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course I’m glad you’re okay.”
    He concentrated on his chips, ashamed of his childish behavior and the need to hurt her. She’d been hurt enough. They both had.
    Othello stood and sniffed under the table.
    “He’s missed you,” she said.
    “Have you missed me?”
    For a moment she didn’t say anything, then she put her pop can down and turned away. “You can take my bedr—um, the master bedroom. The mattress is more comfortable in there. I’ll take the guest room.”
    Alex braced his hands on the walker and stood. He followed her through the short hall to the two bedrooms in the back, the thump-shuffle of his slow gait echoing off the walls. Once again she’d made him feel ashamed. Embarrassed he’d asked if she’d missed him. Humiliated she hadn’t answered.
    She stepped into their— her —room and headed for the closet.
    For the past five years, their wedding picture had sat on the nightstand. Now a popular paperback and a glass of water sat there.
    He shuffled to the bed and lowered himself onto it. Hearing the bedsprings squeak, Othello raced in and took a flying leap onto the mattress where he rolled to his side.
    Alex laughed and rubbed the dog’s tummy. Othello opened one eye, his tongue hanging out the side of his mouth.
    Tess walked across the hall into the bathroom and Alex stood. Leaving the stupid walker behind, he followed Tess using a combination of hobbling and hopping. It was only a dozen or so steps but when he grabbed hold of the bathroom doorframe, sweat was beading on his upper lip and he felt both hot and cold. Blood rushed from his head and he swayed.
    Damn. Fainting is not an option, Juran .
    Everything went dark and his hands lost their grip on the doorframe.
    “Alex!”
    He tumbled, his knee screaming in pain and his body hitting something hard.
     
    When he opened his eyes, his head was cradled in Tess’s lap and her fingers were running through his hair. The scene would have been cozy if he wasn’t lying half under the pedestal sink.
    “You passed out.”
    “I don’t pass out.”
    She rolled her eyes. “You just wanted to check the floor to see if I’d mopped lately, right?”
    “Right.” He traced her jaw with his finger.
    She looked at him with the shadows of six months of separation between them. “Alex…”
    “Not now, Tessie.”
    His hand cupped the back of her head. She came willingly, easily, her breath fanning his face, her heat warming him.
    “Tess, I—”
    A wet nose shoved its way between them. Othello whined and licked Alex’s face.

Chapter Five
    “You should have died, Juran.”
    Alex moaned and tried to roll over, but pain shot from his knee straight to his brain.
    “You’re just delaying the inevitable. You know that, don’t you?”
    “Why didn’t you cooperate? Why didn’t you die?”
    Alex’s eyes flew open. He’d been home from the hospital for four days but it still took a moment to realize the white walls weren’t hospital walls and the window looked out over his backyard instead of a parking garage. He pushed the covers aside, dislodging Othello. The dog whined and jumped off the bed with a huff. He shook his head, clutched his knee and swung his legs off the bed to sit on the edge. He ran a hand down his beard-stubbled face and stared blankly at the wall in front of him.
    What had that dream been about? And why was this the third night in a row he’d had it? Othello nudged his elbow with his cold wet nose and Alex patted him absently, thinking of Tess fast asleep in the next room and how much he hated that each night they’d awkwardly say goodnight and then part. They were strangers living together. Saying the right things, avoiding any unpleasantness.
    He hated it.
    Now that he was back, he missed even more the way it used to be. The laughter and the fun. The closeness.
    He leaned forward to grab his walker, knowing he wouldn’t get back to sleep anytime soon. It took a few moments to position it.
    “Damn glad no one’s here