Don't Hide From Me

by Lorhainne Eckhart

  “Excuse me,” he said to the cop, who handed the little boy to one of the nurses.

  “Yes?” she said. She had a round plump face, a young lady who looked fresh from the academy.

  “What’s going to happen to that little boy?” he asked as he met the boy’s blue eyes, which should have been happy but were filled with shock. The boy just watched him with resignation, something that should never have been on the face of a child.

  “He’ll get checked out by the doctor and will be placed in a foster home tonight if he’s lucky and he’s in the system.”

  “Will his parents get him back?” he asked. He couldn’t see the boy anymore.

  The cop had been handed a clipboard and pen and was filling something out. Her expression seemed tired, annoyed. “Hope to hell not,” she said. “They probably don’t know he’s gone. They won’t unless they decide to clean up and get their shit together, become upstanding citizens and turn their lives around, which is highly unlikely. Seen it too many times with the same outcome. You know what always wins out for these junkies?” She was writing as she spoke, and he could hear her sadness, her judgement. This time she looked up. “The drugs. That’s what they always choose. They need the high, the fix, and once they get it, it’s like that life has chosen them too.”

  Chapter 19

  Two specialists examined Fiona, and each agreed with her doctor and said it was unlikely she’d carry to term. The chances of miscarriage would increase if they couldn’t get the cramping to stop, and then there was the bleeding, which had been inconsistent. Vic wasn’t hearing them, though, as he leaned over the hospital bed, rubbing Fiona’s back, looking at her face, which was relaxed now.

  “Any more cramping?” he asked.

  She licked her lips and shook her head. “Hmm, no.” She linked her fingers with his. “So is this where you say I should have listened to you?”

  He could see she was blaming herself. “No, these things just happen. You know that as much as I do. You haven’t lost the baby yet…”

  She reached out to stop him. “I heard the doctors, what they all said. They all said the same thing. It’s only a matter of time.”

  He couldn’t believe it yet, as they’d just heard the heartbeat.

  The curtain was pulled back. “Mr. and Mrs. McCabe, we’re going to do an ultrasound,” the nurse said as she pushed the machine around the other side of the bed. A doctor followed and pulled the curtain closed behind himself.

  Fiona glanced over to him as the nurse lifted her gown and squirted gel on her stomach. She reached out, and Vic took her hand. She squeezed hard. He hadn’t realized she had that kind of strength. He watched the screen and the shadow, the image of the baby he’d seen just that morning.

  “There’s still a heartbeat,” the doctor said. “That’s a good sign. We’ll keep her here and watch her.” He was the head of OB, board certified, wearing scrubs, a busy man who knew what he was doing. He gave instructions to the nurse and then touched Fiona’s leg as she rolled back to her side, holding her IV still. “We’re going to keep an eye on you,” he said. “Any more cramping, you let us know. We’re going to prop you up, and you don’t move, you stay in bed. We’ll see if we can get this to stop.”

  Then the doctor nodded to Vic, who followed him out into the hallway. “So is there a chance the baby will be okay?” Vic asked.

  The doctor crossed his arms over his chest. “There is a heartbeat. Most times, when we fear a miscarriage, there isn’t a heartbeat at this stage, so keep her calm, relaxed, no stress. If the bleeding stops, the cramping too, then there’s a shot. She’s not out of the woods, though, because she’s going to have to slow down. Not sure what your financial situation is, but—”

  Vic waved his hand. “It’s not an issue.”

  “Then for now she should stop all work,” the doctor said. “A lot of things need to happen still. Let’s just wait for the next twenty-four hours, see how they play out. We’ll get her to a room, checked in, and then she can rest.” The doctor set his hand on Vic’s shoulder and left.

  Vic started to the waiting room and paused when he saw Luc standing beside another bed, where a little boy was sitting. He was talking to a doctor. Then Vic spotted Julian sitting with John around the corner. Whatever Julian was saying, John seemed intrigued. He stepped closer. “Hey, John. Your mom is just getting checked in. She has to stay the night. There’s a heartbeat, which is good news, but the baby’s not out of the woods.”

  John was staring up at him, not saying anything. He wanted a moment alone to talk with him.

  “Who’s Luc in with?” Vic asked, because it seemed odd. He didn’t think his brother knew anyone out this way.

  “Ah, a little boy who came in,” Julian said. “Cops found him in some junkie whorehouse.”

  “Hey, Vic!”

  Vic turned to see Chase. Rose was walking with him, holding his hand, and Billy Jo was behind them.

  “How is Fiona? Luc called. We were just outside Portland. Hey, Julian.”

  “You didn’t need to come,” Vic said. “She’s resting, being moved upstairs. It’s touch and go with the baby. She’ll be sleeping now, but maybe you can take John home.”

  Julian stood up. “I can do that much, at least,” he said, then gestured to John, who looked for a moment as if he were going to argue.

  “You can’t see your mom tonight,” Vic said. “She has to sleep. Go. I promise if anything changes, I’ll call.” He hugged his son and watched as he left with Julian. Chase was still there, and this time he wore that worried motherly look he got when he was about to dig deeper into one of his brothers’ business.

