Lana

Why did she sign up for this class? She had graduated Summa Cum Laude, but she couldn't understand this crap. Ryan was extremely patient, but by the end, she knew he was making fun of her. She deserved it, because she was beginning to hate listening to herself, too.

She was excited about Ryan coming back and staying with her. As beautiful as September could be, it was always sad after all her summer friends went off to their real lives. True, she had a lot of year-round friends, but this year she only had Heidi for two weeks and instead, she had Ryan. How did they get so close? She didn't realize how good of a friend he was until he left. Their friendship got stronger after the mess with Adam. She missed him during that time, although she was too busy being angry. Now she just missed him, but he was coming to visit. She smiled and began singing to herself. She had an hour before she had to leave for work. Poor Ryan had spent almost two hours trying to explain the material to her.

When she finished work, she walked toward the bar and sighed. "Why are you here?"

He smiled a smile that used to set her heart racing. "I wanted to come see you."

"And let's see my mother told you I was working."

"Maybe, but it was no great revelation, you work every Saturday, except in the summer."

She thought not every as she had already told Oliver she needed one off for when she had her houseguest. She would not share her information with Erik. Let him find out the hard way.

"Sit. Have one drink with me." She reluctantly sat and asked Jay for soda water with lime. "You're not drinking?"

"No, I gave it up for um, autumn."

"That's not a thing."

"Fine, I just don't want to. I have to drive home."

"You can stay with me at our apartment."

"Our apartment! How many women have you had there? Did you fuck her in my bed before the bathroom incident? No, don't answer."

"Why do we always ended up back at that night?"

"Because I'll never forget it or trust you. I'm trying to be friends with you, but we'll never get back together. You need to accept it."

"Then why does it bother you when I'm with someone else?"

"It doesn't." She lied. She didn't want him, but his womanizing reminded her of how foolish she was. Had he cheated on her before? He probably did when they were apart for the school year during high school. She was true to him even when one of the cutest guys in her class liked her. Could he say the same?

One of her co-workers called her over, Lana was glad to have an excuse to get up from the bar.

"Is that your boyfriend?"

Lana laughed. "No, he's my ex-husband."

"He's cute."

"He can't be trusted."

"So he'd be up for a little fun?"

Haylee at twenty-three was into partying and Lana didn't want to know what else. She reminded Lana of Adam's chick.

"Yeah, but use a condom so you don't catch anything." In her head she screamed, Oh no, I probably have a disease.

She went back to Erik. "This is your lucky night. I'm leaving, but you'll be rewarded if you buy Haylee a drink. Oh, by the way, did you pass any diseases on to me?"

"Oh my God! Were you still drunk?" He whispered. "I used a condom. You don't remember?" She thought back and shook her head. "I let you drive home? You're lucky you didn't get pulled over."

"Well, I'm glad to know I'm not dying." She turned and left him alone at the bar. Whatever happened between him and Haylee she didn't want to know.

Did she really not remember? She and Erik hadn't used condoms since high school. She didn't feel drunk when she stopped at The Landing, but maybe that was why she told Ryan everything. Shaking her head as if to push away the memory of that night and the following morning. She had been drunk twice over the summer and both times she humiliated herself.

Ryan

"Hey Ryan." Lana answered his call on Sunday morning.

"All coffee sucks."

"Are you missing Rick?"

"Yes, why is it I was perfectly content until I spent months on The Point."

"It's a magical place. No other place compares."

"No friends compare. I don't know what I used to do."

"Are you lonely? You chose to go through life alone, you know."

"Do you get lonely?"

"Of course, I do. That's why I want to fall in love again."

Her words always gave him a sense of dread. Was it because no sane man would let Lana to be friends with another man? He knew he relied too much on their friendship. She had become a huge part of his life.

"You will. I know it." He said the words, but wanted them to be a lie. "I have to go to board meetings every week. I'm not looking forward to seeing Isobel."

"I really hate her about as much as I hated Erik right after and you."

"You never hated me!"

"That's debatable. First, you made Jess cry and then you lied to me."

