"Hope you're feeling better," Tina spoke up as she set down a vase of salmon colored roses.

Later that evening, she had decided to stop by the hospital. At the last minute, Meliza had gone to see her relatives who supposedly managed a hotel, so she wanted to make sure everything was okay. Tina personally thought she was running away from Andrew, but she kept her thoughts to herself.

Andrew looked up from his magazine. He smiled slightly. "I'm getting there." He glanced at the flowers. "Those for me?"

"Yeah. They're not from me, though."

He nodded. "I figured." He tossed his reading material down.

"So how long are you going to be here?" Tina asked, sitting down in a chair.

"Doctors want to keep me here for a few nights. I'll be released the day after tomorrow." He frowned. "How's Meliza doing?"

"She's okay. She had to go to her relative's at the last minute. She said they own a hotel here, so she wanted to make sure everything's okay. But I don't see why she is so worried...the arsonist isn't going to bomb some dinky little Motel 6 looking thing..."

Andrew cleared his throat. "Meliza's family owns that highrise casino on the east side of Atlantic City. The white and blue structure."

Tina's eyes widened. "What was it called?"

"Rinaldo," he hinted.

"Wow...how do you know her family runs a hotel? She didn't even tell me!"

"I figured it out. She didn't want me to mention it ever again, so I didn't."

"But how did you know?" she pressed.

Andrew grinned. "Her father’s a famous guy. In the hospitality and gambling world. That’s how I knew."

"Wow. I mean...I knew that her family ran a hotel...but not one of those...types..."

He cast a glance at the flowers. "Did she leave a card?"

"Huh? Oh! Yeah..." Tina went over to the flowers and plucked out the tiny white card. She flipped it open. " 'Drew, Get well. Meliza' Well, she's certainly to the point. She does care, though. If she didn't, she wouldn't have saved you or sent these flowers."

"I know..." Andrew plumped up his pillows.

"You miss her, don't you?" Tina asked.

"Well…" Andrew faltered before admitting, "I'm not even sure what's happening between us..."

"Are you in love with her?" Tina asked suddenly.

Andrew frowned. "I don't think I'd call it that...I mean..."

"You're attracted to her."

"Yeah." This much he knew was true. In spite of all that had happened, he hadn’t been able to stop his feelings.

"I see." Tina beamed. "Well, whatever happens, I hope it works out."

"Thanks. Is she going to come here?" he asked.

"I don't know..." Tina's eyes lit up. "But I'll convince her to visit you."

"Look, if she isn't going to, that's fine..."
 
 

"Where are you going?" Meliza asked.

Two days later, she had arrived from The Rinaldo to see her friend packing up her belongings.

Tina tossed a hair dryer into her carry-on. "Back to Denver."

"Denver?"

"Home," Tina clarified. "I was going to tell you but you were at your relative's."

"What?" Meliza's eyes widened. "What about us going to Europe and you meeting some hot European guy?"

Tina shook her head. "I called my parents yesterday...and I think it's time I go back."

Meliza was dumbfounded. "But...Why? Have I...done something?"

"No, no!" Tina laughed. "It's just that being with you, I learned a lot...and I think it's time I go back...go to school...I...I don't have any future as a gambler, Meliza, you know that."

Meliza sighed. "I...I understand."

Tina was homesick. She had been gone from home for a long time. Meliza had only been gone for a year. Tina wanted to settle down, Meliza wasn't ready for that yet.

"Besides..." a wicked gleam entered the brunnette's eyes. "This gives you and Andrew the chance to get to know each other even more..."

Meliza laughed. "Don't tell me he's the reason you're leaving..."

"Of course not. But I figure two birds with one stone..." She shrugged.

"So what happened at the hotel?"

"Oh yeah...the committee wrote me a check, and they're going to send my trophy to Denver." Tina zipped up her bag. "And...they found out who the arsonist was."

Meliza lifted her brows.

"It was a fireman." Tina threw up her hands. "Can you believe it? A fireman. Apparently, he was being blackmailed by someone to do it...He and the blackmailer have been arrested."

"That's awful...that someone would do that..."

"Yeah..." Silence for several moments. "Well...the driver is taking me to the airport in twenty minutes. I better head down..."

"You're leaving now?" Meliza said in disbelief.

Tina nodded sadly. "Yeah."

"So soon?"

Tina nodded.

"But..."

"Next semester starts in a month, so I need to move fast."

"Oh..." Meliza's eyes grew sad.

Tina scribbled her address on a piece of paper. "Write me. And let me know how everything is going..."

Meliza accepted the piece of paper. "All right." Impulsively, she hugged her apprentice.
"You did a great job out there. Congratulations."

"Thanks." Tina hugged her back, sniffling. "I'm going to miss you."

"No, you won't," Meliza responded, her eyes getting teary as well.

Tina pulled away. "And Meliza...about Andrew..."

"What?" the other woman spoke up, swiping at her eyes.

"He cares a lot about you. I hope things work out…"

Meliza nodded as the phone rang. Tina picked up.

"Hello? Yes, this is she...okay...okay...I'll be right down..." She hung up and sighed.
"That's my ride. They're making the trip to the airport early."

"Okay."

Tina hugged her one last time. "By the way, someone is coming back from the hospital soon. He's going to need some special attention..."
 
 

Sighing with boredom, Meliza turned over a card to reveal a jack. Solitaire could certainly be a monotonous game. She had tried to find time to see Andrew, but her aunt always called her, needing some assistance with something…or asking her to visit a cousin. She tried calling him, but he didn’t answer. A knock came to her penthouse suite door. Frowning slightly, Meliza hurried over and peered through the viewing hole. Surprised, she opened the door.

“Drew…”

He smiled slightly. “Hi…” He wasn’t even sure what had possessed him to come up here. But he knew that he had to see her.

“How…How’d you get up here?” she asked. The general manager told her that security was very tight to the penthouse suite.

“The manager of this hotel recognized me. I think that one time I took you on a date, she saw us. She decided to escort me up here,” Andrew informed.

“Oh…” Meliza opened the door wider to let him in. “Would you like something to drink?”

Without waiting for an answer, she turned away, arranging the glasses near the wines and assorted liquors. He closed the door behind him.

“Meliza…” He shut his eyes, knowing that he couldn’t fight what he was feeling. He couldn’t hide it anymore. An urgency with the speed of a tidal wave coursed through him. Andrew placed his hands on her shoulders, turning her to face him.

Suddenly, she wrapped her arms around him. Everything seemed to fall into place. “I’m glad you’re all right.” Tipping her face up, she added, “I’m sorry I didn’t visit you. I-”

“Family first,” he interrupted softly. “I understand.”

She stepped back slightly. “You’re not…?”

“Mad? No,” he answered. “I would have done the same.” He pulled her back against him. “So…is family business done?”

“Pretty much,” she nodded.

“Good.”

He lowered his head to kiss her lips. It would be a while before either of them spoke again.