King and Maxwell (Sean King & Michelle Maxwell 6)

She entered Dana’s room and took a moment to look around at the array of tubes and machines hooked up to her, helping her to get better. It had not been that long ago that Michelle had been in a hospital bed with nearly the identical medical equipment hooked up to her as she fought for her life.

She drew up a chair and sat down next to the bed.

Dana looked over at her. Her coloring was better today, Michelle thought, even if she still looked very weak.

“Sean’s not with you?” she said.

“Not right now. I know he’ll be coming by to see you later.”

Dana slowly nodded but looked disappointed all the same.

“I understand that the general was here earlier?”

Dana tried to sit up a bit, but Michelle put a restraining hand on her shoulder. “I’ll raise the bed instead, okay?”

Michelle hit the lift control and Dana’s torso rose a few inches.

“Curtis has been great through this,” said Dana.

“I’m sure he has. But so have you.” Michelle gave her a reassuring squeeze on her arm.

“Have you found out anything about all this?”

“Still trying. But we’re getting there.”

“Sean will get there, I’m sure of it.”

“You seem to have a good relationship with your ex,” said Michelle, with just the tiniest of bites to her words.

“Actually, we had no relationship at all. Not until he contacted me. I hadn’t heard from him since the divorce.”

Michelle started to say something else and then caught herself. She glanced at the monitors and the drip lines and decided not to push it. The woman was still in precarious shape.

“You can ask what you want to ask, Michelle.”

She glanced over to see Dana’s gaze on her.

“He’s a good man and I screwed up big-time in letting him get away.”

“So, regrets?”

“I’d prefer not to use that word. I have Curtis. I have to look forward, not back.” There was a minute of silence until Dana said, “Are you two more than just business partners?”

“Does it matter to you?”

“Could you hand me that cup of water please?”

Michelle held the cup for her while Dana sipped on the straw. She sat back and took a few deep breaths. One of the monitors started alarming and Michelle quickly stood. “Should I get a nurse?”

“No. That thing’s been chiming the last two days. They have the parameters set too low, or so they told me. No one’s been in to adjust it yet.”

Michelle sat back down.

Dana stared at her wrist, where an IV line was inserted. “I guess it does matter to me, Michelle, but probably not for the reason you think.” She eased her head to the right and looked at her. “I’m very happy with Curtis. I would like Sean to be happy too.”

“He is happy.”

“Being happy alone and being happy with someone are two different things. So are you more than business partners?”