Hot Zone: Hot Number Part 11

"And you're a tough lady, too."

She swallowed hard. "Sometimes I have to be." She placed a hand on top of the open car door, ready to escape inside.

He held her gaze as if willing her not to go. "When can you play?" she asked although they'd discussed it already.

His expression tightened, his jaw clenched. "Another nine or ten days."

"Don't push it and try to be a hero," she warned him. "Ten days isn't so bad."

He leaned closer. "Between us?"

She nodded.

"It's that bad."

Micki understood he wasn't just talking about the ten more days on the DL. His career was near the end and he was trusting her with that information. She'd never felt more connected to another human being but there was little she could offer that he'd accept.

"If you ever need me--you know, to help you spin a situation or just to vent--you know where to find me." It was the best she could do.

A sad smile took hold of his lips. "You're special, Micki."

"Oh please."

"Stop doing that" He'd reached out and placed a finger over her lips. "Stop questioning yourself and how people look at you."

She shook her head. "That's not what I'm doing."

"That's exactly what you're doing."

"I am," she agreed, laughing. Why was it this man, who wanted to give and receive nothing, was the one who understood her so well?

"Well, next time you get the urge to fight a compliment, remember our weekend together, will you?"

She had a hunch she'd be remembering him a lot sooner and more often than that.

He reached out and hooked his hand around the back of her neck, pulled her close and sealed their lips in a kiss. One that was too fast and too brief--all too reminiscent of their time together.

'I'll do that." Micki forced a nod. She turned away before he could read the emotion on her face and slipped into the back of the car.

He shut the door for her and waved. "Take care." She was able to read his parting words on his lips.

Once again, she couldn't help but smile.

AN HOUR AFTER LEAVING DAMIAN, Micki reached her apartment. She showered, changed and, since Sophie wasn't in her place across the hall, Micki took a cab over to Uncle Yank's. The doorman let her in and the elevator carried her to his penthouse apartment.

She rang the bell and a set of chimes went off that were so loud they scared her to death and had her heart racing like mad. His dog, Noodle, a Labradoodle he'd purchased because of the breed's intelligence and training in helping the blind, began a high-pitched bark that would wake the dead. A normal person would have bought a trained Lab, but not her uncle.

Without warning, the door from the apartment across the hall swung open wide and an old woman in a brightly colored, decades-old sweatsuit strode outside, hands on her frail hips. "You tell that old man to muzzle the mutt and put a normal doorbell back on or I'm reporting him to the condo board, and don't think I won't." She patted her set hair and slammed the door shut behind her.

"And a good evening to you, Mrs. Murdoch," Micki called to her uncle's neighbor who'd lived there for years and was as likely to report her uncle as Micki was.

The same door swung open wide again. "He was much more reasonable when Lola came around," Mrs. Murdoch said.

"We all agree with you." Micki smiled at the older woman and eyed her uncle's closed door. He knew she was coming, so where was he?

"Well either he gets laid or he moves out. I'm not sure I can take much more of his obnoxious behavior. You tell him I said so, you hear?"

Micki wondered if the older woman was actually offering her services and bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing. "Oh, I'll tell him all right."

"Got to go. Jeopardy!'s on." Mrs.Murdoch slammed the door shut again.

Micki raised her hand to knock this time, when her uncle opened the door. "Sorry. I was in the John"

She rolled her eyes. "Too much information," she said, greeting him with a kiss.

"I can't believe you're back already. Is Damian that much of a dud?"

She raised an eyebrow, staring at her uncle. "You sent me off with him hoping we'd hook up?"

"d.a.m.n straight. So did you?"

Micki stepped around Yank and into his large apartment. They'd always been close and she didn't see any point in hiding the truth from him now. "Whatever we had was temporary and now it's over. So how did your doctor's appointment go?" "Nothing's changed, nothing will. Are you telling me Fuller screwed you and took off ?" Her uncle squared his shoulders, ready to fight on her behalf.

She shook her head. "Damian's a lot better than that and you know it or you wouldn't have sent me off to be alone with him "

"I-".

