Page 3 of The Playboy's Most Unexpected Baby

“Nevertheless, the will legally provides him with a month to make himself a marriage,” Rogan said. “No one else will come into possession of the estate before then.”

“So we have to wait a month,” Scott said. “No big deal.”

Cait narrowed her eyes. “What’s to stop him from finding some girl to marry so he can inherit the house without it being real? He could sell the place and pay her off.”

Now, that’s an idea,Charlie thought.

“The will stipulates that Charlie and the woman he marries — if in fact he does marry — will be required to attend monthly meetings with me, so that I can assess the validity of the relationship to ensure that it’s not just an arrangement of convenience to get the house,” Rogan said.

Cait laughed bitterly. “Oh, please,” she said. “This is so stupid. It’s all Aunt Marge’s way of giving Charlie a hard time. She always wished he would settle down and get married. I mean, we all know that’s never going to happen. Charlie’s not that type. But I guess she never gave up hope, right to the very end.”

“Or else she’s just trying to give him grief about it one last time,” John said. “It could be that.”

“Either way, this is obnoxious,” Cait said. “You’re telling me that we have to wait a whole month to deal with the estate because Aunt Marge had to have her little prank.”

“I guess there’s another option,” Rogan said. “If Charlie is willing to say right now that he has no plans to marry, he can sign the legal rights over.”

“I’m not doing that,” Charlie said.

“For God’s sake, Charlie,” John said. “You know Cait’s going to be insufferable about this.”

“Hey!” Cait objected.

John ignored her. “Just sign it over and let’s get this over with. You know you’re not going to get married in thirty days.”

“Maybe I am. You don’t know.” It was impossible to imagine that he would, but Charlie wasn’t feeling much like making things easier on his siblings at the moment. They always treated him like he didn’t matter in this family, like he was the least important of all of them. Well, that was fine. Now they were all going to be inconvenienced by him. Maybe they would actually learn a lesson — though he doubted it.

“Are we done here?” Scott asked. He was already rising to his feet, not waiting for the answer to be given. “I’d like to get home in time for dinner.”

“We need to establish what’s going to happen with the estate,” Cait objected.

“Don’t be silly, Cait. Charlie already said he isn’t going to sign it over — well, I could have told you that. Of course he isn’t. He’s always been way too stubborn. He’ll make us wait out the thirty days. And then, when he isn’t married at the end of that time, we’ll be able to move on to whatever comes next. Easy as that,” Scott said.

Cait glowered at Charlie. “You always have to make everything difficult, don’t you?”

“I’m not trying to,” Charlie objected. “This isn’t my fault, you know. I’m not the one who set such a wild condition on the inheritance. It was Aunt Marge who came up with this idea, not me. I’d be just as happy if she had left me the place outright.”

Cait rolled her eyes and stood up. “I suppose we’ll have to meet back here in thirty days, then, to figure out what comes next,” she said.

“That’s right,” Rogan agreed. “Charlie, you’ll need to bring your wife if you do marry before then, and your marriage certificate.” He smiled, clearly thinking himself in on the joke. “If there’s nothing more, I’ll see you all next month.”

“Sounds fine,” John said.

“Come on, kids,” Cait said. “Pack up your toys. It’s time to go.”

Charlie turned and left the room, not wanting to stay here with people who were so clearly in bad moods with him.

What had Aunt Marge been thinking?

He knew she had always wanted him to marry — but she couldn’t possibly think this idea would actuallywork?

The others must be right. It had been her idea of a last joke at his expense, nothing more.

Well played, Aunt Marge. You got the last laugh.

CHAPTER2

OLIVIA

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