by Debbie Mason
Easton felt like he’d been gut punched at the thought of Cat on dialysis day in and day out. The woman couldn’t sit still. She always had to be doing something. Face pale, his eyes haunted, Grayson strode from the room. Chance followed after him. His dad, with Liz in his arms, watched the two men leave.
“And with a transplant?” Ethan asked.
“She would lead a normal life. Although, unless we found a match her body wouldn’t reject, she would have to take anti-rejection medication for the rest of her life. There can be side effects, but I think you would agree in comparison to—”
“I’ll do it,” Chloe said. “I’ll donate my kidney.”
“Oh, darling,” her mother cried, clinging to Chloe’s hand. “They’re identical twins. She’s the perfect match, isn’t she?” Liz asked the doctors.
Easton didn’t hear the doctor’s response or Ethan’s or his own father’s or any of the other family or friends praising Chloe for her selfless act. He could barely breathe as he stared at her. She was ashen, her hand trembling as she brought it to her chest. No one noticed. Not one of them noticed.
“Damn it, would you look at her? She can’t do this. You can’t ask her to. She’s scared shitless. She had a heart condition. She’s terrified of hospitals. The only reason she volunteered is because she’s desperate for all of your goddamn approval.”
The room went silent as everyone turned to stare at him. He didn’t care. There was only one person in this room he was worried about. “Chloe baby, you don’t have to do this,” he said as she stood up and walked toward him.
A tender smile on her face, she put her arms around him and held him tight for a couple beats of his racing heart, then she looked up at him. “Yes, I do. You know Cat as well as I do. It would kill her to live like that. And watching her slowly fade away a little bit every day, that would kill me.”
He rested his forehead against hers. “And it would kill me if I lost you.”
* * *
Chloe was scared spitless. But it wasn’t something she could share with the man sitting beside the hospital bed holding her hand. She’d learned a few things about the man she loved this past week. One, he got grumpy when he was worried. Oh, who was she trying to kid? He wasn’t worried, he was afraid for her. He had been from the moment she’d volunteered to give Cat her kidney. And that’s why she had to put on a brave face. The other thing she’d discovered is that Easton dealt with his fear by looking at a problem from every angle. And she meant every angle. When he wasn’t checking on her, pampering her, nagging her, loving her, he was on his computer. He’d spent countless hours researching the operation, possible complications, proper diet. It had gotten to the point he knew almost as much as the doctors. Though if you asked him, he’d probably tell you he knew more than they did. His brothers thought it was hilarious, and were now calling him Dr. McBride Junior. The nurses and doctors at Denver Memorial didn’t find him quite as amusing. She was pretty sure they called him the pain-in-the-behind boyfriend.
His thumb slid to the inside of her wrist, and she slanted him a look. “Are you checking my pulse again?”
“No, but now that you mention it, it seems a little fast.” He reached behind her for the call button. She tugged it out of his reach. “No, you’re not ringing for the nurse again. They’ll throw you out.”
“I’d like to see them try,” he muttered, looking up when Grayson walked in.
Her sister’s fiancé was handling the upcoming surgery about as well as Easton. The two men had been friends before this, but now they were more like brothers.
Grayson lifted his chin at Easton and came to Chloe’s side. He bent down and kissed her cheek. “How are you doing? Are you nervous?”
She waved her hand airily. “No, I’m an old pro at this stuff. Three hours and it will be over.” Easton grunted. She ignored him and said, “You shouldn’t have left Kit Kat alone to check on me, Grayson. I’m fine. Honestly.”
“She’s not on her own. My dad’s with her, so is Ty and GG,” he said, referring to his grandmother.
Estelle had taken the first flight out of London upon hearing the news. She’d told the director her granddaughters were having surgery, and if he didn’t give her the time off, she’d quit. He gave her the time. She’d also convinced Lord Waverly that his son needed him. It had been a little tense the first couple of days, but Grayson and his father seemed on better terms now. Mostly due to her sister’s intervention. And in thanks for giving him a second chance, Lord Waverly had been throwing his title around, making sure his daughter-in-law-to-be got the best care available. He was running a close second to Easton in driving the hospital staff crazy.
