Longing by Karen Kingsbury Page B

that didn’t mean he was in love with her.
    Not when being with Bailey defined the word.
    Cody hung his head. What was he supposed to do now? Already Chey had asked him why he stayed, whether he really loved her. And he’d always assured her that yes, he was falling for her. Because he believed that himself. It was only tonight, after spending time with Bailey, that he knew for sure.
    Love? Being in love? That bar was set a long time ago by Bailey Flanigan. He loved Cheyenne, but in a completely different way. If he wanted to face God and the mirror, he would have to set things straight with her as soon as possible.
    Sometime tomorrow.
    He lifted his head, weary from the realization of what the morning would bring. Then in a rush of anger he slammed his hand on the steering wheel.
Nice work, Coleman.
How could he have let things get this serious with Cheyenne without stopping to examine his real feelings? Now the talk they had to have would hurt both of them, even if Cheyenne wouldn’t exactly be surprised by it.
    Options presented themselves as he started up his truck. Maybe he could tell her he needed more time, and maybe after a while the concern and caring he felt for Cheyenne would become a love brighter than what he’d once shared with Bailey.
    Or maybe not.
    No, Cody couldn’t ask her to hold onto that hope. He couldn’t do that to either of them. Either she would be okay to see him as a friend — nothing more — or they would have to part ways. Another heartache at his hands. The sick feeling remained as he headed out of the parking lot. But before he could pull into traffic his phone rang.
Strange,
he thought. It was nearly one in the morning. No one called him this late.
    He grabbed his phone from the seat beside him and glanced at the face of it. The call was from Tara. He wrinkled his brow. Tara was normally asleep hours earlier than this. He took the call and pressed the phone to his ear. “Hello? Tara?”
    “Cody.” She was crying. The cry of someone heartbroken. “We’re at the hospital. I’m with Cheyenne.”
    His heart stopped and then thudded hard into a strange rhythm. Cheyenne was at the hospital? “What is it? What happened?”
    “Her headache … it got worse, and she … started getting sick. Really sick, Cody, so I brought her here.” She was trying to control her weeping, but she was losing the battle. “The doctors are worried. She … she has something on her brain. They’re doing tests.”
    Cody felt the blood leave his face. There couldn’t be anything worse wrong with Cheyenne, right? She’d already been through so much. Cody gritted his teeth.
    God, You can’t let her be sick. Please …
    “Which hospital are you at?”
    Tara explained where they were, at the hospital not far from where Cody lived in Indianapolis. “Okay. Got it.”
    “Please, Cody … hurry. She’s in so much pain. I’m so afraid for her.” Tara tried again to find control. “She’s … she’s been asking for you.”
    “Thanks, Tara.” He pulled into traffic and headed for the freeway on-ramp. “I’m on my way.”
    Cody made the drive to the hospital in record time. The whole way he couldn’t think even a little about the talk the two of them needed to have. Instead he did the only thing he could do: He prayed for her safety and healing. And that God would give him the strength to help her through whatever season they were about to enter.
    Less than an hour later he rushed into her hospital room. Cheyenne was asleep, IV tubing in her arms, her complexionpaler than usual. Tara sat beside her, eyes red and swollen, and as she saw Cody she hurried to him. Her fear was like a shield around her. “They gave her something … so she could sleep.” Tara bit her lip and looked back at Cheyenne. “The test,” she turned to Cody again. “They found something on her brain. What … what could that mean?”
    “First … come here.” He took the woman in his arms and rocked her, calming her. “God