Windsor nodded, and we slipped out of the room, leaving Percy to sleep.
In the waiting room, I was attacked by Elaina, who engulfed me in a crushing hug. “I heard what happened. Dad called. I came right away. Is Percy okay? Are you okay?” she asked as she rocked us back and forth.
“I’m better now that I know he’s not in danger, but ask me again when I find out what they’re gonna do ’bout his pop.”
“I know. This is awful.” She let me go and scanned me up and down. “You look like hell.”
“Thanks.”
“He’s been up all bloody night, that’s why,” Dad said, rising from his seat with a groan, leaning heavily on his cane. “He needs to know when to stop and let the authorities do their job. His heart’s too big.”
Despite his words, he pulled me into a hug too, and I sagged against him, needing his support more than I realized.
“It’ll be okay now, son. You did good. Take a deep breath. You’re one amazing man, and Percy is lucky to have you on his side.”
My eyes welled with tears again. They were becoming impossible to fight off. I clung to Dad a little longer until he patted my back and whispered, “I think someone’s worried about you. He hasn’t stopped pacing since we arrived.”
I lifted my head and found Lachlan, who stood off to the side, eyes filled with anxious energy, arms wrapped around his middle. Patting Dad’s shoulder, I left him and crossed the room to Lachlan.
“Is he okay?” he asked.
“Possible concussion. Broken arm. He had to get a few stitches on his head. They said he’ll be fine.”
Lachlan’s chest stuttered with his exhale. “Good.” He shifted from foot to foot, his hands twisting together. Awkwardness filled the small void between us.
Unable to stop myself, I reached out and took his hand, stopping the restless movements. “Thank you for being there for me last night and now.”
“No problem. I um…” He finished the sentence with a shrug and dropped his focus to the ground between us.
“You don’t have to hang out, you know. I bet you’re tired.”
“You’ve been up all night too.”
“Yeah, but I need to hear what this woman from Child Services has to say first.”
Lachlan looked past me to the doors of the ward. “She’s here?”
“Yep. Talkin’ to the chief.”
“How about I wait with you and take you home after? You could do with some sleep too.”
“Lachlan, you’ve done enough. You don’t have to—”
“I want to.” His green eyes landed on my face again, determined.
“Okay.”
We stood, hands connected as we stared at one another. I knew I had an audience. I knew Elaina was going to make this into something it wasn’t. My family was nosy on a good day, but I didn’t care. I gave Lachlan’s hand a little tug and drew him against my chest. His arms went around me automatically, and we just stood there and hugged for the longest time.
His scent surrounded me. I closed my eyes and rested my chin on his shoulder. The soft stroke of his fingers up and down my back unwound all my knotted muscles. It felt good. With my face buried in his neck, I inhaled. A different kind of fear tickled my brain. One I’d been avoiding since our kiss at the barn. This man was digging his way through my barriers, and I knew it wouldn’t end well, but I didn’t know how to step back or stop it.
He felt good.
“East?”
I jerked around at Chief Elkhart’s voice behind me. An older woman with a clean-cut bob and dark eyes stood beside him.
“Do you have a minute to talk?” Windsor asked.
“Yeah.”
Lachlan squeezed my hand once before letting go. A silent offer of support.
I followed the chief and the woman into a quiet office space and took a seat. The woman offered her hand to shake. “It’s nice to meet you, Easton. My name is Renee Marquis, and I’m the caseworker that has been assigned to Percy Gilbert.”
“Nice to meet you, ma’am.”
“I hear you and Percy are quite close.”
I nodded. “Yeah. He’s at my place all the time. I look out for him as much as I can. He’s very important to me.”
“That’s an incredibly noble thing you do for him. Not everyone would step up and take care of a child that wasn’t there own.”
I didn’t know how to say that Percy might as well be mine, so I remained quiet.