"You're caught red handed. Now I'm going to forgive you for disregarding my feelings because I love you. And I'll tell you what you need to know about Damian. He's not capable of putting anyone or anything above the game, at least not at this point in his life, and he was honest about that. Okay? And now that I've bared my soul, I need you to do the same." She hugged him tight. "Are you saying the specialist couldn't help you?"

"It's a degenerative disease. My stage isn't early enough to change things and don't go yelling at me that I should've gone to him sooner because your sister already yelled enough for all three of you."

Micki swallowed hard. Twice in two days. Twice she had to face men she cared about and not show any pity no matter how much she wanted to. d.a.m.n men and their pride, she thought, taking a minute to compose herself before stepping back and facing her uncle.

"Well, you'll just have to carry on as you taught us to once we realized Mom and Dad weren't coming back, won't you?"

As if she understood, Noodle barked in agreement.

"You see? With Noodle by your side, you won't have any problems." Micki would see to it.

Her uncle grabbed her in a bear hug that expressed everything he couldn't say.

When they finally broke apart, she smiled at him. "So what can I make you for dinner?"

ALL THREE JORDAN SISTERS and Lola met at Annabelle's home in Greenlawn. They all sat surrounding Annie,who remained with her feet up on the couch, surrounded by her pets and plants. Some things never changed, Micki thought and a warm feeling filled her chest.

They'd chosen the location because it gave them privacy from Yank's prying and allowed Annabelle to remain off her feet as per doctor's orders. It had been a while since they'd all been together this way and they talked to each other, over each other and across one another. A true girls' meeting. Getting together with them reminded Micki of how much she'd missed their bonding time.

Annie clapped her hands, demanding their attention. "As much as we need to catch up, we're here for a reason." They all nodded.

"I've tried to keep everyone up to date on Uncle Yank's condition. Does everyone understand the details?" Sophie, the sister who'd taken charge of the doctors and of the gruff man himself, asked.

"I'm confused," Micki admitted. "He lies and fudges the truth. One day he says he's fine and the next day he's wearing that talking clock like he can't read the dial on his wrist.w.a.tch. I'd like an explanation I can understand."

"As you know, Uncle Yank has the wet form of macular degeneration," Sophie said. "Statistically, wet is less common than the dry form and accounts for ninety percent of all cases of legal blindness in people with the disease. It isn't curable and since Uncle Yank ignored symptoms for quite a while, the disease has progressed too much for any of the newer treatments."

"What exactly can he see or not see?" Annabelle asked.

Obviously Micki wasn't the only one who didn't understand their uncle's condition.

"It's hard to say. Maybe the explanation of what the disease involves will help."

This was Sophie in her element, Micki thought fondly.

"In clinical terms, macular degeneration is a physical disturbance in the center of the retina, which is called the macula." Sophie gestured as she spoke, pointing to her own eyes as an example. "The macula makes us capable of our most detailed vision--reading, driving, recognizing faces, watching TV, etc."

"Wow," Micki said aloud. Her throat grew tight at the thought of her independent uncle being deprived of the most basic tasks most people took for granted.

Since Uncle Yank had ignored his problems over the past year, Micki had as well. It was easier to push the truth away when not faced with it directly, but the time had come to cope head-on with all the repercussions.

Over the past few days, she and her sisters had spoken and agreed on a course of action. They just needed to bring Lola on board. The other woman was key as she had the ability to sway the important parties to their plan.

"I thought or rather I hoped that the specialist would tell him that surgery to remove scarring was an option to improve vision, but the disease progressed too far." Sophie's voice dropped low. "It's not going to get any better. It's going to get worse."

They all understood the implications.

Annabelle rubbed the slight bulge in her belly and sighed. "Can we suggest he move to some place with a.s.sisted living before it progresses to the point where he can't see at all?" Micki shook her head, shuddering at the thought of their uncle's reaction. "Not if we want to live to tell the tale. That's a point he'll have to reach on his own"

"But the business affects us all, which is why I suggested we meet here to talk." Sophie's gaze swept over the group. "We need to think about the future today."

All three sisters turned to Lola.

"I am not coming back to work for him." Lola folded her arms across her silk blouse.

