The nurse hadn’t told me anything other than the fact that my boss was in the hospital and was asking for me, but that had been enough to get my brain working overtime, thinking of all the possible things that could be wrong. I was no doctor, but even I could come up with plenty of reasons why she’d be in the hospital, and each one was worse than the last.

“Rona?” Jalen reached over and took my hand. “I know you’re worried about Adare, but don’t get caught up in trying to figure out what’s going on. It’ll just drive you crazy. We’re only a few minutes away.”

I nodded but didn’t say anything. He was right, I knew, and I appreciated all he’d done for me since I’d gotten the call. Found me something appropriate to wear. He hadn’t asked a question other than wanting to know which hospital, and that had been because he’d insisted on driving. Not that I’d protested much. Or at all. I wasn’t safe to be on the road right then.

“I mean it, Rona.” He squeezed my hand. “We’re almost there.”

“Thank you,” I managed. “For everything.”

“I’m not going to cut and run again,” he said. “I promise.”

Neither one of us spoke again until we reached the hospital. He pulled up in front of the doors and told me to go on in. He’d follow after he parked the car. Once I was inside, it didn’t take me long to get the room information. She was up on the sixth floor, but I didn’t realize what that meant until I made it to the elevator and saw the sign.

Oncology, sixth floor.

My stomach dropped, and all I could hear was the blood rushing in my ears. Cancer. She was here because of cancer.

Sure, there were kinds of cancer that didn’t have as high mortality rates as others, and there was treatment, but my gut told me things weren’t going to be that simple. This was bad. Really bad.

“Rona?” Jalen’s arm slipped around my shoulders. “I got the room number. We can go now. Sixth floor…shit, Rona…”

His voice trailed off, and I knew he’d seen the same thing I had. His arm tightened around me, but he didn’t say anything. Instead, he led me on to the elevator and pushed the right button. Less than a couple minutes later, we walked onto the sixth floor and down the hallway until we got to the right room.

I wanted to tell him that I could take it from here, that he didn’t need to stay, but as I stood in the doorway of that room, I found that I couldn’t send him away. Not yet.

“It’s okay,” he said quietly. “I won’t go until you’re ready.”

I nodded.

“Rona.”

Adare’s voice was weaker than I’d ever heard it. I took a few steps into the room and my stomach twisted. She wasn’t a big woman, but she’d been solid when I’d first met her. A former athlete, a woman who’d always done things on her own, for herself. I’d seen her a week ago, and she’d been fine.

Except…she hadn’t been. Looking back, I could see the extra lines on her face. The weight loss I’d taken for a normal reaction to stress or being overworked. The numerous absences.

“Have a seat,” she said. “There are some things I need to tell you.”

I didn’t want to hear what she had to say, but this wasn’t about me. It was about her. What she needed.

“Mr. Larsen, would you go ask a nurse for some water?”

I felt Jalen looking at me, and I nodded. “I’ll be back in a bit.” His lips brushed the top of my head, and then he was gone.

I sat down, scooting the chair closer to the bed. She pushed herself up against the pillows, grimacing as she shifted. I would’ve told her not to strain herself, but I knew her better than that. No point in arguing with her about something she’d do anyway.

“When we first met, I told you that I didn’t sugarcoat things, and that hasn’t changed.” She gave me a smile that didn’t quite take the pain out of her eyes. “As I’m sure you figured out, I have cancer. Pancreatic. Terminal.”

“Then why aren’t you–”

“My chances weren’t good from the first,” she cut me off. “Any treatment would’ve maybe given me some extra weeks. A couple months if I was lucky. And they probably wouldn’t have been great months. I decided that I wanted to leave things on my terms. Mostly good days, and then just a few bad ones.”

She was dying. One of the few people I’d actually let get close to me since I lost Anton, and she was dying.

And soon, if I understood correctly.

“Why–” I croaked, then cleared my throat before I tried again. “Why didn’t you tell me before?”

She raised an eyebrow. “Because I knew you wouldn’t let me die in peace. You’d nag me into getting treatment and spoil all of my plans.”

“Plans to end up here?” I gestured around her. The room wasn’t bad, as far as hospital rooms went, but that was beside the point.

“Plans to go on with my normal life for as long as possible,” she said. “Now, how have things been going with your cases? Mr. Larsen came in with you. Does that mean there’s a break?”

“Adare, we don’t need to talk about the cases.”

“Yes, we do.” Her expression sobered. “Burkart Investigations is my legacy, Rona. I want to know how it’s been doing.”

How was I supposed to say no to that?

The answer was, I couldn’t.

Even though I would’ve preferred to talk about extending her life, I told her about the work I’d done on Jenna’s case so far, and about everything that had happened with Jalen’s case. Well, almost everything. She didn’t need to know about the personal stuff.

“And that’s all?” she asked when I finished. “No other reason that Mr. Larsen is out hunting down some water for me?” Her dark eyes sparkled.

“I don’t know what it is,” I answered honestly. “There’s something between us, but we haven’t had time to really explore exactly what.”

“He’s very attractive.”

I flushed. “Seriously? That’s where the conversation is going now?”

She smiled, then sucked in a breath, pain creasing her face.

“Adare?” I stood up, reached for her, then stopped, not knowing what to do. “I’ll get someone.”

“No.” She reached out a hand to stop me. “It’s okay. It’ll pass.”

“Adare, please, let me help you.”

She gestured for me to sit down. I didn’t want to, but again, I knew better than to push her. I sat.

“I’m asking for your help,” she said. “I have family, but I’m not close to them. My attorney has letters to send to them, explaining things. I won’t be asking you to talk to them.”

I leaned forward, my heart picking up speed just a bit. “But there is something you’re asking of me.”

“There is.” Pain twisted her pretty features again, and I waited until it passed. “I’ve made all the arrangements for after I’m gone. What I want done. It’s all written down, along with all of the receipts and contact information. Everything’s been paid for.”

This couldn’t be real. She couldn’t be talking about her death like it was nothing more than an event that needed planning.

“My will is there too, in the fireproof box in the bottom drawer of the far-right file cabinet in the office. The business is yours.”

I shook my head. Waited for the words to make sense. Then shook it again when they didn’t. “What are you talking about?”

“Burkart Investigations. It’s yours. When I interviewed you, I wasn’t looking for an employee or even a partner. I wanted someone who could take over, who could keep things going after I was gone.” She smiled at me. “I haven’t known you long, but I feel like you’d take care of it better than anyone else.”

I wanted to tell her that I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t be what she wanted me to be, who she wanted me to be. I’d tried to make my mother proud, and I’d fucked that up. I’d do the same with what Adare wanted of me. I’d let her down. Ruin everything she’d worked for, spent her life on.

“Six months,” she said. “I only asked for six months in my will. After that, you can sell it, liquidate it, or whatever you want.”

I stared at her, waiting for her to laugh and tell me this was all some terrible joke. But her gaze was steady as she waited for me to process it all.

“Okay,” I finally agreed.

She smiled. “Was that so difficult?”

Before I could respond, Jalen appeared with a jug of water, grinning that charming grin of his. “I come bearing libations.”

She looked at me. “Oh, he’s a keeper.”

I looked at him, and something in me twisted sharp and bright.

That’s what I was afraid of.