  “Seriously, is she going to lose the baby?” Chase said. “Luc wasn’t sure what to say, just to get down here.”

  “There’s still a heartbeat. She’s had some bleeding, cramping. She needs quiet rest. If she gets past these twenty-four hours, no more work. No negotiation this time. She’s off her feet for the rest of this pregnancy.” He knew he sounded dictatorial. Even Rose gave Chase an odd look. “So did Luc call Aaron too?”

  Chase frowned. “Of course. He’s on his way. They were flying down and are going to rent a car. They’ll call when they land.”

  What could he say? He had persuaded Luc to stay with him and Fiona just until they could figure things out. He wanted time to ease his brother into sticking around, maybe sending Julian some business, but he just hadn’t figured out how. There was time, yet here his brother was, pulling everyone together for him.

  “Hey, there you are,” Luc said as he appeared. He kissed Rose and hugged her, shook Chase’s hand, and looked over to Vic just as a nurse appeared behind him.

  “Mr. McCabe, you were asking about the little boy,” she said.

  Vic took in the puzzled expression on Chase’s face. Billy Jo was still quiet, standing in her own space.

  “Yeah, I was,” Luc replied. “What’s going to happen to him? I mean, he’s okay, right?”

  “Other than some malnutrition, we figure he’s small for his age. Social services are on their way to pick him up.” She handed him a card. “She’s the social worker.”

  Then the nurse walked away, and Luc just stared at the card and then, with two fingers, held it out to Chase. “I’m pretty sure I’m going to need a lawyer for this,” he said. “There’s a little boy who was brought in. Can you find out for me if it’s possible for gay parents to foster and then adopt?”

  Chase took the card, and Billy Jo looked around Chase and said, “Is this a family thing?”

  Luc said nothing as he took in Vic and then the kid. “Maybe,” he said with a smile. “All I know is that as soon as I saw that cop carry him in and heard the way he was found, I knew I wanted him.”

  Chapter 20

  Two months and three days was Fiona’s limit in terms of being bedridden. Her cramping had stopped, and the bleeding too, and so had the threat of a miscarriage—but her time at work had also stopped. Vic had been adamant with her that until the
baby was born, she would be homebound, and he’d been surprised when she’d caved in so easily. Her fear of loss had been the deciding factor.

  Aaron and Brittany had been good on their word and had eloped in Vegas, whereas Chase and Rose had opted for something a little bigger at Vic’s, just family and a simple ceremony only, at Rose’s insistence, followed by a nice dinner. They’d left Billy Jo, her adoption now final, with Vic while they honeymooned in Ireland.

  Luc and Julian had been married the previous week in a civil ceremony, again just family, and Vic had surprised his brother by handling the details and hosting the wedding at his house. The biggest surprise, though, was the little boy Luc had stumbled upon in the hospital. Kevin was three and didn’t talk but had quickly come into Luc and Julian’s care.

  Chase had handled the process, easing them through the hoops and the willingness from the state of Oregon to allow a gay couple to foster and then adopt. The parents had been stripped of rights, and that was the first time Vic had seen what a good dad Luc could be. He had something in him Vic didn’t see often in any parent, male or female. He was the stay-at-home type, the type to bake cookies, get down on the floor and play, and move mountains to see that his kid got what he needed.

  Julian was more career driven, and Vic had made sure he pulled in favors so business flowed his way. He wasn’t sure Julian knew, although he suspected he wondered, though he didn’t say so. It was a credit to his skill that he kept the business, and it surprised Vic how happy it made him to have Luc and Julian now living in a cute bungalow a few blocks away.

  Vic allowed the curtain to fall away in the living room as he heard the cry, turning to his daughter, Rosalee McCabe, who had been born fourteen days earlier after seven hours and twenty-two minutes of easy labor, according to the doctor, and was currently being held by Luc.

  His entire family was there, and everyone was laughing. Even his mom and dad had shown up after driving most of the day. Luc was sitting in the rocker, saying something to his daughter, the expression on his face priceless. Fiona was at the bar, perched on a stool, talking with Rose and Brittany, whom Aaron was standing behind with his arm around her. Chase was with Julian, who was holding Kevin, and their dad was making faces at the boy, bringing a laugh from him that had everyone smiling. Their mom and Claudia were just behind him with Billy Jo and John, discussing which zombie apocalypse show was the best.

  “You getting tired? You know I can take her,” Vic said to Luc as he walked over and sat down on a stool in front of him.

  “Nope, never. She’s beautiful. Looks just like her mother, thank goodness,” Luc added, still rocking Rosalee, who had gripped his finger and was holding on. “You’re so lucky. Ever wonder how it is that all of us managed to get ourselves sorted out and find that something we’ve been looking for, even though I can say for sure that none of us knew what it was?”

  Sounded like Luc was becoming philosophical. Vic wasn’t sure how to respond, but he was also aware it hadn’t been long ago that each of them had been alone and couldn’t have imagined the life they had now, the joy, the love. He couldn’t have, and he still found it hard to believe as he took in Fiona laughing, happy.

