She sighed. "And that's how Bobby found out his free hockey tickets were gone. He made sure I knew he wasn't happy. I shouldn't have cared. I guess it was a stupid reason to hate her." She grinned. "But I'm still happy her ass is going to jail."
Reed laughed and kissed her again. "Me, too." He moved to the chair. "Beth entered another poetry slam competition. I got invited. So are you, if you're out in time."
Mia sobered. "Did you ever ask her to do 'casper' for you?"
Something moved in Reed's dark eyes, intense and profound. "Yes. And then I told her I loved her, just like you said I should."
"She's got a gift."
"Yes, she does. I had no idea she felt that way." He swallowed. "To think that she'd thought I'd trade her to have her mother back. I never meant to hurt Beth that way."
"So, what will you do about it?"
He smiled. "I met with the contractors about the house. I approved the structural plans, but I'm going to let Beth and Lauren decorate. You get input on my bedroom."
She lifted her brows. "I do?"
"You're going to be living there when you get out of here."
He said it with an uncharacteristic belligerence. Her brows stayed up. "I am?"
"You are. At least until you're recovered. Then you can leave if you want to. You got something to say about that, Mitchell?"
He was nervous. It was sweet. "Okay. But I only get input?"
He relaxed. "I don't want stripes and plaid. Beth has a good eye. You can input."
"Okay." She laced their fingers together. "Jeremy came to see me today."
"And you watched TV," Reed said dryly.
She chuckled. "History of cheese or something." Then she sighed. "Reed, something's been on my mind." She stared down at their hands. "I don't want Jeremy growing up in foster care, even a good one like Dana's."
"You want to adopt him, then."
"Yeah. He asked if he could come live with me when 1 get out. I said yes and I'll do whatever I need to do to keep that promise. I wanted you to know that."
"We have a spare room. He can stay there. But he shouldn't have his own TV. That kid watches too much TV as it is."
It was such a small thing to him, taking in a child. Mia was nearly floored by both the generosity and the ease with which he committed himself. "We're talking a kid, here, Reed. Another person. I don't want you to make this decision lightly."
His eyes darkened. "Did you?"
"No."
"Neither did I." He drew a breath. "I've had something on my mind, too. Do you remember when I asked if you believed in soul mates?"
Her heart quickened. "Yes."
"You said you believed that some people might have them, maybe."
"And you said a person could have only one."
"No, I said I didn't know."
"Okay. Then you said you'd never found anyone to replace Christine."
"And I never will."
She blinked. It was not the direction she'd expected the conversation to go. "Why did you ask me to stay with you, Reed? Because if it's only pity, I'm not interested."
He lifted his eyes to the ceiling with a frustrated sigh. "I'm not good with this. I wasn't good the first time, either. Christine actually proposed."
Mia's jaw dropped. "You're… you're not proposing."
He shot that boyish grin that never failed to charm her. "No. But you should see the look on your face." He brought her hands to his lips and sobered. "I couldn't replace Christine. She was an important part of my life. She gave me Beth. But what I realized is that I don't need to replace her." He looked down at their hands. "I loved Christine because she made me more than I'd been on my own. She made me happy." He looked up and smiled. "You make me happy."
Mia tried to swallow the lump in her throat. "I'm glad."
He lifted one brow. "And?"
"And you make me happy, too." She grimaced slightly. "Now I wonder when the other shoe's going to fall."
"It's not a crime to be happy, Mia. So. Do you believe in love at first sight?"
It was a trick question. "No."
He grinned. "Me, either. Especially since at first sight you looked insane."
"And you looked like Satan." She rubbed a finger over his goatee. "But it's growing on me. Reed. I might not be normal… ever again."
His grin faded. "I know. We'll cross those bridges when we come to them. For now, concentrate on getting well. We'll keep searching for a match." He cleared his throat. "I brought you something." He reached into a big plastic bag and brought out the board game Clue. "I thought you should keep your detecting skills sharp."
Mia's eyes stung. "I go first. And I'm any piece except the revolver or the knife."
He set up the board. "You can be the candlestick. And just because you've got a hole in your gut is no reason for special favors. You'll roll to go first, like everyone else."
Mia was ready to guess Colonel Mustard in the library with the pipe when the voice at the door caught her by surprise. "Miss Scarlett in the conservatory with the rope."
Mia's eyes widened. "Olivia?"
Reed looked considerably less surprised, but more worried. "Olivia."
Olivia came to the foot of the bed and drew a breath. "All right."
Mia's imagination combined with the thin thread of hope. "All right, what?"
Olivia looked at Reed. "You didn't tell her?"
He shook his head. "I didn't want to get her hopes up. And, you said no."
"No, I just didn't say yes." Olivia met Mia's eyes. "Reed called me the day after you were shot and told me what you needed. He also told me your mother refused to be tested. You win, big sister. Your family is much worse than mine."
Mia was speechless. "You're willing to be tested?"
"No, I was tested. I never say yes to things right away. I had get the facts. Get tested. Get a leave of absence."
"And?" Reed asked impatiently.
"And I'm here. I'm a match. We're going to do this thing next week."
Reed's breath came shuddering out. "Thank God."
Mia shook her head. "Why?"
"Well, not because I love you. I don't even know you." Olivia's brows furrowed. "But I do know what you'd be giving up if I didn't. You're a cop. A good one. If you don't get a kidney, you lose that and Chicago loses you. I can keep that from happening. So I will."
She searched Olivia's face. "You don't owe me anything, Olivia."
"I know. Kind of." Her eyes shadowed. "Then again, maybe I do. But what I do or don't owe you doesn't really matter. If a cop in my department needed this, I'd do it.
Why not for my own blood?" Her brows winged up. "Now if you don't want my guts…"
"She wants it," Reed said firmly. He took Mia's hand. "Let her help you, Mia."
"Olivia, have you thought this through?" Mia wouldn't let herself hope. Not yet.
Olivia shrugged. "My doctor says I'll be back to full duty in a few months. My captain has approved my time off. I'm not sure I could have agreed otherwise."
Mia narrowed her eyes. "Once you give it to me, I'm not giving it back."
Olivia laughed. "Okay." She pulled up a chair on the other side of Mia's bed, sobering. "I wanted to apologize to you. That night we talked… I was so shocked. I ran. I ran all the way back to Minnesota."
"You needed time. I never meant to drop it on you that way."
"I know. You'd had a bad day. Nice save on the Kates case, by the way." She smiled. "I read the Trib. I boycott the Bulletin on principle."
Mia smiled back. "Me, too." Then she sobered as Olivia's smile faded.
"Mia, I'm sorry. I judged when I didn't understand. I understand better now. And I appreciate you trying to keep me from feeling… shunned. You were right. I was luckier. I wish my mother were alive for me to tell her so." She stood up. "I'm going to get a hotel room and go to sleep. I pulled a double shift before I got here."