test. If that one fails, it’s a no-go.”
“I’m kind of surprised Martha would let you do that,” Anne said, her eyes brimming with tears. “But I think it’s sweet that you’re willing to give up your kidney for her.”
“She doesn’t know I’m going to be the donor,” he hastened to explain. “I’ll have to tell her eventually, of course, but I’m waiting to confirm I’m a match.”
Steven closed both eyes tight, and Collin tried to read the emotion behind his strained expression. Did I blow it? Is he going to withdraw his offer?
“We’ll talk more about this at a later time, Collin. I think you shouldn’t get your hopes up too high about the transplant, because things might not work out right away. But lots of people live many years while on dialysis.”
Martha had already made it clear she would give up on living if that were the case, so his kidney had to work. There was no other way. Of course, he also had to overcome Martha’s stubborn nature. She might refuse to do the transplant surgery when she learned Collin was the source of the kidney. But he was attempting to find a way around that, as well.
“It will work. It has to work.”
A grim smile ghosted across Steven’s face. Collin noted his cousin was nothing like the arrogant, controlling monster his dad had always described. He wondered how many other discrepancies his father had woven into the fabric of his life.
* * *
Olivia fellfacedown on the bed, groaning. “Grace, this isn’t funny. There’s something terribly wrong with me. I’ve got the hots for Santa Claus.”
Grace continued to howl with laughter, not showing an inkling of sympathy for her plight. Having retreated to a private place in their parents’ home so Olivia could give a report before Sunday night dinner, Grace had egged her on to give all the colorful details of her encounter with Blake in the break room.
“You’re not helping. Can’t you see how awful this is?” She tried to look serious, but Grace’s hilarity was contagious.
“You’ve got yourself in a pickle, all right. What would you do if the situation were reversed? If it was me who got caught making out with Santa Claus at Bergman?”
“I’d probably make a secret video of your confession and put it on YouTube.” Though she complained at Grace’s reaction, it was exactly what she needed. She already felt ten pounds lighter.
“Why didn’t I think of that? Guess you’re lucky I don’t have Claire and Hannah recording our conversation. We like to keep the practical joke score even, and I believe you’re way ahead at the moment.”
Something in Grace’s tone sounded suspicious.
“Where are Hannah and Claire, anyway?”
“They’re probably downstairs with Adeline. Or waiting for Spencer and Emily to show up with baby Max.” Grace’s lip twitched the way it always did when she was nervous, and her gaze flicked to the closet before she fastened it to her feet.
“No!” Olivia rolled off the bed and ran for the closet. Grace flew off her chair and dove toward Olivia’s feet, tackling her onto the carpet. Peals of laughter floated between the slats of the louvered closet door. From her back, pinned to the floor by her nimble sister, Olivia saw the door open and Hannah and Claire tumble out, their faces red with hilarity.
“I got it,” Hannah declared. “And it’s already saved to the cloud, so don’t think you can erase it off my phone, even if you knew the password.”
Olivia tried to suppress her own laughter. “I can’t believe you did this, you turncoats. Well, Grace and Hannah, I can believe. But Claire—I thought we had an alliance.”
“Grace and Hannah made a better offer.” Claire shrugged, lifting her hands.
“Chocolate,” Grace supplied, as she shifted, allowing Olivia to get up. “The best way to seal a deal.”
Claire propped her hands on her hips. “And you said we were going to see a movie together, Olivia. That was three months ago.” Her head shook slowly from side to side, her mouth twisted in disapproval. “I’m afraid I can’t trust you anymore. Anyway, this is nothing compared to some of the stuff you’ve pulled off.”
“This is way worse, and you know it. This is totally humiliating. You guys can’t post this video. What if Blake sees it?”
“I’m willing to bargain.” Hannah sat on the edge of the bed and patted the mattress beside her.
“What kind of bargain?” Olivia climbed from the floor and sat beside her sister.
“How about if you confess everything, like you used to do before you started medical school?” Hannah suggested.
“There’s nothing else to confess. You’ve already heard all about Blake. And I’m assuming Grace told you about the two guys from the dating website.”
“We haven’t heard any Collin stories in forever,” said Claire, as she and Grace sat cross-legged on the floor in front of her. “You used to tell us one or two every week.”
“No, I didn’t. Collin and I have never even gone out on a date. I pretty much despised him since the day we met.”
“You probably believe that hogwash, but we never did,” Grace said, as a knowing look passed between the three sisters. “We all knew you liked him, no matter what you said.”
Olivia stared, disbelieving, at her three smug sisters. “That’s not true, Grace. If you really thought, for the past year and a half, I liked Collin in some deep, hidden-from-myself fashion, why would you sign me up for an online dating site? You were the one encouraging me to go out with other guys.”
