Light This Candle (Harlequin More Than Words) (4 page)

“Dude! You don’t know how to play checkers? Your dad was the
unit champ. I’ll bet there’s a checkerboard somewhere in this hospital. Want me
to go find one right now?”

“Yeah!”

Mitch chuckled at Cody’s enthusiasm. He went out to the nurses’
station and they called down to the pediatric ward. In about two minutes an
orderly came up with a complete checkers setup. Apparently the ICU got what it
wanted when it wanted it. He carried the game into Cody’s room.

“I’m not tiring you out, am I?” he asked when he realized the
boy’s eyes were closed. “I can come back later.”

Cody’s eyes flew open. “Don’t leave. I don’t know if I’ll be
here when you come back.”

Mitch sat down on the stool beside the boy. “What do you
mean?”

“I might have to go to heaven.”

Mitch was staggered. What on earth was he supposed to say to
that? His first impulse was to deny the truth. To tell Cody he was going to live
a long, full life. But he could promise no such thing. Instead, he went with his
heart and asked, “Are you scared?”

“Nah, I’m not scared. God loves little children best of all.
I’m kinda looking forward to seeing a real, live angel And I’ll get to be with
my daddy. Do you suppose that’s why God made him an angel first? So he’d be
there waiting for me?”

How was he supposed to answer that? Mitch replied through the
sudden tightness in his throat, “I hear angels walk around among us on Earth.
They disguise themselves to look like regular people.”

“Why?” Cody asked curiously.

“I suppose so they can help people without them realizing an
angel is looking out for them.”

“Do you think I’ll become a walk-around angel?”

Mitch considered him. “I don’t know. But you’d make a great
one.”

Cody nodded thoughtfully. “I’d come back and make my mommy
happy.”

Talk about a body blow. The child’s words were a punch straight
to Mitch’s heart. He struggled to breathe and keep his voice steady. “You
already make your mommy very happy. I can see it in her eyes when she looks at
you. She loves you with all her heart.”

“Yeah, but she’s scared I’ll die.”

“Of course she’s worried about you. It’s what mommies do. It’s
in the mommy handbook.”

“There’s a handbook?” Cody asked.

“Oh, yeah. It has all kinds of rules in it. Like they have to
know exactly how to find stuff you lost. And they have to nag you to eat your
vegetables and brush your teeth and go to bed on time. And socks. They’re
supposed to be all tense about socks matching and staying in pairs in your
drawer.”

Cody grinned knowingly. “Then I guess my mommy’s following the
rules pretty good.”

Mitch laughed heartily. “Okay, kid. You and me. Combat
checkers. You up for it?”

Cody laughed aloud and sat up a little straighter in his bed.
Mitch propped a couple more pillows behind him and spread the board out across
the boy’s lap. He happened to glance up and was startled to see everyone at the
nurses’ station staring in at him and Cody. They looked stunned.

Alarmed, he checked the wires and tubes and monitors. Had he
accidentally disconnected something in making room for the checkerboard? Nope,
everything was beeping or displaying numbers. He turned his attention to
teaching Cody how to play the game. No surprise, the boy caught on immediately.
Soon they were deep into a discussion of tactics and making up silly new rules
of their own.

It dawned on Mitch that he was actually having a great time
with a five-year-old. If his troops could see him now, they’d never believe
their eyes.

* * *

Cassidy could
not
believe
her eyes.
What
was
that
man
doing in her son’s room? She’d made it crystal clear last night
to Major McConnell that he could take his sympathy and his offers of help and
shove them. The military had already taken more than enough from her and her
son.

She stormed forward, but the head nurse, a nice guy named Bill,
took her lightly by the arm and forestalled her. The nurse said simply, “He made
Cody laugh.”

“What?” Cody hadn’t laughed in weeks. They’d all been deeply
concerned about the boy having sunk into a serious depression. The combination
of medications, illness, fear and impending death had taken the spark out of her
baby.

“Clear as day. A bunch of us heard it. Rose Parker told us to
let him sit with Cody. Who’s that guy? He’s been in there with Cody for nearly
an hour, and Cody’s been smiling and laughing almost the whole time.”

“What have they been doing?” she asked in shock.

“Talking mostly. He’s been telling Cody stories. Taught him to
play checkers. That’s what they’re doing now.”

“Checkers?” she repeated blankly. Jimmy had loved to play
checkers. Grief stabbed her heart, as sharp and hot as a newly forged sword.
Mitch must have known that about her husband. The kindness of teaching her son
pierced the outer layer of her emotional defenses just a little. But the major
was still a major and unpleasant reminder of a military she had no use for.

Reluctantly she allowed that she ought to thank him for
teaching Cody the game his father had loved.
Then
she’d kick him out.

CHAPTER FOUR

Righteous fire burning in her gut, Cassidy barged into
Cody’s room. But she stopped cold as her son looked up at her, his eyes glowing
with laughter and life she hadn’t seen in them for months. Had the nurse not
warned her, she’d have broken down in tears with the relief that at least a
piece of her lively son was back, if only for a little while.

