Page 16 of Close Match

“Yes. It says she had sudden cardiac troubles and passed away a few days later. I feel terrible for her family.” I sling my arm around Mom’s shoulders. She has such a huge heart, I think fondly. Dropping a kiss on her head, I murmur, “That’s horrible.”

“It is,” she agrees. She opens her mouth to add more when a pale Everett steps through the door. I shoot to my feet to grab hold of his arm.

“What did the vamps do this time? Take a gallon of blood instead of a pint?” I try to make a joke as I guide him to the chair I was sitting in.

“Feels like it, son. That it does.” Mom looks at him fearfully. “I just got dizzy standing, Char. Nothing to worry about.”

“Okay, my love. I won’t worry until we talk with the doctor.” She lays her head on his chest.

I hope this is a side effect from the meds and the doctor can prescribe something else so Mom can go back to her usual level of fussing and Ev can go back to being…Ev.

Over the years, I’ve found it’s hit-or-miss on whether hopes and dreams are granted. It’s worse than luck. It’s why I’ve always tried to make sure I had something stronger at my back.

A way to fight back.

* * *

There’sno way to fight the news Dr. Spellman’s throwing at us.

“Right now, you’ve moved into an accelerated phase, Everett. We’re going to keep up your inhibitors, but we need to start searching the database for a donor.”

Ev glances at my mother before saying, “You’re concerned though.”

Spellman sighs. “I am. You have a rare blood type, and it’s one of the main factors we use in HLA—human leukocyte antigen—matching. It’s going to be more difficult to match you than some of my other patients.”

Crap. Even as I think that, my mother’s iPad clatters to the floor. “What can we do?”

“You said you weren’t in touch with your family?” Spellman asks Ev.

He nods. “I haven’t spoken with them in more than thirty years. Hell, I don’t even know if any of them are still alive.”

Spellman is brutal. “You have the resources, Ev. Find them. See if one of them is willing to be a donor.”

Mom jumps in. “I thought the next level of treatment was a stem cell transplant—where we take Ev’s cells and…”

“For CML, we prefer to take the cells from a donor. Otherwise, we could just be putting a Band-Aid on a bullet wound,” Spellman says bluntly. Mom’s face falls.

I want to punch Ev’s doctor in the face half the time, but he gets results. “We can start looking for them tomorrow, Ev. I still have markers I can call in.” It seems like forever ago, my life as a federal agent. I look back at that time through a haze of pain now rather than the pride with which I accepted the badge. But in truth, I’d endure my final weeks as an agent over again in a heartbeat for a miracle match.

I can’t imagine it would be hard to track down Ev’s family. Maybe it’s crossing a few ethical lines, but frankly, I’ll do whatever I have to. I don’t care if I have to wake up every night unraveling even more than I already am if I can help the man who’s loved me unconditionally since we met. I’d live with a million more regrets than the one that persistently haunts me. Maybe by helping Ev, it will negate the shot I didn’t take—the life I couldn’t save.

How am I supposed to atone when I’m never given a chance for redemption?

But Ev’s already shaking his head, “I can just hire someone, Monty.”

Even as my heart shrivels up a little at hearing this, I lean forward. “Let me do this for you. It won’t take long.” If there’s anything to find, it should take a day—two at most—to find Ev’s family.

“We’ll talk about it later.” He reaches over and squeezes my hand. His attention shifting back to his doctor, he asks, “What do I need to do in the meantime?”

Spellman starts giving a list of directions. Mom leans down to get her iPad so she can take notes. I begin making mental lists of the people I can call to get the ball rolling.

Because we’re not losing Ev. No matter what I have to do.

* * *

Once we’re backat the farm, I saddle up Hatchet and begin to ride.

There’s one good thing about being home full time. I reach down and pat my horse’s neck gently. She whinnies in response. I know we could make this climb to the top of the mountain blindfolded; we’ve taken it so many times.