“I only did that because I knew you’d compare them all to Collin and find them lacking. I thought you’d eventually come to your senses and figure it out.”
“That’s impossible. I know you, Grace. You’ve never hesitated to give your opinion since the day you were born. If you really thought I should date Collin, you would’ve told me, outright.”
“Think about it, Olivia.” Claire leaned forward, pursing her lips. “We all know Grace is opinionated—that’s true. But what about you? What’s your famous trait?”
She hesitated. “I’ll admit, I’ve been known to express a certain amount of stubbornness.”
“Olivia, you are the master of understatement.” Hannah rolled her eyes. “There was never a mule born more stubborn than you, and you know it. Once you make up your mind about something, you are the only one who can change it.”
“If you’re so convinced I secretly like Collin, why did you encourage me to make a fool out of myself with Blake in a Santa costume?”
“Because I never dreamed you’d actually do it.” Grace cackled with laughter. “You really might be in need of professional counseling.”
“You’re making me wish I’d never confided in you at all.” Olivia fumed. She was getting more frustrated by the second.
“Olivia, I noticed you didn’t actually deny liking Collin.” Hannah lifted an eyebrow. “You said you despised him—past tense, instead of present tense. Does that mean you’ve changed your mind about him?”
“She did use the past tense, didn’t she,” Claire said. “Tell us the truth. Who do you like? Blake or Collin?”
“Or Santa?” Graced added, setting off another round of laughter.
Olivia plastered a stern look on her face, determined not to answer until her sisters quieted from their mirth.
“Okay, we’ll stop teasing,” Grace said. “At least for a few minutes. But no promises about later.”
“I really don’t think Blake is ‘the one,’ in or out of his Santa suit, so I probably shouldn’t waste any more time on him. As for Collin…the truth is I’m really worried about him because he’s under a lot of stress right now.” Olivia caught herself chewing on her fingernail, and snatched it out of her mouth, sitting on both hands to hold them in place. “He’s been going to visit Martha in the hospital every day.”
“Martha?” whispered Claire.
“The homeless woman from the shelter,” Hannah clarified. “The one Olivia visited last week in the hospital.”
Claire nodded.
“I’m think he’s internalizing all this terrible stress, and he really needs someone to talk to,” Olivia explained.
“Why can’t you talk to him?” asked Claire.
“I think he needs to talk to his brother. I tried to get David’s cell phone number, but Collin wouldn’t give it to me.”
“You seem to care a lot about him. Are you admitting he’s not as terrible as you always claimed he was?” asked Grace.
Olivia swallowed something that felt like a rock. “It doesn’t matter what I think about Collin. He doesn’t like me anymore.”
“Olivia, you’re being ridiculous. Collin has been in love with you since he laid eyes on you.” Grace used her I’m-married-and-know-all-about-these-things voice. “It couldn’t have changed overnight.”
“Even if he liked me before, he’s changed his mind now. He’s been avoiding me like the plague.”
“In other words, you blew it,” Claire huffed. “You were too stubborn for too long, and now it’s too late.”
“Maybe,” Olivia conceded. “Or maybe he was only playing games. Maybe he liked chasing and teasing me, but he never actually wanted to catch me.”
Her words fell flat. Three pairs of eyes gave her a silent scolding. Of course none of them believed Collin was playing games. Neither did she. A guy who visits a homeless woman in the hospital every day isn’t the kind of guy who plays games in relationships. How could she have been so blind?
“Okay, fine.” Olivia fell back onto the bed and covered her face. “I blew it.”
Their mother’s voice wafted up the stairwell. “We could use some help down here, girls! Emily and Spencer are here with Max. And Grace, we can’t find Adeline’s diaper bag.”
Olivia sat up, her shoulders sagging in defeat. Their time was up, and none of her sisters had offered any real solutions for her problems.
Grace pointed to the green plaid satchel in the corner of the room. “The diaper bag is up here.”
“I’ll take it down.” Hannah gave Olivia a hug before snatching the diaper bag from the chair and heading into the hallway. “You’ll figure it out, Olivia. Hang in there.”
Claire’s lips pulled down. “Even though I teased you about being stubborn, I don’t really think it’s your fault. It’s bad timing.” She also gave Olivia a hug before departing.
“You know,” Grace said. “I’ve got an idea how you can attract Collin’s attention, again. I think it’s a foolproof way to have him practically drooling for you.”
“What’s that?” Olivia stood and offered Grace a hand-up, praying her sister might, for once, have a practical idea that would offer a glimmer of hope.
“I think you should dress up in a red velvet outfit with a long white beard and mustache. I hear it works every time.”