Chapter 1

“It’s like three A.M., this had better be good,” Gabe answered the phone, groggy and irritated. Caller ID showed Dylan.

“I know, I know, but…” Dylan said to someone in the background.

“Are you at a party? What the fuck, were not in college anymore, calling drunk to chat.” Wide awake now, Gabe was amused but also more than a little bit pissed. Dylan had been his best friend since kindergarten, but hell, calling after one of the worst twelve hours shifts he ever remembered having, with two back-to-back surgeries? His hope of sleeping for ten hours was disappearing quickly.

“No man, I need your help,” Dylan choked into the phone. Gabe jumped from the bed and grabbed his sweats, a T-shirt, and his car keys. He staggered from one foot to the other, trying unsuccessfully to get his legs into the pants while grabbing for his wallet and keeping the phone to his ear.

“I’m on my way, where are you?” Gabe grunted as he rammed his knee into the nightstand, knocking over the beer he drank on his way to bed. It had been a typical Friday night with shootings, bar fights, and the miscellaneous homeless person that came in with medics to get out of the cold. One hell of a shift.

“It’s not me, I need you to go…”

“What the fuck is going on, Dylan? Are you driving? Where are you?” Gabe was getting more frustrated the longer he had no clue what was going on.

“Man, look, April is in labor we are at her mom’s up in Vermont and—” He broke off to console his wife, “Breathe baby.”

“What the hell. Put me on speakerphone and tell me what is going on!” Okay, so April was in labor, but they were in Vermont, a five hour drive away. What the fuck could he do? Gabe was wracking his brain when he heard April emit a blood curling scream.

“April, sweetheart, we are almost there. Just breathe,” Dylan tried calming his wife. “Okay dude, listen, I need you to go and check on my brother.”

“No fucking way, Dyl!” Dylan’s older brother Chase hated Gabe. It was a laughable request. The last time he saw Chase he was literally thrown out of his apartment. Well, he’d seen him since then, but only in passing.

“Gabe, I need you. I am too far away, and Mom and Dad are on a cruise. There is only you. He was working last night and the chief called Mom and said it was bad.” His friend’s voice cracked. Gabe realized he had to step in. Dylan would do the same for him.

“Please, Gabe,” April pleaded as what sounded like another contraction hit her.

“Shit, okay. Where is he?” Gabe put his phone on speaker and changed his T-shirt and sweats into jeans and sweatshirt.

“He’s at Brigham.” Hearing the worry in his best friend’s voice was Gabe’s undoing.

“I’m on my way. Keep your phone on and I’ll be in touch.” Gabe clicked off his phone and sprinted to his truck, not caring much about his appearance. He was more worried about getting kicked out of his own hospital by Chase. Chase, his wet dream and the biggest homophobe on the planet, the guy who broke his heart twelve long years ago. The man he still dreamed about. A blaring horn got his attention when the light changed. He was right around the corner from the hospital. What the hell is he walking into? He hoped and prayed Chase’s injuries weren’t too bad. He’d hate to give Dylan bad news.

He pulled into the staff parking lot, waving at Simon manning the gate. Thank goodness the employee entrance was so close. What would he say to Chase when he went in his room? ‘Hey yeah, I know you hate me, but I wanted to check on you for your brother’s sake?’ Or maybe he will be out of it and he could leave a message to check in with his brother. Yeah, that’s what he would do, check and make sure he was okay, leave a message to call his brother, and get the fuck out of there. Feeling better, he walked into the craziness of the ER.

“Gabe, what the hell are you doing here? Coming to bail us out?” Calvin was manning the emergency room nurse’s desk. Complete and utter chaos was going on around them but Calvin took all the action in stride—scheduling the rooms, admitting patients, keeping track of tests, discharges, and managing the nurses—he did it all without a glitch. Gabe was awed by how this small, flamboyant man could control the ER like a bad-ass drill sergeant, keeping the nurses focused and in line, and the doctors from going crazy.