Luke’s got weak knees in the waiting room. He’s been kept from Sal. They wheeled her in quick and urgent, Luke fighting to stay by her side, but he was ultimately barred from her room. A fact that has him threatening to go flat out insane pretty damn soon.
His eyes jump to the muted television high in the corner of the room. The early morning news ticker screams: Kidnapping Suspect Apprehended ... Sal Kincaid Is Safe ... Brothers Kincaid—Country Superstars or Superheroes? ... Whirlwind Night of Terror Ends ...
A whirlwind night is fucking right.
The cops have long since left. An hour ago, the hospital was crawling with them, lobbing questions at Luke and Seth. But a stern talking-to is all they got from the cops, the Nashville PD apparently deciding making an example of them wasn’t the wisest course of action. Now, the cops are gone, and there’s a media swarm outside the hospital. Reporters from the Star camped out in the parking lot. Chaos incarnate.
Luke hates ’em, but he also owes ’em.
A miracle—it’s a miracle he had found her.
His heart leaps at the sound of footsteps coming down the hall. But it’s only Seth. Looking about as tired as Luke. His brother’s taken over the role of messenger, calling the house, their parents, Lacey, to report back that Sal’s been found.
Seth settles beside him. “Anything?”
“Nothin’.” Luke smears a hand down his face. “Christ, I hate waitin’.”
“Yeah, well, while you wait ...” Seth slaps a vending machine sandwich in his hand.
He glances down. “What do you want me to do with this?”
“Eat somethin’. You’re no good to Sal runnin’ on fumes.”
Numbly, Luke stares at the sandwich. The last thing he feels like doing is eating. He just needs to see Sal.
His chest tightens as fear and panic take up residence. Christ. What if something’s wrong? It’s been too long. Too damn long without word. Without him right there beside her.
Luke pushes out the words. “I just want them safe.”
Seth squeezes his shoulder. He swallows hard. “They will be.”
But still, guilt, sorrow claw at him.
“I should’ve done more,” he says. He stares at Sal’s hospital room door, the ache in his chest intensifying. It ain’t his fault, but hell if it doesn’t feel like it. He could’ve lost her. Again.
Seth gives him a pointed look. One that tells him he’ll take him out back and kick his ass if he keeps talking stupid. “Luke, you sounded the alarms before anyone. You knew and you did something. Sal’s safe because of you.”
“They have to be ...” Luke lets his words hang unfinished as he runs a trembling hand through his hair. He can’t entertain any other options. A life without Sal ... it won’t happen. Not ever again.
Silence falls in the hallway.
A soft click of a lock, the swing of a door. Dr. McKibbon, a familiar face, steps out of Sal’s room.
Seth swears, his nerves on edge.
Luke whisks his hands together, his throat knotting. His heartbeat quickens. “What’s it gonna be, doc?”
“Everyone’s perfect.” She smiles. Luke and Seth both let out simultaneous breaths of relief. “No signs of distress in mama or baby.”
Seth smirks. “What about the father?”
Luke shoots him a dry look.
Dr. McKibbon opens the door. “Want to come in and see your baby on the big screen?”
For a long second, Luke stands frozen in his boots. As if unable to process the words. Unable to trust the truth. But it’s here, in front of him. The fact that they get to do this again. They have another chance.
Beside him, Seth’s grinning. He slaps Luke on the back, pushing him forward. “Go, man. Go see your kid.”