“How is Kit Kat?” Chloe had spent several hours every day with sister. At first Cat had tried to refuse Chloe’s kidney. It had taken a few days to get her on board. She finally gave in when she realized Chloe wouldn’t back down. And she wouldn’t have. As the tests had revealed, Chloe’s kidney was a perfect match.
Of course anything was possible, and Cat’s white cells might still reject the kidney. But in her heart, Chloe knew that wouldn’t happen. Just as she knew, no matter how scared she was, she had to do this for Cat. And it had nothing to do with guilt, or making up for past mistakes, or winning her family’s approval—she didn’t have a hero complex. She just loved her sister too much not to do everything possible to give her the life she deserved.
“Your sister is pretending everything’s fine, just like you are. Only she’s a little grumpier.” Grayson took her hand. “And she’s worried about you.”
Chloe didn’t get a chance to respond. Her mother and brother walked in the room. Liz gave them all a wobbly smile. She looked like she hadn’t slept in a week. “Are you okay, darling?” she asked as she approached the bed. “No difficulty breathing or heart palpitations?”
She’d had a panic attack the first day of testing, but Easton had called Dr. Reinhart, the psychiatrist, and she’d given Chloe some techniques that had helped. She hadn’t had an attack since. “Mommsy, I told you, I haven’t—”
Easton cut her off. “Her pulse is racing, but she won’t let me call the nurse.”
She sighed. He’d done it now. Her mother, who apparently thought she was a doctor too, started firing questions at her as she checked her pulse and temperature. Chloe closed her eyes and fake-snored.
Her brother and Grayson laughed, and Easton said, “Are we boring you, Scarlett?”
She cracked one eye open, happy to see the tension lessen on his face. “No, you’re annoying me. I…” She trailed off when Paul walked into the room dressed in scrubs. It was time to go.
Clasping her hands so no one would see them shake, she forced a lighthearted tone to her voice. “Party’s over, guys. I have an appointment with a hot surgeon, and I don’t want to be late.” Her surgeon was seventy. Paul would only be there to observe.
Easton spoke to his father while Chloe’s mother, brother, and Grayson kissed her before heading to her sister’s room. Paul left with them, giving Chloe and Easton a moment alone.
He took both her hands in his and brought them to rest on her chest. “You know I’ve read everything there is to read on your surgery and on your recovery, right?” She gave a jerky nod, unable to smile. Her throat ached from fighting back tears. “And if I thought for one minute you wouldn’t come out of this okay, that you wouldn’t be able to lead a normal, healthy life afterward, I would do everything in my power to stop this.”
“I know you would. You’re my white knight.”
“I am, and we’ll get our happy-ever-after, Scarlett. We all will,” he said, then gave her a tender kiss.
He lifted his head when a short nurse in scrubs, her powder blue mask covering the bottom half of her face, entered the room. While they’d kissed, Chloe had curled her fingers in Easton’s white, button-down shirt. She didn’t want to let go. She finally managed to force her ice-cold fingers to release him. He helped the nurse raise the rails on the bed and wheel it out i
nto the hall. The woman responded to Easton’s questions with a grunt, nod, or head shake.
Paul joined them and kissed Chloe’s forehead. “Everything’s going to be fine, honey. I’ll be with you and Cat the entire time.”
She nodded and tried to smile, but couldn’t. Her body trembled as her heart thumped an odd beat in her chest. She didn’t want to say good-bye to Easton. He raised his hand as they started to wheel her down the hall. She was about to call out to him when Ty and Estelle scooted around him. They each gave her a quick kiss and hug, moving away when Paul told them they had to go.
“Hair and makeup as soon as you’re out of recovery, Diva,” Ty promised.
She laughed at Easton’s exasperated expression, some of the tension releasing in her chest. It made it easier to say good-bye. To blow Easton a kiss. They were almost at the doors to the operating room when another doctor flagged down Paul. As soon as he walked away, the nurse moved to her side. She lowered her mask. It was Nell McBride.
