Free Light This Candle (Harlequin More Than Words) by Cindy Dees Page A

couldn’t
sedate Cody because of the anesthesia required for the transplant surgery. They
basically ordered her to do whatever it took to get control of her kid. Now .
    “Cody, baby. You need to let the nurse hook up the portable
oxygen system.”
    “No! I want Mitch! I have to talk
to him!”
    The lead doctor interrupted. “Is this Mitch close by?”
    “I don’t know. I suppose so,” Cassidy answered reluctantly. She
saw where this was going.
    “Then get him over here. The more upset Cody gets, the more
unstable his heart rate will become. If he crashes now, we can forget going
ahead with the transplant.”
    Cassidy stared at the man in horror. Cody could lose his shot
at a new heart? She pulled out her cell phone and dialed Mitch’s number. Truth
be told, she was grateful for the excuse to talk to him again. She’d had no idea
how they were going to get past last night’s impasse, but she desperately wanted
to put it behind them.
    “Hi, Cassidy,” he said pleasantly enough. “How’s Cody?”
    “Mitch, I’m really sorry to bug you, but I have a huge favor to
ask.”
    “Anything. It’s yours,” he answered promptly.
    He sounded as if he seriously meant that. Even after she’d been
such a witch to him last night? Wow. “Cody’s throwing a giant tantrum and
insists on seeing you before they fly him up to Columbus. Could you come over to
the hospital in, like the next few minutes, to calm him down?”
    “I’m on my way.”
    “Thanks so much.”
    “Any news on the donor heart?”
    “They say expiration is imminent. Within a few hours.” It hurt
to talk about another child’s impending death, but if Cody lived because of it,
maybe some good could come of the tragedy.
    “Okay, Cassie. I’m in heavy traffic, so I’d better hang up.
Tell Cody I’ll be there in ten minutes.”
    “Thanks again, Mitch.”
    “You’re welcome, darlin’.”
    She stared at her cell phone as the connection went dead. He’d
called her darling? What did it mean? Or was it just a casual endearment? Except
he’d never called her that before—
    She had no time to ponder the question because Cody demanded,
“What did he say? Is he coming?”
    “Yes, he’s coming. He said to tell you he’ll be here in five
minutes. Will you let the nurse change over your oxygen now?”
    “Yes, Mommy.” And just like that, the monster child turned into
a model of perfect cooperation. Little stinker , she
thought affectionately. He and Mitch were two peas in a pod. They knew what they
wanted, and they didn’t give up until they got it.
    Mitch’s declaration from last night echoed in her head. I am the military . He was right, of course, Military
careers didn’t get left at the office at quitting time. It was a way of life,
not just a job. But did she want him, military and all? Could she love another
man whose life belonged first to his country and only second to his family? The
notion made her almost sick with fear.
    Thankfully, the last-minute preparations for Cody’s flight to
Columbus distracted her. At last he was ready to go. Now they just had to wait
for the helicopter—and Mitch—to get here.
    She felt his presence in the ICU before she saw him. She looked
up sharply when she heard the elevator opening outside and was startled to
realize she was smiling. Mitch appeared in the doorway, as handsome as usual,
and her heart flip-flopped.
    He strode into Cody’s room, and her son’s face lit up with a
broad smile. He’s as besotted with Mitch as I
am .
    “Hey, buddy. I hear you get to take a helicopter ride. Are you
excited?”
    “I’m kinda scared,” Cody confessed.
    Mitch grinned reassuringly. “They’re really cool. Your daddy
and I rode in them all the time. They make you talk funny...like this.” Mitch
pounded his chest rapidly as he spoke, making his voice wobble.
    Cody smiled. Cassidy’s heart expanded at the sight. She was
scared to death of what would happen in the next few hours—they were going to
remove