“Hey, Cody,” she choked out. “Whatchya doin’?”

“Mommy, this is Mitch. He knew Daddy. And he told me stories
about him. Did you know Daddy got into a big fight before I was born? And he got
in trouble for it. And Mitch had to put him in jail overnight. Mitch says Daddy
was a hero, but he had to keep Daddy’s superhero identity a secret and
everything.”

She sort of followed that. But she got lost around the
superhero bit. Nonetheless, it was incredible to hear Cody babbling in
excitement. She looked over at the man sitting still and silent on the opposite
side of the bed.

“Thank you,” she said simply.

“No problem. Cody’s a great kid. We’ve been having a ball.
Although he’s been kicking my butt at checkers. Takes after his old man.”

A sob climbed in her chest at the mention of Jimmy. She’d had
no one to talk with about him since he’d died. In fact, he was a subject
everyone assiduously avoided around her. It was weird to hear Mitch refer to her
husband so casually.

She pushed a shock of hair off her son’s forehead. “How are you
feeling, kiddo? Are you tired?”

Cody shrugged and his gaze slid away from hers. He was tired,
but he didn’t want to admit it.

Mitch dived in. “Tell you what, buddy. How about you take a
little nap while I talk with your mom? I promise I’ll come back to visit you
later.”

“Promise?”

Mitch held out his big, tanned hand to Cody. “Pinkie
swear.”

Cody hooked his much smaller finger in Mitch’s and they shook
on the promise solemnly.

Cassidy led the way out of her son’s room, her insides in
turmoil. She wanted this man and all he represented far, far away from her son.
And yet, Cody hadn’t been that happy or animated in...forever.

“When’s the last time you ate?” Mitch asked.

“Uh, I had some cereal a little while ago.”

“Let me take you out for lunch.”

“But I can’t leave—”

“Cody’s taking a nap. I tired him out pretty thoroughly. And
you need to take care of yourself. C’mon. I’m buying. I know this great rib
joint.” He took her elbow and gently but firmly guided her to the elevator.

She blinked up at him, shocked. No one had paid any attention
to her well-being in longer than she could remember. Sometime in that vague haze
of memory before Jimmy had gone away. She hardly knew what had happened before
Mitch installed her in the passenger side of his truck and drove away from the
hospital.

Just as panic began to set in at leaving her son behind, he
glanced over at her and said reassuringly, “We’ll keep it short. I promise. The
nurses have your cell phone number, right? I’m sure they’ll call if he wakes
up.”

“I had to give up my cell phone. I couldn’t afford it.”

“If you don’t mind my asking, what happened to your survivor’s
gratuity and Jimmy’s life insurance from the military?”

Embarrassed, she answered, “Cody happened. We’ve been trying
experimental medicines and treatments to buy him more time until they find a new
heart. I had to pay out of my own pocket for the stuff the military health care
system doesn’t cover.”

He nodded in silent understanding.

The ride to the restaurant was short. With quiet authority, he
explained to the waiter that they had a child in the hospital and needed to be
served right away. In no more than two minutes, heaping plates of spareribs,
home fries, coleslaw and home-style biscuits dripping in butter were set before
them.

Cassidy dug in with hunger she hadn’t realized she had. For the
first time in a long time the food tasted good, and she ate with gusto.

Mitch questioned her over the meal about Cody’s illness, and
she described as best she could the rare congenital heart disease that had
revealed itself not long after Jimmy died. Mostly, Mitch just listened. She was
surprised to discover what a relief it was to talk about it. The lousy timing of
Cody’s illness, the fight to get the military to cover his costs, trying to deal
with grief and fear and still research Cody’s condition as much as she
could.

She wound down, embarrassed at the way she’d dominated the
conversation., “I’m sorry. You must think I never shut up.”

“It’s all good. Sounds to me like you needed to vent. I’m glad
I was here to listen.”

Maybe this guy wasn’t such a giant jerk, after all. She smiled
shyly at him from behind a naked rib bone. “Do I have barbecue sauce all over my
face?”

“Maybe a little.” He reached across the table with a napkin to
dab at her cheek. Their gazes met and she was shocked to see warmth there. Male
interest. As in he might actually find her attractive.
Whoa
.

He threw cash onto the table to cover the check and a generous
tip and moved around behind her chair to hold it for her. “C’mon. We’ve got an
errand to run before we head back to the hospital.”

She frowned, confused, but followed him out to his truck. My,
he was tall. And his sculpted biceps announced that he was both strong and fit.
Must lift weights. From the leanness of his waist, she guessed he ran a fair
bit, too. Out of that hated uniform that set her teeth on edge, he really was a
handsome man.

She climbed into his truck, turning over the way he’d looked at
her in the restaurant. Surely she had misinterpreted that look. But her womanly
intuition said in no uncertain terms that she hadn’t. Huh. What on earth was she
supposed to do with that?

He merged into traffic, but headed away from the hospital.
Frowning, she asked, “Where are we going?”

“It’s a surprise.”

“I don’t much like surprises these days,” she muttered.