“You can’t fool me, girlie. I know you’re scared. But that’s okay.” She took Chloe’s hand in hers. “You can handle it. You’re like me, we’re tough broads. Nothing keeps us down for long.” She glanced over her shoulder at the sound of Paul’s returning footsteps, then whispered, “Just remember, you’re not alone.”
“Aunt Nell,” Paul gritted out.
Nell pulled up her mask, winked at Chloe, and patted her cheek, then turned and hurried off. Paul didn’t get a chance to say anything. The doors to the operating room opened, and the other doctors and nurses took over. The room was bright, white, and cold—sterile. Chloe shut her eyes and focused on her breathing while they attached the tubes and monitors. Opening them when she heard the squeak of wheels rolling across the tiles as her sister was brought in. Cat turned her head and looked at Chloe. She was scared, too. And that worried Chloe more than anything else. Not only did her sister rarely show emotion, Chloe had never seen her scared. Beaten down, yes. But never, ever scared.
“Kit Kat, did I tell you about the tattoo I’m going to get?”
Cat gave a weak snort. “You want to talk about tattoos now?”
“Well, yes, I’m going to have a scar. So Ty and Estelle and I came up with a plan. The scar will be the butterfly’s body. How fab is that?” she asked her sister.
Cat gave an annoying snort. But the nurses agreed it was a totally fab idea. “I know you’re identical twins, but it’s amazing how much you look alike. If you weren’t wearing different-color hospital gowns, I wouldn’t be able to tell you apart,” one of the nurses said. “By the way, I’ve never seen a pink one before. Where did you get it?”
Cat tilted her head. “You do not have a pink hospital gown on.”
“Of course I do. I tried to get a matching hat, but I couldn’t find one online.” When Cat released a dry laugh, Chloe smiled inwardly and gave herself a mental pat on the back. She was doing a brilliant job distracting her sister.
“All right, ladies. Time for your naps,” one of the nurses said.
Chloe repeatedly swallowed, then stared up at the bright fluorescent lights. She couldn’t look at her sister. “Night-night, Kit Kat. Have a good sleep.”
“I love you, Chloe,” her sister whispered.
She managed to get out “Love you too” just before they were told to start counting backward.
* * *
Chloe blinked her eyes open and looked around. She wasn’t in the operating room. She was in a never-ending space illuminated by a white light that was beautiful and warm, joyful. It was a place she recognized. She’d been here before. When she was a little girl. But this time she wasn’t afraid. She stood and listened as voices raised in song reached her. They were mesmerizing and tugged on her soul, pulling her in their direction. She moved to follow the sound, and that’s when she saw them, her father and Easton’s mother. People in long robes stood behind them, but she couldn’t make out their faces. The brilliant white light caused them to shimmer in and out of focus. Anna and her father smiled, and Chloe started to run toward them. Her father raised his hand and gently shook his head. She heard his voice, but it wasn’t the same; it was more like she heard him in her mind. “It’s not your time or Cat’s,” he said. “You need to find her and bring her home.”
“She’s lost?”
“She’s scared.”
Chloe knew all about being scared. She’d lived her life that way for years. As if her father heard her thoughts, he smiled again. “Not anymore. You’re free. I’m proud of you, sweet face,” he said.
Anna smiled. “So am I, Chloe. Now hurry, I don’t want my son to worry.”
They faded, and Chloe felt bereft at the loss. She wanted to follow them, but then thought of Easton waiting for her, of her family, of Cat. A low mewling, like a kitten in pain, drew her attention. She turned. Cat was curled in a ball, whimpering. “It’s okay, Kit Kat. You’re not alone. I’m here.”
Her sister lifted her head. “I don’t know how to get home.”
Chloe held out her hand. “I do. Come on.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Easton opened the door and entered the O’Connors’ ranch house. He didn’t bother knocking. It was his home away from home. He’d basically been living there since Cat and Chloe were released from the hospital three weeks earlier. He hadn’t wanted to let Chloe out of his sight. They hadn’t known until both of the women were in recovery that Cat’s heart had stopped on the operating table. Less than two minutes later, so did Chloe’s.
