by Jodi Thomas
Katherine nodded as he set another glass in front of her. She stared at the red wine and his leather sleeve a moment before she realized the pieces didn’t fit together. The waiter hadn’t been wearing a jacket.
Katherine turned slowly, afraid to hope. She’d waited months, looking for Cody in every stranger’s face. She’d stopped counting me times she thought she saw him.
“Cody!” she whispered as she looked into his dancing eyes.
He tried to hide his smile. “Do I know the mademoiselle?” he asked in an imitation of a French accent that was almost flawless.
If she hadn’t been so glad to see him, she might have been angry. But there was only mischief in her look when she answered, “Oh, I’m so sorry. I thought you were a dear friend of mine. I hope you’ll excuse me.”
He lifted her hand to his lips. “This dear friend,” he asked, still using the French accent, “does he love you dearly?” Cody kissed her palm and closed her fingers.
Kat fought down a giggle. “Yes,” she answered. “He loves me wildly.”
Cody lifted her other hand and moved his lips over her knuckles. “And do you love him?”
Kat could feel the warmth of his breath against her fingers. “Yes.” She pulled her hand from his grasp. “So you see, sir, I cannot allow a stranger to join me at dinner and taste my fingers.”
Cody’s laughter reminded her how dearly he loved the fire in her. He straddled the seat across from her and stared at her for a while before speaking. “Would you allow this stranger to share your bed?”
“I might, if the night is cold,” Kat answered.
“I promise the night will be very hot,” Cody said.
The waiter moved to set a place in front of Cody, forcing him to alter his speech.
“I had one hell of a time finding you. No one in that hospital of yours knows what day it is, much less where anyone is. If it hadn’t been for my old buddy, Hoot, I’d have given up and headed back to my base.”
“Hoot knew where I was?” Katherine wasn’t really surprised. The mechanic seemed to know about everything going on around the camp.
“He pointed me in the right direction. Told me some new nurses were coming tomorrow. He said you seemed more excited than usual.” Cody sipped her wine. “So I put two and two together and came up with Sarah.”
Katherine raised an eyebrow. “So you’re here to see Sarah?”
Cody winked and nodded. “You guessed it, baby.” He lowered his voice as the waiter moved away. “After I spend the night with you, of course.”
“And what makes you believe you’re invited?”
Cody’s eyes darkened slightly, and his full mouth lost its smile. “There are few things in this crazy world I am sure of, Kat. I don’t know how much time we’ll have together, a few nights or a lifetime, but I plan to live all I can in whatever time I have. And I plan to live as much of it as possible with you beside me.”
The waiter stopped at their table once more, and Cody ordered in French without even looking at the menu.
When the waiter left, Cody turned to Kat. “Want to go upstairs, lovely lady? I don’t think I can sit here looking at you for many more minutes without going nuts.”
“Take me up, birdman.”
Cody rose and offered her his hand.
Katherine looked confused. “But what about the dinner you just ordered?”
Cody laughed as he led her out of the restaurant. “I asked him to deliver it to your room.”
Katherine tried her best to look shocked, but she took his hand and hurried up the stairs.
Beyond the landing the stairs were shadowed and hidden from view of the lobby.
“Kiss me,” she whispered.
Cody backed her up against the paneled corner and kissed her gently. “I’ve missed you.”
Katherine moved her hands beneath his jacket and spread her fingers out on his chest. “Sometimes I wanted to fold up, because my longing for you felt like a huge hole in my heart.”
“I know,” he answered as he lightly brushed her face with kisses. “I don’t know how many times I’ve awakened from a dream so real that I could feel you by my side.”
“How long do we have?” Kat hated to ask, but she had to know.
“Until tomorrow night,” Cody answered as his hands moved lightly over her clothing. “Long enough for me to let you know how completely I love you.”
“You think you’re up to taking all my love, birdman?”
“I’ll do my best.” He laughed.
Suddenly Katherine could wait no longer to be alone with him. She bolted from his arms and ran toward her room. “You have to catch me.” She laughed, feeling very young and alive.
Cody caught her just inside her bedroom door and pulled her to him. His grip was sure and powerful now. “I want you so desperately.” His fingers boldly roamed her body, “I thought I’d have to sit on my hands to keep from touching you downstairs.”
“Stop talking and take off your clothes,” Katherine ordered. “Maybe I’ll be the one who frightens you.” She unbuckled his belt as she talked.
Cody laughed. “There you go again, bossing me around.” He held his hands up in surrender. “I thought you’d want to talk first.”
Katherine shoved his jacket to the floor. “We’ll talk later.”
Their clothes tumbled together onto the floor as they laughed and raced each other to bed. Katherine had dreamed of holding him every night since he left, and she could no more hide her desire than she could deny the fact that she loved him.
They rolled among the covers, kissing with a passion that had waited too long to be quenched. When he would have slowed the pace to a more loving stroll, she pushed him faster, driving him mad with the way she moved.
Finally he rolled on top of her and pinned her arms beside her head. “Kat, we have all night. We don’t have to try and kill each other in the first hour.”
