chapter Twelve

Calvin convinced his father and Grace not to tell Brady about the man claiming to be Andy's father until they confirmed his true identity and whether he would take his claims further than a press conference.

The Blackstone Group was protected from any civil or criminal liability, and according to their battalion of attorneys, so was Hope. She'd broken no laws. The man was blowing smoke, obviously hoping to garner some kind of public sympathy. Sooner or later, he'd get tired and give up.

Calvin didn't want to rain on Brady's happiness. He'd moved Hope into his home for the duration of her stay, and while he hadn't come right out and admitted it, Cal knew he liked the arrangement.

This morning, Brady and his brothers rode the herd, monitoring the cattle and the campers. Jud rode up beside him and slowed to a trot. "So, you and Hope playing house, eh, little brother?"

Brady wasn't offended or annoyed. He was too happy for that, so he just grinned. "Don't let it go to your head, but you were right."

"Aren't I always," Jud agreed and added, "but about what?"

"What happens when you meet the right woman."

"Ah, yeah, got it. I had a feeling that was coming."

"Oh yeah, you're a real psychic. What gave it away, her moving into my place?"

Jud chuckled. "So, where do you go from here?"

"Heck, if I know. Right now, I'm just enjoying today and not worrying about what comes next."

"You do remember they'll be leaving in a few days, right?"

"Yep."

"And?"

"And what?"

"And how do you feel about that?"

"Not keen on it," Brady admitted. "But—"

He fell silent as his twin, Calvin, galloped up beside him and slowed. "What're you two slackers conspiring on?"

"Trying to figure out if Brady has a thing for Hope or is just pretending for a booty call," Jud answered.

"As if," Brady argued.

"Hey, don't blame me if that's your MO," Jud countered with a smile.

"Don't look at me," Cal added when Brady shot him an annoyed look. "He's right. You are the guy to play house and then skip town – or, in your case, deploy – so what is it, bruh? Fun and games or something more?"

"More," Brady admitted, and when Cal raised his eyebrows, he added, "I think a lot more."

"Well, I reckon this is a day for surprises."

"As in, you're in love with Hope?" Jud asked.

"Why all the sudden questions?" Brady got the feeling he was being checked up on, and not only did it aggravate him, but it puzzled him as well. None of his brothers had ever given a fig about his personal life. So, why now?

He saw the look they exchanged, and that cinched it. Something was up. "Okay, something's up. Someone better start talking."

Again, a look was exchanged, and Jud spoke up. "It seems like the guy who skipped out on Hope when she found out she was pregnant heard about this camp and got the notion he could somehow capitalize on being Andy's father. He claimed he never knew about Hope being pregnant, that she hid that and his son from him all these years."

"That sorry son-of-a—" Brady felt his anger rise fast and hot.

"Yep," Cal interrupted. "But so far, he's gotten no traction on that, and the family figured it was best to keep the info on the down-low unless there were developments. No sense in upsetting Hope or Audrey about it, and it goes without saying that no one would ever mention it to the kid."

"Hope deserves to know," Brady argued.

"Maybe so, but what good will it serve?" Jud asked.

"For one, she will be on guard when she and Andy go home."

"You really think that guy's gonna show up?" Jud barked a laugh. "And get what? From what I hear, the folks in Cotton Creek would run him out of town on a rail. She and Audrey were both born and raised in that town. And you know, small-town folks protect their own. So, again, what good will it serve?"

"I can't keep it from her. It's that simple. She'd never trust me again if I tried to hide this and something happened. What if that guy does show up? Am I going to lie and act surprised?"

"Hold on, little brother," Jud said. "Just how will you know if he shows up in Cotton Creek? Are you planning on bugging out and moving there?"

"Or just stringing Hope along when you head back from leave, so when your next leave rolls around, you have a warm bed to climb into with a sexy gal who's obviously crazy about you?"

"You're an asshole, you know that, Jud?" Brady tried to put some heat into his words but felt he failed. That was probably because until he met Hope, that's pretty much who he'd been to the women he met and got casually involved with.

"Just call it like I see it."

"Yeah, well, that doesn't make it sting less."

"I don't reckon it does. But seriously, I do understand, and if you feel she should be told, then so be it. We'll have a family dinner meeting tonight after the campers are in for the evening. Tell her then."

"Good." Brady was satisfied with that, but not with the hurt or fear it was sure to cause Hope. Andy was her whole life, and chances were that this would scare her.

He hoped he could convince her that she had no cause to fear. The guy had no legal standing, and he'd suffer badly if he tried to do anything to her or Andy in a town where people loved both of them.