The surgeon felt the trauma Cat had suffered led to the episode, but they didn’t have an explanation for Chloe. Up until that point, her vitals had been stable and strong. They ran tests on both sisters and monitored them closely for ten days before releasing them. According to the doctors at their last appointments, they were recovering remarkably well. Cat still had to check in at the hospital every couple of days, but knowing what the other option had been, she didn’t complain. Much.
Chloe didn’t complain at all. Which is why he’d felt reasonably comfortable taking on a job out of town four days ago. He hadn’t wanted to take it, but with Cat off indefinitely and Vivi’s due date fast approaching, Easton didn’t have much choice.
Being away from Chloe had been tough. He was anxious to see her and more than anxious to take her home. Having family around was great, but the 24/7 thing was getting on his nerves. He wanted time alone with Chloe. He wanted her to move in with him. And he had the ring in his pocket to guarantee that she said yes. To seal the deal, he had Beau and his crew add a bathroom off the bedroom. Nothing fancy. The new place would be ready in early fall. Easton planned to keep the cabin and either rent it out or use it as an office.
Everything was set but the how and when of his proposal. His fiancée-to-be had an affinity for the dramatic. She’d expect it to be special. He patted the blue box in his messenger bag and smiled. He’d knocked it out of the park with the ring. As soon as he saw the pink, princess-cut diamond in the jeweler’s case, he knew it was meant for Chloe.
Easton’s gut tightened as he walked toward the kitchen, and it had nothing to do with being nervous about losing his bachelorhood. His dad, Liz, and Grayson looked exhausted. The three of them sat slumped on the stools around the island.
He dropped his duffel bag on the hardwood floor. “What’s going on? Is Chloe all right?”
“Chloe? Chloe’s wonderful. She’s a perfect angel. She doesn’t complain. She rests like she’s supposed to…” Grayson lifted his coffee mug to his mouth, then slanted Easton a look. “You wouldn’t be up for trading sisters, would you?”
Easton laughed. “Cat giving you a hard time, is she?”
“Hard? Understatement, mate. The woman is a bloody tyrant. Not twenty minutes ago, she—”
The tyrant in question chose that moment to appear. And from the scowl on her face, she’d obviously overheard her fiancé’s loving remarks.
Easton cleared his throat to save Grayson from digging a deeper hole, lifting hi
s chin at the entrance to the kitchen. Grayson gave him a bloody-hell-why-didn’t-you-warn-me-sooner look, then swiveled on the stool to face Cat. Arms crossed over her white hoodie, she pinned Grayson with a pointed stare from under a navy ball cap.
“There you are, love. I was just telling Easton what a perfect patient you are,” he said with a British accent.
Paul and Liz smiled into their coffee mugs while Easton fought back a grin. The couple had met when Grayson had been undercover as a British lord. But from the look on Cat’s face, the fake accent wasn’t going to save him now.
“Oh, please, I heard you complaining about me. And you wouldn’t think I was such a pain if you weren’t comparing me to Miss Perfect Patient.”
“I have to agree with Cat, Grayson. It’s not really fair to compare her to her sister. Chloe’s used to following doctor’s orders. She never complained once when she was a little girl. She always did what she was told with a sweet smile on her face. Her father used to call her sweet face,” Liz said with a nostalgic smile.
Cat angled her head and looked at her mother. “You’re not being helpful, you know.” Then she returned her attention to Grayson. “I’m not like Chloe. I can’t lie around reading and gossiping with Ty all day. It makes me crazy. I need to stay busy, keep active.”
“I know it’s hard on you, Cat. But in another week, you’ll be cleared for more activity,” his father interjected in a soothing tone of voice.
“And you know, darling, your sister isn’t lying around reading and gossiping. I mean, yes, she does that, too. But she’s conducting her business from bed. I’m sure Easton could give you something to keep you busy, couldn’t you, Easton?” Liz asked, the expression in her eyes saying For the love of God give her something to do.
“Yeah, I have a ton of paperwork I can pass on to you, Cat.”
“Thanks a lot,” she muttered.