She twisted beneath him, more to tease than to escape. “Can’t keep up with me, can you, old man?”
Cody bit at her neck. “I’m not that much older than you, kid.”
“If I live to be a hundred, I’ll never slow down with you,” Kat answered as she struggled in earnest, freeing one hand to rake her nails across his back.
Cody closed his eyes in pleasure. “If you don’t slow down, I’ll never live to be a hundred.”
She answered by clawing his chest as she moved her hips beneath him.
He wasn’t sure if his words had been thoughts before they came out of his mouth. “Marry me, Kat,” he whispered as passion consumed him. “Marry me tonight.”
Kat bit into the skin at his throat. “Maybe,” she answered, “if there’s time.”
All thought left Cody’s mind except loving Katherine as they danced to their own rhythm and soared into a world that would always be theirs alone.
* * *
Early dawn light drifted through the stained-glass windows and sparkled in the dusty morning air of the old church. A French priest stood before them speaking words Katherine couldn’t understand. She and Cody hadn’t slept, but she didn’t feel tired. Not today. Not on her wedding day.
As the priest finished and blessed them both, Cody turned to her. “I think we’re married now.”
Kat smiled up at her handsome husband. “I don’t feel married.”
Cody seemed to understand. He gently held her shoulders and turned her to face him. “I, Cody Masters, take you,
Katherine McMiller, to be my wife. I promise to love and cherish you every day of my life whether the flying be smooth or stormy. Even if we can’t be together every day, you’ll be with me always in my heart.”
“And I take you,” Katherine replied. “Always.”
Cody kissed her lightly, almost reverently. “I always felt I didn’t belong until I found your arms. You alone make me believe in forever. No matter what happens in this war, never doubt that I love you.”
Katherine felt the same. Somehow in this little church in
the middle of a war, she’d sealed her fate with Cody’s. Not just for today but for every day.
The priest handed them a piece of paper. “God’s love,” he said in English.
They both watched him leave, but they didn’t move. They wanted time to stop for them once more.
“When we’re old, we’ll come back here and be married again.” Cody held her hand.
“And stay at the little inn again?” Kat asked.
Cody laughed. “If I’m still able, we’ll stay there again.”
* * *
An hour later they stood arm in arm waiting for Sarah’s boat to dock. Katherine looked up at her husband. “I know why you married me.”
Cody glanced down at her. He could think of a hundred reasons, but he wondered which one she would choose. Maybe she’d say it was the wine or the craziness of war when nothing made any sense. Or maybe she’d mention the numerous bruises she’d left on his body. He’d teased her that if he was shot down the Germans would think there was some kind of code hidden in the scratches and bruises on his chest. Or maybe she really understood that he wanted to spend the rest of his life, however long that was, with her.
“You were afraid of what Sarah might say if she knew we’d slept together.”
Cody laughed. “I don’t remember sleeping, darling.”
Katherine poked his ribs. “You know what I mean. You think of Sarah as an angel who would never understand such a thing.”
Cody played along. “Right. We could hardly make love all night with Sarah around. What would she think? She’d probably have me tarred and feathered and run out of the war for even thinking such a thing.”
“She’d understand,” Katherine reasoned. “After all she has a child. It’s Miss Willingham who would have you shot on sight.”
Cody couldn’t resist nibbling at Katherine’s ear. “Matthew was the result of an immaculate conception, I’m sure. Sarah’s too much of a sweet little angel for it to have been anything else.” He pulled her an inch closer, wishing they were back at the inn. “My marrying you had nothing to do with Sarah. I only felt it was my duty to save the life of some other poor soul who might have accidentally fallen into your arms.”
“That was kind of you.”
“It was the least I could do, offering myself.” Cody whispered future plans into her ear, but Katherine wasn’t listening as she searched the row of nurses coming down the gangplank.
Suddenly she broke away from Cody and ran toward a short nurse with a blue scarf tied around her dark curls.
Cody stood back and watched as the two friends hugged each other wildly, dancing and screaming at the same time. He realized that to love one was to love both. They might be as different as night and day, but they were a part of each other. Katherine might be his wife and love him dearly, but she would die for Sarah and he had to accept that as part of the package. He knew only a fool would ever try to come between them.
If a war couldn’t keep them apart, one man wouldn’t have a chance.
Twenty-five
SARAH HUGGED KATHERINE tightly against her. “I’ve missed you so desperately, Kat,” she said. “A part of me didn’t seem alive when you were away.”
“I know,” Kat agreed. The months they’d been apart had seemed like years, but hadn’t weakened their friendship. “If you only knew how many times I’ve sat down and tried to figure out what advice you’d give me.”
“I came to France to answer the call for nurses, but seeing you was a part of what swayed me.” Sarah couldn’t let go of Kat’s arm. “I asked for a six-month leave from teaching. Miss Willingham agreed we needed to do more to stop the suffering.”
“I only wish I had time to prepare you for what you’re going to see.”
“You’ve been preparing me for months with your letters. No matter how bad it is, Kat, I’m here to help.”
“And Matthew?” Kat hadn’t realized how much she missed seeing the baby until she saw Sarah. Suddenly memories of home flooded her mind. “He’s growing up without me.”