And Brady would bbe damned if he let anyone hurt or frighten her. They'd have to go through him, and one thing about Blackstone men, they didn't go down easy.

*****

Hope turned her head to look towards the porch door but continued washing the pot in the sink. Eliana and Sadie entered with Grace and Hope's mother. It struck her how beautiful they all were and made her feel just dowdy in comparison, but she passed that off. They might be all gorgeous, but their beauty wasn't just on the outside. They were beautiful through and through.

Eliana went to the refrigerator for a bottle of water, twisted off the cap, and tossed it in the trash can sitting by the back door, waiting to be taken out.

She missed and hurried to pick up the cap. When she bent over, she stumbled and reached out for support. Hope saw it happening and raced to Eliana, wrapping her arms around her to stop her from falling.

"Wow, talk about clumsy," she said with a blush rising on her face. "Thanks, Hope."

"Don't mention it." Hope smiled and released her, then realized she'd left a wet handprint on Eliana's t-shirt. "Oh, I'm sorry."

"Girl, I could have taken a nose dive into the floor without you, so don't apologize. A little water won't hurt me and—" She suddenly gasped and doubled over.

"Mom!" Hope shouted and grabbed hold of Eli to keep her from falling. Audrey and Sadie hurried to help, and together, they walked Eli into the oversized family room.

"Let's get you onto the couch," Audrey said in a calm tone and cut a look over her shoulder at Grace. "Maybe there's a dry shirt she could wear?'

"I'll grab one of mine." Grace was already in motion, leaving the room.

They got Eli onto the couch, and Hope slid a padded ottoman for her to prop her feet on. "Are you in pain?" she asked.

Eli shook her head. "No, it's gone now. It was…" She looked up at her mother, who stood watching. "It was just a sharp pain."

Grace returned with the shirt, and Eli removed the wet shirt to put on the dry one. "What's causing that?" Hope asked as she looked at Eli.

Eli looked down at her lower abdomen. It was fiery red. "Oh, my God, what—" She put her hand on it and then looked at Hope. "It's hot as—here feel."

She put Hope's hand on her belly, and instantaneously, Hope's body jerked, and her eyes flew open. "Grace, call your pilot. We need to get Eli to the hospital."

"Why?" Sadie sat down and put her arm around Eli's shoulders. "What did you feel?"

"She's—" Hope looked to her mother for guidance, loathe to share what she knew to be true even though it defied explanation. "Her fetus is in distress."

Grace was in motion before the others had a chance to react. "Her—" Sadie looked at Eli. "You're pregnant?"

"Almost three months." Eli was in tears, leaning into her mother for comfort while looking at Hope. "Are you sure? Am I going to lose—oh God, Mom, I can't—don't let my baby die. Please."

Hope could tell Eli was close to panicking. She didn't think; she just acted and put both her hands on Eli's abdomen. "Your baby isn't going to die. He's going to be fine."

"He?" Eli asked. "How do you know it's – oh, my God, what's—" Her body suddenly went lax, and she collapsed back on the sofa. She put her hands on top of Hope's. "I can feel him."

"Honey, it's too early to—" Sadie was cut off from finishing her sentence.

"No, Mom, I can feel him. I—Hope's—" She looked at Hope.

"You need to see a doctor," Hope said, feeling very much out of her element at the moment. She didn't know what was happening, but she did know that when she touched Eli's abdomen, she felt the life inside Eli, and it was weak.

And she knew it was time to repay a debt. Joe had saved her son. It was time for her to save Eli's. Even if the cost was her own life. It was a small price to pay for the life of a child. So, she closed her eyes and focused on that tiny spark of life.

Nothing could have shocked her more than to feel a surge of energy gather in her chakras and then race through her veins like liquid fire to her hands.

She felt the healing energy as it permeated Eli's body and flowed to circle the fetus. A glow emerged from beneath Hope's hands, a glow that attached itself to Eli's abdomen.

"Oh. Oh God. I can feel him. He's—" She looked at Hope. "She's healing him. Healing me."

Sadie reached out and put her hands on Eli's, and her eyes widened. "Grace! Get in here. Audrey, join us."

Audrey hurried to put her hands on top of Sadie's, and as soon as Grace ran back into the room and got a look at them, she did the same.

"I can feel the energy," Grace said almost immediately. "Where does it originate? Inside Eli or Hope?"

"Hope," Eli answered. "She's healing him."

"Then let's give her the energy she needs," Grace said, locking her gaze with Sadie. "She needs the Tree House."

Sadie nodded and looked at Audrey. "Can we take them both with us?"

"We're about to find out."