Lynette Eason - Vanished In The Night

She remembered Joshua now. And wished she didn’t. But she had heard that he was a doctor. Hadn’t she? Or was he some mixed martial arts fighter? The pain eased, the pressure lessened. But she knew it would be back. “I thought you were on the MMA circuit. When did you become a doctor?”

“I became the doctor first. MMA was later. Or rather, during.”

“What?”

“Never mind. I’ll explain later.”

More indescribable pain hit her. She couldn’t speak for the next couple of minutes, but once the contraction passed she looked at him and nodded. “Okay. Just make it stop.” At least she had a doctor to help, so maybe God did care about her just a little. At the moment she didn’t care, she was just thankful.

“Don’t push.”

“If you tell me not to push one more time—”

Joshua ran to the back of the SUV. In the midst of the contractions that seemed to come one after the other in a never-ending wave of pain, she heard him rummaging.

He returned and set a bag on the floor. “Try to relax. I’ve done this before.”

“You’ve had a baby before?” She gritted the words. “I doubt it. If you had, you would never tell me to try to relax—or demand I not push.”

He gave a low laugh. “No, I’ve never had a baby before, but I’ve delivered a few. Okay? How about try to take comfort in knowing that I’m going to take care of you and your little one?”

“That’s better.” She breathed through her mouth like she’d seen people do in the labor room where she’d worked a rotation. Surprisingly, it helped. A little.

“I don’t have everything I would like, but I’ve got a large tarp and a medical bag. It’ll have to do.”

“I’ve got towels in my car. In case my water broke. I was sitting on them in the driver’s seat.”

“Okay, be right back.”

He took off again and she did her best to breathe through the next contraction. When it was over, she sucked in a deep breath. “Whoa.” She had a new appreciation for mothers who chose natural childbirth over having an epidural. She hadn’t planned to do it this way.

She really wanted the epidural.

But it wasn’t to be. Now she just wanted her baby here, whole and healthy.

Joshua returned, towels in hand.

“That was fast.”

“I didn’t have to go very far.” He grinned. “I was driving really slow because I figured this was going to happen.”

She’d take that up with him later.

“I’m ready when you are.” He covered her with two of the towels and his respect for her privacy nearly made her cry. Then another wave of pain hit and she just plain didn’t care anymore. She just wanted to be done. And to sleep. Yes. Sleep would be amazing.

“Fine. Just do it.” She let out another yell and lost herself in the process of giving birth.

Kaylee wasn’t aware of time passing. She was mostly aware of the pain, but also the excitement that the end was finally here. The end...and the beginning. The beginning of a new life with a new life.

And then Joshua was placing him in her arms and everything faded once more. Only this time there was no pain, just awe. She touched the baby’s face. Her baby’s face. And he was just perfect.

She looked up to find Joshua staring at her—at them. His eyes met hers. “Thank you,” she whispered.

“You’re welcome.”

* * *

Joshua stripped his gloves from his hands and tossed them into a trash bag. He never traveled without his bag of medical supplies and, once again, it had paid off to have it.

He let his gaze travel the area, looking for the van used by Kaylee’s attacker. While he’d been focused on delivering the baby, he couldn’t help throwing glances over his shoulder every so often. He was almost surprised the man hadn’t shown up. Grateful, but surprised.

For now, Kaylee and her baby were safe, and that was all that mattered. He glanced at her and found she was still enamored with the infant in her arms. Her son.

His heart thudded at how beautiful he found the sight. Her long, blond hair feathered around her face. She’d pushed some strands behind her right ear but they didn’t want to stay there. Vivid blue eyes were now trained on her child, but Joshua remembered the fire in them when she’d tried to fight off her attacker and then again when she’d realized she was going to give birth in the back of his SUV. He drew in a deep breath. Beautiful or not, she was off-limits.

The ambulance had arrived five minutes after the baby boy had slid into his hands. Now the paramedics were waiting to take Kaylee and her son to the hospital to be checked out. His cousin, Sheriff Clay Starke, was also waiting. “Be with you in a minute.”

“Sure.”

Joshua approached the nearest paramedic, a blonde in her midthirties. “I think she’s ready.”

“Great.” She and her partner, an older guy, grabbed the gurney and rolled it over to the SUV. They gently helped Kaylee and the baby out of the back seat and onto the gurney.

Joshua re-gloved, rolled up the soiled tarp and disposed of it in the ambulance’s hazardous waste bag. He turned to find Clay talking to Kaylee. “...you know the man? Can you describe him?”

“No. I’ve never seen him before, I’m sorry. I...” She gave a small shrug and shook her head.

“Did he say what he wanted?”

“He wanted me to get in the van and, when I refused, he grabbed my arm. That’s when Joshua drove up and fought him off.”

At Clay’s raised brow, Joshua shrugged. “I did some mixed martial arts training to help deal with the stress of medical school. I picked up a few moves.”

She met his gaze. “I’ve never seen anyone fight like that. You made it look so easy.”

“At least until he pulled the gun, huh?” He could have disarmed the man with a few simple moves. And if Kaylee hadn’t been standing in the path of a possible bullet, he would have.

“Well, yes, but still, that was pretty amazing.”

He smiled. “I’ve had some practice.”

She bit her lip. “Thank you for being there. I don’t know what I would have done—with him or the baby.” She blinked back tears and he thought one of the walls around his heart might have just cracked a little.

He cleared his throat and backed up a bit. “It was good timing.”

Clay slapped him on the back. “Nice work. Glad to have you back home. Mom and Dad are looking forward to seeing you.”

“I’m looking forward to seeing them, as well.”

Clay turned to Kaylee. “Is there anyone we should call?”

“My father. I suppose.”

“I’ll call him now.”

“Thanks.”

“We’re ready to roll.” The paramedic shut the door.

“Should I follow her?” Joshua asked.

“Why?”

“Because whoever came after her just a bit ago isn’t done. He said he’d be back.”

And no matter who their parents were or the conflict that might wind up generating between him and Kaylee, he was worried her attacker might return—and he wasn’t about to leave her and her son unprotected.

TWO

Kaylee woke slowly, her body sore, but her heart at peace—at least before her brain kicked in. Her gaze drifted to the white board opposite the bed and noted a new message written on it.

Stopped in to see you, but you were sleeping. Didn’t want to wake you. Call me when you’re up to visitors—and when you’re ready to move in.

Xoxo, Nat.

Natalie Cross, her best friend in high school and the one person she trusted implicitly. Two weeks ago, she’d offered to let Kaylee move in with her, but as a lawyer with one of the most prestigious law firms in Nashville, she wasn’t around much. While she had a home in Wrangler’s Corner that had been in her family for several generations, she kept an apartment in the city for her late nights and early mornings.