Chapter 3

Luke stretched as he sat up on Paisley's tiny sofa. It was too small for him, but he didn't mind as long as she was letting him stay here. Garrett was the greatest thing, and he knew that he'd do anything for him already.

It was weird since it was the opposite of the way Luke's dad acted toward his children. He'd spent the last several weeks telling Luke what a piece of shit he was and threatening him. After a while, Luke had gotten tired of it and pressed back.

He had to protect his sister from all the threats that his father was making toward her. She was trying to complete her degree early and get herself out of the line of fire, but it might not work. Luke had made a very healthy donation to the school in hopes that anything that was said about her wouldn't matter.

As for her, she didn't seem to care that much. His sister decided that if something happened, she'd just go to another school. Ivy League wasn't all it was cracked up to be. He wanted this to not get ruined for her if he could help it.

So far, nothing had happened, but he was prepared and waiting for it. After Paisley was feeling better, Luke was going to his friends to tell them the truth. He hadn't done it yet out of sheer fear of how they'd react. It was time, though.

Garrett let out a cry and Luke stood, pulling a shirt on before he went into Paisley's room. She hadn't told him to get out of her home, so Luke was treading as lightly as he could on her nerves, but he wanted to get Garrett when he woke up.

"Shh," Luke whispered as he lifted him out of the crib. "Mommy's sleeping."

He carried him from the room and headed to the kitchen to make a bottle. While it was warming, he changed his first diaper with no help. Proud of himself, he held Garrett to his chest and just smiled at how things were going here.

Paisley's coughing drifted down the hall from her now open bedroom door. He should have closed it but thought she'd feel better being able to hear them.

Luke grabbed the bottle and settled down to feed Garrett. Her coughing seemed to get worse as he sat there and did nothing. Well, not nothing, but nothing for her.

"All right, little man. I need you to not fuss while Daddy checks on Mommy, okay?" Luke told Garrett as he burped him.

Once he was settled in the small chair of his in the living room, Luke went to check on Paisley. Tiptoeing into her room, he walked to the side of the bed and touched her forehead as she coughed again.

She was burning up. Not many things would have caught him off guard like Paisley being sick. When the delivery driver called him yesterday to tell him, Luke had put hiding on the back burner and come straight here.

It seemed like it was good he had because she wasn't doing any better today.

He went back into the kitchen and got her some fever and cold medicine and a cup of water, taking it back to her. "Paisley." He nudged her shoulder. "Baby, I have medicine for you."

She groaned but then sat up so quickly, she nearly headbutted him. "Garrett?"

"In his seat in the living room. Fed, changed, burped, and good to go."

Paisley blinked at him a few times before nodding. "My head hurts," she said.

"You feel like you have a fever. I brought medicine."

She took it, and Luke helped her lie back down and get comfortable.

"Go to sleep," he urged. "I'm not going anywhere." He slipped from the room, leaving the door cracked, and went back to Garrett who was happily swatting at the toys above his chair.

He sat back on her sofa and thought over what he would need to do if Paisley didn't get better. Talking her into going to the doctor would probably be easier when she was sicker, unable to argue too much.

Hopefully, it didn't reach that point, but he needed to figure it out and come up with a plan to get them both out of here. Somewhere that was safer, cleaner, and just nicer. Not that Paisley's apartment wasn't clean, but you could only put so much elbow grease into years of neglect and not be able to see it.

Paisley's coughs continued to float down the hallway. The medicine didn't seem to be helping at all. He made up his mind that she needed to go to the doctor today.

Luke took a deep breath and pulled out his phone. He hoped and prayed that the other person answered.

"Well, long time no see." Ryker's gruff tone came through the line.

"I know. I have a lot of explaining to do, but first, I need your help," Luke said.

He could hear Ryker adjusting himself in his seat. "With what?"

Now was the time to come clean, at least somewhat. "I have a baby with Paisley from the coffee shop."

Ryker was silent. It was either because he was stunned or angry and neither were great options.

"Look, I'm trying to make everything right with everyone, but this is most important. Paisley's sick. She sounds like shit, and I want to take her to the doctor which will involve plenty of arguing. I need someone to take care of little man that I can trust."

"Yes, please!" Catherine squealed.

"What the fuck?" Ryker moaned.

"I didn't know I was on speaker," Luke said in his own defense.

"Bring him here, but before you can take him back, we need to talk," Ryker said.

Luke agreed. He knew that Ryker would never hurt a baby so it was all talk.

"I planned to come to you guys this week. When I know more, can we just have everyone meet us?"

"Know more?" Ryker asked.

"About Paisley," Luke clarified.

"I'm calling Cade and April anyway. I don't know what to do with a baby. Maybe Jake and Lauren too if Catherine hasn't already."