  “You and Julian look good. How’s business doing? And Kevin, you’ve done a lot with him, reached him in a way none of us could have expected, considering he didn’t talk and was so terrified of everything.”

  Kevin was a scarred kid, one who reminded him so much of Aaron when he’d shown up on their doorstep. It was his lost look.

  “Julian said business is better than in Texas. I think he secretly misses the Lone Star State, though. Heard him say once that Texas gets in your blood, but I also know he said his business has never done this well. We’re happy. We’re going to adopt more kids. He said one more, but I want four.” Luc smiled, and his gaze, which lingered on his husband across the room, was filled with such love that Vic was starting to understand more of what made Luc tick. What everything came down to was love.

  “So you don’t miss working?” Vic said. He didn’t understand this nurturing part of his brother.

  Luc shook his head. “No, for me it’s about the kids, the family. Julian’s the breadwinner.” When his brother looked up and slid his daughter into his arms, he said, “And you, whether you believe it or not, have taken over the biggest role here. You’re the head of our family.”

  He rested his hand on Vic’s shoulder, and there was lightness and something else in his expression that told Vic he seemed to know who he was now. Then he walked away and scooped up his son from Julian, and Vic looked down at his daughter, who was looking to him for everything.

  Please Leave a Review

  Thank you for reading Don’t Hide From Me. I really hope you enjoyed reading all about Luc McCabe. This is a brand new series of brothers Vic, Chase, Aaron, & Luc, along with their sister Claudia who will appear next in Don’t Leave Me I will announce the coming release in September 2017. The McCabe Brothers is a dark romance series that will continue much like The Friessens. If any of you missed Leave the Light On where Vic McCabe, friend to Neil Friessen was introduced you can click here to grab your copy now, included free with Family First. If you enjoyed Don’t Hide From Me then I’d love to ask you a favor and have you go back to wherever you purchased this eBook from and leave a review, or click here for a direct link back to your retailer of choice. Even just a few kind words really does mean a lot.

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  Although this book and all my books have been edited and proofed, editors, proofreaders, and I are all human. If you spot a typo, please email me at lorhainne@lorhainneeckhart.com and let me know. Also, I would like to thank everyone who has emailed and told all their family and friends about my books. If you’d like to know more about my other books, please scroll to the next section or visit my website at www.LorhainneEckhart.com.

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  Lorhainne Eckhart

  What’s coming next

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  One moment in time could change her future forever.

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  From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Lorhainne Eckhart comes a riveting and edgy romance about a young love driven to the breaking point.

  * * *

  Even though Claudia is part of the McCabe family, with four older brothers she barely knows, she has a dark side no one in their right mind would mess with, and she still sees herself as alone. That is until one night, when she witnesses an unspeakable crime that blurs the lines of morality. Her first instinct is to run, but when a mysterious handsome man enters her life, promising to keep her safe, she’s caught up in a web of secrets, not knowing who to trust. When her brothers unite, will they expose the truth or destroy any hope Claudia has of finding love?

  Click here to order your copy or scroll to the next section to read the first chapter!

  Chapter 1

  Claudia McCabe was anything but easy. In fact, those who didn’t know her often labelled her difficult, hard to get along with, stubborn, and somewhat of a snob—but the people who stuck each and every one of those labels to her had completely misread who she was. Claudia didn’t share what she was thinking or feeling, which often led to misunderstandings and judgements about the type of person she really was. It hurt at times to be so misread, and even though she could easily argue to clear her name and cut through the confusion, she wasn’t interested, instead thinking people should know better.

  But they didn’t. Humans weren’t made that way because everyone was flawed, never taking that moment to even apologize when they realized how wrong they were about her. Everyone, that is, except her mother, who seemed to know her darkest thoughts, reading her like an open book. She was the only person who understood some of what made Claudia tick.

  Claudia now had four older
brothers and a father whom she barely knew, a family her mother had walked out on when she was a few months pregnant with her. Claudia’s existence had been kept secret until a few years ago. She had been shocked to learn that her mother had another life, another family. Maybe that was the reason she was the way she was.

  She took in her bedroom, with its yellow walls, single bed, and white dresser with a matching mirror. Her father’s house was small, with a white picket fence. She’d lived there only since meeting her father, and she’d recently learned that her brothers Chase, Aaron, and Luc had bought it for him. She wasn’t really sure about Vic, the eldest, considering she still hadn’t figured out where she fit in this family. She was still coming to grips with the fact that her parents had remarried and dragged her into the mix of something that was anything but normal.

  She tapped her keyboard and stared at the blank screen as she listened to the voices outside her room, most likely from the kitchen. She sniffed the garlicky aroma of dinner and didn’t bother hitting save, considering her homework from the business finance course she was taking in her first semester of community college amounted to exactly zip. There was a knock on the door as she stood and stretched.

  “Claudia, honey, dinner’s ready,” her dad called out, sounding cheery, though he always sounded that way, which made her question why her mother had left.

  She pulled open her door and took in his gentle smile, his neat and freshly cut white hair, his tanned arms, and his yellow golf shirt and khaki shorts. His glance was awkward still.