“Miss Willingham has him on a schedule already. You wouldn’t believe how fast he learns. He’ll probably be bored with school by the time he’s old enough to start. We’ll be back before he misses us.”
“Sarah!” Cody called from several feet away.
Without letting go of Katherine, Sarah reached for him. Sarah took one look at their faces and knew Kat and Cody had finally realized they were in love. They could have lit up a dark room with their brilliance, and Sarah couldn’t have been happier for them. A part of her remembered that glow, but her son now warmed the darkness she would live in for the rest of her life.
“So tell me”—Sarah crossed her arms and tried not to laugh—“what’s been happening half a world away while I wasn’t looking?”
Kat laughed. She knew Sarah would know. “We’re married.”
Another round of hugs followed. Sarah kissed Cody on the cheek and said, “Welcome to the family, Uncle Cody.”
Sarah had always thought of Cody as a part of her family, partly because he’d been Bart’s friend and partly because he’d been there when Matthew made his entrance into the world. All at once they all tried to talk. Katherine asked questions about Matthew and home, while Cody wanted to know every detail about the voyage over. There didn’t seem to be a second when someone wasn’t talking until it was time to board the trucks that would take the nurses to the hospitals at the front.
Cody lifted Sarah into the truck. “I have to fly back before dark. I’ll see you when I can.” He couldn’t seem to take his eyes off Katherine even though he was talking to Sarah. “Take good care of my wife.”
“I will,” Sarah answered and moved away to allow them a moment alone.
Cody looked down into Katherine’s face and thought he’d die if he had to say good-bye to her one more time. The gentle wind played with a free strand of her auburn hair while the late afternoon sun sparkled in her eyes.
Katherine sensed his feelings, for all of his emotions were in her heart also. “I’ll love you forever,” she promised, then leaned close to add with mischief, “Take off your clothes.”
Cody laughed suddenly. “Right here, right now?”
“You said anytime, any place, birdman.”
Cody knew she was teasing, but the fire in her emerald eyes held a promise. “Thank you, pretty lady. You’ve added love and wonder to my life.”
Katherine raised her arms and hugged him as close as she could. “I’ll love you every day I breathe.”
Cody lifted her slowly into the truck as the driver started the engine and waved for them to hurry. “Good-bye, my love, my wife, my life.”
There was no need to say more. As before, all the words had been said. He watched the truck pull away and wondered how long it would be until he’d be with her again. He felt as though his heart had stopped beating and would only resume with her touch.
Cody smiled to himself as he watched the truck disappear. He’d been right; there was a great deal of pain in caring for someone. But he was wrong about one thing; even the pain was a reminder of what they’d had, and’ as such, it was welcome. He’d live a thousand days without her if God would just grant him one more night with her in his arms.
“I’m coming back to you, Kat,” Cody vowed. “You can stop worrying about me crashing. If I have to walk through the hell of this war on foot, I’m coming back to you.”
* * *
Sarah sat close to Katherine and held out her hand. They watched the lights of the town grow smaller as they both prayed for an end to this war that had overturned their lives, even though America was still officially neutral.
Finally, when the port town had disappeared, Sarah said, “I’m afraid, Kat. All these months I’ve thought of how brave you were to come here. I wanted to be like you, but now that I’m here, I’m afraid I won’t be able to handle the job.”
Kat put her arm around Sarah. “Of course you will. I’ll be near to help.”
“But
I wasn’t there for you.”
Kat laughed. “Yes, you were. I can’t tell you how many times I felt you beside me.”
“I wanted to come sooner, but I had to wait until Matthew was old enough for me to leave.”
“You’ll be back with him before you know it.” Kat tried to sound confident.
“Oh, he’ll be fine. He’s braver than I’ll ever be.”
“What do you mean? Have you forgotten the night we ran away from the farm? Or when you ran into the fire to help save lives at the infirmary?”
“I had to help those people. Just as I have to help now.”
Kat tried to keep her voice calm. “In many ways you’ll be running into the fire again.”
“But you’ll be with me.”
Kat nodded. “I’ve asked for an extension of three months so we’ll be going home together.”
All at once the other nurses could stay quiet no longer. They had to ask questions about what they were headed into.
Kat remembered her first days near the front, and she knew no words of warning or encouragement would be enough. Each woman would have to find her own strength. All she could do was try to help.
When they pulled into the camp, Sarah jumped down like a child who’d just found her home. Thanks to Katherine’s letters she felt she knew the place already. This was her one chance to prove herself as a nurse, and she planned to make good use of the time.
“That’s the main tent,” Sarah told the others. “Our tents are behind it.”
Light blinked across the sky like a huge lightning bolt.
All the women turned and caught their first glimpse of artillery fire from the front lines.
Katherine held Sarah’s hand. “I’m glad you’re here.”
Sarah’s blue eyes were full of excitement and fear. “One little war shouldn’t be too much for the two of us to handle.”
Katherine laughed. “Together forever.”
“Forever and ever,” Sarah added. “Now show me the hospital!”
“Don’t you want to sleep first?”