"Okay. Ryker, thank you."

They ended the call and Luke grabbed the diaper bag he'd noticed sitting on the counter and started shoving things in it. Enough formula for a few days, bottles, diapers, clothes, all of it. Before he woke up Paisley, he called a car to have it waiting for them downstairs. It was time for him to come out of hiding.

He tried to gently wake her up. "Paisley."

"What?" She groaned and then started coughing.

"Come on, baby. We're taking you to the doctor."

"Garrett?" she called out for him again.

"He's in his carrier thing in the living room. We need to get moving," Luke urged. His thought was if he kept her moving fast enough, she wouldn't be able to argue with him.

In under ten minutes, he had her ready and lead the way out the door. They only stopped long enough to lock it all the way.

"Where are we going?" Paisley asked as they rode.

"I'm taking Garrett to a friend of mine's and then you to the doctor."

"Who?" she demanded. "I've never been without him."

"Paisley, I just want to take you to the doctor so you can get better. Nothing is going to happen to Garrett."

"Who?" she demanded again.

"Ryker's, but?—"

"Tall, tattoos, generally bad mood?" she asked.

"Yes, but likely all of my friends will be there because they had a head start on us. He will be in good company and well taken care of, I can promise you that." Luke pled his case, but it wasn't like she had much she could argue at this point anyway. "I wouldn't take him anywhere I thought was dangerous."

"You're not taking him from me?" Her voice was small and quiet.

"Paisley, look at me. I'm not going to take him from you ever. I just want to take you to the doctor. I'd send you alone, but I doubt you'd go," he joked.

"If anything happens, that's on you."

"Absolutely," he agreed. He'd never forgive himself if something happened.

The car stopped outside of Ryker's, and Luke grabbed the bag and car seat, prepared to get out.

"I can't go in there looking like this," Paisley suddenly said.

He rolled his eyes. "You've met most of these people before. But I won't be long so we can get you to the doctor."

She opened her mouth to argue and was overtaken by coughing.

Luke shut the door and made his way up to Ryker's porch. The door flung open before he got there, and eight faces stared back at him.

"Hi," he said as he walked in.

The women focused on Garrett as the men stared him down.

"As much as I would love to do this with you, I need to get her to the doctor. I promise to do this after, though," Luke rushed. "This is Garrett. His diaper was changed about half an hour ago, he was fed about two hours ago, and there are bottles in the bag that need to go in the fridge."

April approached him and put a hand on his shoulder. It was only then that he noticed she was also carrying a baby. "Uncle Luke, this is Molly."

Luke teared up as he took in the tiny baby girl. She made Garrett look huge. "Hi, Molly," he cooed.

"Go. He's in good hands, I promise," April assured him.

Luke nodded and left the house without talking to anyone else. He felt better with other parents there. Being called Uncle Luke was wild though, considering they didn't know how true it really was.

Paisley was still coughing when he made it back to the car. He slid in and immediately began to rub circles on her back.

"You're going to be okay," he whispered. It had to be true because he couldn't imagine anything else.

Paisley blinked as she opened her eyes to a bright white light overhead. Confused, she tossed her head as she looked around. Machines beeped beside her, getting faster as she struggled to remember where she was.

"It's okay," came Luke's voice. "You've been asleep for a while, but you're okay."

"What?" she tried, but her voice came out rough.

He handed her some water. "I took you to the hospital yesterday morning and they helped with your coughing and everything, and after that, you passed out."

"Where's Garrett?" she asked.

"He's still with my friends. They're dying to come up here or talk to us when we leave, but I've been holding them away."

"Can we video chat with Garrett later?" She needed to see him.

"We can do it right now," Luke said, pulling out his phone.

She tried to fix her hair, which was probably the worst rat's nest ever, but Luke pulled her hands away.

"No one cares what you look like, least of all Garrett."

Catherine's face came on the screen as she answered before Paisley had a chance to. "Oh my, you're awake. That's great!"

"She wants to see Garrett," Luke said from her side.

"Of course. He is the sweetest thing ever." Catherine moved the phone to show Ryker holding their son on his chest, lying back on the sofa.

"Oh my gosh, I don't want to wake either of them. Thank you so much for taking care of him. I don't know when I'll get to go home." Paisley looked down and messed with the blanket.

Catherine was moving the phone again and was going to a different room. "Paisley?" she asked, getting her attention. "This is what friends and family are for. No matter what that butt Luke has done, everyone will always pull through to make sure that he and his family are taken care of."

Luke's hand shook as he held the phone, knowing that wasn't just for Paisley to hear. He turned the screen to himself. "Thank you, Catherine, for everything."

"It's time, Luke. Get her better first and then you need to talk to the guys," she said sternly.

"I know," he admitted.