“I suppose you don’t,” he answered evenly. “You’ve had some
nasty ones recently, haven’t you?”

She didn’t quite know how to answer that. Thankfully, he
continued talking and saved her from having to make a response.

“In my experience, a run of bad luck is usually followed by a
run of good luck. I figure you’ve got some great karma stored up and waiting to
break your way.”

“From your mouth to God’s ears,” she replied fervently.

He smiled over at her, his eyes doing that warm, glowing thing
again. The traffic signal changed to green and he turned his attention back to
driving. Except he continued talking. “You’re a strong woman. I admire how
you’ve held up. But you don’t have to go it alone, you know.”

She did her best to keep bitterness out of her voice. “That’s
what they all say. They pat your hand and tell you how sorry they are. But they
don’t actually do anything. I’ve learned over the past year that talk is
cheap.”

His face took on a thoughtful look. “I can see that. People are
happy to be there for you in the first few weeks of loss and grief. But when it
comes to the long haul, to rebuilding your life and moving on, they don’t want
to stick around for the hard work.”

“Exactly,” she replied, relieved to hear her precise thoughts
expressed aloud.

He turned into a shopping center, and she was alarmed as he
parked in front of a cellular service store. How humiliating was it going to be
to have to explain that she couldn’t afford this? But then she remembered Rose
mentioning that after her rent and debts were paid there was a little extra
money left over for other expenses. The credit cards about to be canceled came
to mind. And that last batch of medical bills—

“Out you go,” Mitch said jauntily from beside her as he held
her door open..

Startled, she climbed out of the truck. He rounded the cab to
shut her door, and she caught a whiff of male aftershave and guy deodorant. The
masculine scents nearly brought her to her knees with longing. She’d missed
having a man in her life all this time.... She corrected herself sharply. She
missed Jimmy. Love didn’t strike twice in one lifetime, and she’d already had
her shot at it.

Mitch led her into the store and, predictably, took charge.
“The lady needs a cell phone with a bunch of minutes preloaded onto it.” He
rattled off a model number that she didn’t recognize. But then, she’d never been
much of a techie. That had been Jimmy’s department.

A clerk efficiently pulled out a snazzy cell phone and laid it
on the counter in front of her. “How many minutes would you like to load on it,
sir?”

“I think two thousand will get us started.”

Two
thousand
minutes? That was
going to cost a small fortune! “Mitch, I can’t afford—”

“My treat. The hospital needs to be able to get in touch with
you. It’s crazy for you not to have a phone. It’s the least I can do.”

“I can’t let you. Lunch is one thing, but this is too
much.”

He looked her square in the eye and the full impact of his
personality struck her. Forcefully. This was a man used to getting his way. To
being in charge. To taking care of other people. “No,” he said distinctly. “It’s
not too much.”

End of discussion
. Well, then.
Apparently the man was buying her a prepaid cell phone and that was that. Taken
aback, particularly by the way her stomach was fluttering excitedly over someone
else taking charge for a little while, she said nothing. Mitch programmed his
phone number into her contact list and passed it to her as they walked out of
the store.

“Back to the hospital now?” she asked in a bit of desperation.
This man was knocking her more off balance with every passing second. She needed
to get away from him. Catch her bearings.

“Sure.”

* * *

But it didn’t get any better the next day when he showed
up at the hospital again and threw her completely off-kilter by asking, “When’s
the last time your car had an oil change?”

Or the next day when he brought her a breakfast picnic—complete
with pecan pancakes he’d made at home—and spread out a red-checked cloth on the
floor of the waiting room..

Or the next day when groceries appeared in bags beside her car
with a note to eat more. He’d kicked her out of the hospital that afternoon to
go home and take a nap while he played checkers with Cody.

Or the next day over a late lunch in the hospital cafeteria
when he sent her into gales of laughter with crazy war stories, then changed the
subject abruptly to ask, “When’s the last time your car had new tires or a brake
inspection?”

“A brake...what?”

“That’s what I thought. Pass me your car keys. While you go in
to check on Cody, I’m getting your car serviced.”

“I...you...but...” she sputtered as he held out a hand with an
imperious look in his eye. Finally she demanded, “Has anyone told you how pushy
you are?”

He grinned. “Usually they go straight to calling me a control
freak and a bastard.”

She laughed helplessly and reached into her purse for her keys.
She laid them in his palm and started violently as her fingertips grazed his
warm skin. His hand curled into a fist around the keys, and his knuckles brushed
against the under side of her wrist. Her pulse leaped and something—urges she
hadn’t experienced in two years—leaped to life deep inside her.

Her gaze snapped to his. Ohmigosh. That was definite heat in
his blue eyes. They were the dark sapphire of the ocean at the moment, and yet
they were practically on fire.

“I’ll be back in no time,” he said. “Call me if anything
changes. You’ve got my number.”

If Cody took a turn for the worse, in other words. Sobered by
the reminder of her son, she turned and headed back to the ICU. Whether she was
hurrying toward her son or away from the man behind her, she wasn’t quite sure.
But either way, she was all but running by the time she reached the
elevator.