Suddenly Psychic (Glimmer Lake #1)(11)

Robin blinked. “Seriously?”

“I guess. I don’t really believe in any of that stuff, but I don’t know.” She shrugged. “I know a couple of nurses who swear she’s the friendly ghost of Bridger City Memorial.” Lucy finished up her notes and hung the clipboard back on the end of Robin’s bed. “Well, I’m done here. Sweet dreams. Try to get some rest.”

Her dad snorted a laugh.

“Right,” Robin said. “Sleep.”

Sure. Okay. No problem.

Robin had nearly drowned and was now seeing ghosts.

Apparently.

Who could possibly have trouble sleeping after that?





Chapter 4





Valerie Costa could hardly speak. “Mom, I cannot…”

No words. There were no words. Her mother had invited her ex to see her at the hospital, and the man’d had the nerve to say yes.

“Looking good, Val.” Josh smiled. “Like the hair.”

Val refused to talk to him. She refused to even look at him. She glared at her mother. “Why would you do this?”

“He was on the phone with Andy when you called, sweetie.” Marie Costa smoothed Val’s hair back and held her hand. “What was I supposed to do? Not tell him? The boys were upset.”

Josh held out his hands. “Uh… I’m here. In the room.”

Val finally turned her eyes on him. “Shut up, Josh. This has nothing to do with you.” She pushed the call button. “But since you’re here for once, why don’t you make yourself a tiny bit useful and help your kids find some breakfast.”

Everything about her was mixed up. Her head was cloudy, and she could hardly keep track of her thoughts. Her mom and dad were here. Josh had followed them. Her dad was sorting through paperwork and trying to talk to the police, who were in and out of the hospital. Andy and Jackson were roaming the halls of the hospital, looking for food, which was par for the course with an eleven-and fourteen-year-old. They were always, always eating.

“How are there so many people here?” The press of voices began to wear on her. She wanted the night to come back. She wanted darkness and quiet.

“Try to relax.” Marie squeezed her hand. “As soon as Dad gets back, I’ll tell him to take the boys back to our house.”

“No, I want the boys here.” She didn’t want to let them out of her sight. “Has anyone been able to talk to Robin and Monica yet?”

“Dad said Grace and Philip are in with Robin, and all of Monica’s kids are in the waiting room, taking turns going in and out.”

“Okay.” She closed her eyes and focused on Marie’s hand in hers. It steadied her, which was weird because Val had never been the touchy-feely daughter. But in that moment, her mom’s hand felt like a lifeline to normal.

Her mother was great. Val loved her mom. She was the most conventional woman on earth—probably the reason Val had as many tattoos as she did—but Marie was a maternal kick-ass. She was a killer wife, mom, and grandma. She did all the church fundraisers and volunteered for everything. She and Val’s dad had been married for fifty years, and they still liked each other.

Her mom was also convinced that Val and Josh would eventually reconcile. Because her heart was too big to let go of anyone, including a son-in-law who was fidelity-challenged.

Ignoring her request to take care of the boys—shocker—Josh reached to the chair behind him. “Hey, I got you something.”

Val and Marie exchanged a wordless conversation.

Can you get rid of him?

He’s trying to be nice.

I don’t want him here!

Honey, you almost died. Marie’s eyes filled with tears she blinked away. She cleared her throat and patted Val’s hand. “I’m going to track down Dad and the boys. I’ll be right back.”

“Don’t leave me with him.”

“I’ll be right back!”

Josh cleared his throat. “Yeah, I’m still here.”

Val swung her eyes toward him. “The question is why.”

Josh looked uncomfortable. And hot. He was still so damn hot, which pissed Val off so damn much. He should have grown warts on his nose or developed middle-aged acne or something. Instead, the lines around his eyes were handsome and the silver stubble that flecked through his beard was attractive.

Asshole.

Her oldest, Jackson, was the spitting image of his father, which meant she couldn’t even hate Josh’s face, because it was her son’s. It was all so weird and complicated.

Why was it so noisy? The minute her mom stepped into the hall, the volume in her hospital room had been turned up to eleven. Monitors and beeping and her skin was aching.

And Josh was sitting beside her with a glittery purple bag in his hands.

Val rolled her eyes and held out her hand. “What did you get me?”

Josh gave her his best crooked smile and reached into a bag. “You’re gonna love this.” He pulled out what looked like a rolled-up blanket and held it out to her.

She unrolled part of it. “Is this Coraline?”

“Yep.”

She was… surprised. And pleased. “Seriously?”

It was a gorgeous blue, purple, and black throw blanket with images from one of her favorite movies and books. Val spread her hand over the soft picture. “Josh, this is perf—”