Though her outfit and overall look was still on the conservative side, she'd made many changes since leaving Uncle Yank's employ. Some of the alterations had been done in the hopes of enticing Yank to notice her before she left and those Lola had ditched fast, like too-youthful clothes. Other parts of her transformation remained, like her hair. She'd always kept the color a natural brown and the style pulled back into a bun.

These days she had golden highlights and a chic shoulder-length bob that accentuated her graceful features. These days she not only worked for Spencer Atkins, she dated him as well. Together they attended industry events and were seen at the chicest restaurants.

Her uncle was a stubborn old coot, Micki thought in frustration. He needed this woman now more than ever before.

All three sisters understood how hard it had been for Lola to leave Yank and none of them would be angry at her for refusing to come back. After thirty or more years with their stubborn uncle, n.o.body considered Lola selfish. In fact there was n.o.body more loving. The time had come when she'd needed some of that emotion returned.

"n.o.body wants you to compromise the stand you've taken," Annabelle a.s.sured Lola. "But when he was first diagnosed, you mentioned a potential merger with Atkins a.s.sociates, remember?"

Lola winced.

Micki figured she'd probably recalled Uncle Yank's reaction to that suggestion.

"Why do you ask?" Lola's gaze narrowed.

Shifting positions on the couch, Annabelle sat up straighter as she explained. "Because the three of us have talked and we think that over time, a merger is the only way to save the sports agency part of the Hot Zone."

"And Uncle Yank's illness isn't the only reason," Micki said. "Let's face it. The newer agencies with their hotshot agents are s.n.a.t.c.hing up the young athletes interested in money more than in loyalty. Uncle Yank needs backup and over time so will Spencer. A merger can benefit both agencies."

Sophie nodded in agreement. "Think about it. Uncle Yank brings young, raw talent with him in his other agents, but he's the big name. Same with Spencer. They're both too stubborn to realize they need successors. We could convince them that together they could be a powerhouse."

"A lasting powerhouse with a legacy after they're gone. Umm... I mean retire." Micki swallowed hard.

"So what do you think?" Sophie asked.

Lola rubbed her eyes and sighed. "I love you girls. I would do anything for you. Same for the business."

"And for Uncle Yank?" Annabelle asked, too sweetly, her intentions obvious.

Lola strode over and squeezed Annabelle's cheeks. "Sorry, honey, but you won't get me to pour my heart out. I'm over him."

"You taught us not to fib," Sophie chided.

"So who's ready for lunch? I brought us all Squagels from Cozy's," she said of the coffee shop located downstairs from the Hot Zone, specializing in salads and square bagels.

Annabelle sighed. "Mmmm. You are the best," she told Lola.

"But we still noticed that you changed the subject" Micki said.

Micki's stomach growled loudly and Lola teased. "Your stomach's on my side."

Micki laughed.

"I'll talk to Spencer. If he's still interested in a merger, we'll figure out a way to approach Yank," Lola promised, her voice somber. "He's away on business, so it might be a while though."

Micki paused. Now that she'd loved and lost Damian--in a manner of speaking--she felt an empathy with Lola she'd never had before. She couldn't imagine spending a lifetime side by side with a man who didn't return her feelings. Micki and her sisters were now asking Lola to come back into a situation from which she'd finally garnered the guts to escape.

She placed a hand on Lola's shoulder. "I understand all the reasons you don't want this merger to happen. We were selfish even to ask you to make such a sacrifice." She looked around at her sisters. "Maybe we should find another option."

Lola gave Micki a look of grat.i.tude and for the first time Micki felt on more equal footing with the woman she'd always admired.

Silence followed and then Annabelle spoke.

"Micki's right. We were so wrapped up with what to do about the agency we forgot to consider your feelings." Sophie nodded. "We've been thoughtless. And you raised us so much better than that."

Lola paced back and forth across the room, stopping directly in front of where Annabelle lay on the couch. "Come here. All of you."

Micki and Sophie stepped closer.

"You've grown into such beautiful, smart, caring women. I'm so lucky to have had you in my life. You're the children I never had and I love you." She paused and Micki sensed she was holding back tears. "It's because I love you that I'm going to talk to Spencer."

"But--"

"I'm a big girl, Sophie," Lola said, cutting her off.