Free Midas Touch by Frankie J. Jones Page A

talk about me as though I’m not.”
    Allison looked at her. “Dr. Rayburn’s right. The board can run Tate Enterprises for a few months.”
    “Allison!”
    “Damn it, Sandra. I’d rather we try to run it without you for a few months than have to bury you!” Allison shouted, and quickly looked away as the other two women stared at her in surprise.
    “You know I’d never find another job that pays as well as this one does,” she teased with a small self-conscious smile.
    Sandra lay stunned. How could she be away from work for three months? What would she do with herself?
    She recalled lying on the boardroom floor thinking she was dying. There could be other advantages to getting away for a while. She would be able to avoid both Carol and Lona. The news about her hospitalization would spread. It would appear she was resting rather than running away. Disappearing for a few

    months might be exactly what she needed.
    All right,” she conceded so calmly both Ida and Allison eyed her doubtfully. “I’m serious,” she assured them. “Allison, call a board meeting tomorrow morning and announce I’m going to take an extended vacation. You are in charge.” Seeing Allison hesitate, she added. “You can handle things. You’ve worked with me long enough to know what I would or would not approve of.”
    She turned to Ida and swallowed her guilt in taking the easy way out. “You happy now?” she asked.
    “I think you must have hit your head when you fell,” Ida said speculatively. “I expected more of a fight from you.”
    “No fight, Ida. You win.”

CHAPTER FIVE
    Ida insisted on keeping her overnight for observation. Sandra felt it prudent not to argue. They moved her to a private room, where she dozed to the monotonous beep of the heart monitor.
    The faint squeak of the door hinge roused her.
    “Hello,” Lona called, timidly stepping into the room.
    The heart monitor’s blip increased proportionally with Sandra’s racing pulse as a wave of emotions washed over her.
    “Hi,” she managed to stutter, unable to hold Lona’s gaze.
    Lona stopped just inside the room. An awkward silence fell between them. The spell was broken as the door swished open and a nurse rushed in.
    “Is everything all right?” she threw Lona a quick glance, turning her full attention to the protesting monitor.
    “I’m sorry,” Sandra said. “I guess I sat up too quickly or something,” she finished lamely.
    The nurse checked the wires leading from the monitor to Sandra’s arm.

    “Take it a little easier next time,” the nurse said, patting Sandra’s arm before leaving the room.
    Lona approached the bed and placed a single yellow rose on Sandra’s lap. “I didn’t know how you felt about flowers,” she stated meekly. “I, ah… damn,” she sputtered.
    Sandra looked up to find tears in Lona’s eyes. “What’s wrong?”
    “I wasn’t sure you’d see me after last night.”
    Sandra started to speak, but Lona shook her head and stopped her. “I know what happened between us wasn’t your scene, but I’ve dreamed about you for so long. When I heard Carol moved out, I told myself I was only going over to comfort you. Then you opened the door in your robe, and I couldn’t stop myself.” She pulled a tissue from her purse and wiped her eyes.
    Sandra forced herself not to look away. “You gave me a lot to think about,” she admitted. “I’ve never found myself in a situation like last night. Control has always been important to me.” Seeing a gleam spark in Lona’s eyes, she quickly added, “In my work I mean. I never, we never should have …” She trailed off into an uneasy silence.
    “I realized I misjudged you after you sent me away,” Lona responded.
    Sandra felt a stab of mortification. She seemed to be a total failure at everything involving sex. She knew her face was glowing, and to add to her embarrassment, the damn machine was broadcasting her slightest agitation.
    “It’s all right,” Lona said,