"But now you can't hate me because I'm helping you with your homework. In fact, for that, you should name your firstborn after me."

"I love how you're so funny!"

He didn't have a safe response and paused for an awkward moment. "Well, I guess I'll have to make some sub-par coffee."

"Sorry Rye, but my coffee is delicious."

"I hate you!"

"You don't and you know it. Bye Ryan."

"Bye Lan."

He didn't hate her. He was more concerned about what he felt for her. He liked who he was when he talked to her. She made him laugh, and he was happy. Happier than he remembered being in a very long time.

His happiness evaporated like a vapor when he walked into the board meeting. Isobel made an announcement to the group. "Ryan has finally put some effort into this event. He recruited some children to sing."

Rita replied, "Marvelous!"

Another member, Tom said, "I'm still working on it. Ryan, we should talk."

He was about to reply when Isobel said, "Don't worry Tom. You still have time before the final program goes to the printer."

Ryan's jaw dropped open, and he felt anger pressing on his temple which wanted to be released with an explosion. The only explosion would be verbal and it would have to wait until they didn't have an audience.

Another board member turned to Tom. "I have an extra, both my granddaughters insisted they should be the one. Isobel told me I could have more than one act, so..."

Isobel interrupted. "Ideally, Tom should find his own, double submissions are fine. I was thinking we should make things more exciting. I think I could find some judges and our little talent show could turn into a competition."

Ryan opened his mouth to object. His performers were children. He would hate them to feel rejected when they only volunteered as a community service. Before he could voice his concerns, Rita agreed. "I think it may be fun, but there shouldn't be a big prize or hoopla. Some of us have recruited amateurs. Perhaps the winner performs an encore and receives flowers. Anything more will change the atmosphere to one of competition, and that is not what the evening is about. Should we take a vote?"

In the end, Ryan was the only one who didn't vote for the idea. Isobel who was not a board member could not vote, but she won. He'd have to let the music teacher know about this change. The meeting continued as they hashed out more details for the evening.

As everyone was leaving, he turned to Tom. "Call my office and my assistant will give you the name of my second choice. He was very impressive."

"Thanks, Ryan. I'll do that. I'm just glad Isobel has been so patient with me."

Ryan liked Tom, he practiced family law and became involved to help the children in the community. He dedicated his career to helping children. He was also single and Ryan wondered if Tom was content. "We should grab dinner after next week's meeting, if you can spare the time."

"Can I let you know?"

Ryan nodded as Tom hurried out the door. Once again it was just him and Isobel.

"You still look like you took the summer off."

"I assure you I only took one week off and even then I still worked."

"So I noticed you purchased a table."

"I'm pretty sure everyone on the board has a table."

"So who have you invited? Who is your date?"

"Why do you need to know?" His tone was sharp.

"Oh no, poor Ryan doesn't have a date." She placed her hand on his arm as if to comfort him.

"That's where you're wrong." He answered without thinking. "I have a question, is your date buying your dress or have I already done so?"

"Still so bitter, Ryan honey."

"No, if I was truly bitter, I would have contacted the police. Goodbye Isobel."

The minute he reached his car, he looked at the time and swore under his breath. Lana would already be at the restaurant. He didn't have anyone else who could calm him down after his little exchange. Instead, he went home and ran on his treadmill.

It wasn't until he had a shower and relaxed he realized he had told Isobel he had a date. Finding a date would be harder than finding a musical act. He couldn't just find some strangers and ask them to audition.

It was ten when Lana called. "I got your text so I'm calling as you requested."

"Are you home?"

"No, I'm just leaving the restaurant."

"Call me when you get home. It can keep."

"Ryan, are you all right?"

"Yeah, I am now."

"Okay, I'll call you in a bit."

He didn't know what he meant by 'I am now'. Was it because he calmed himself with his run or because he had heard her voice? Perhaps it was both, but he knew the sound of her voice made him feel better than it probably should.

He was in bed waiting for her call. She didn't greet him. "What happened with that witch?"

He smiled because she remembered he had his meeting.

"She had been pressuring me for weeks about finding an act, but she told another member he had plenty of time. Then she decided it shouldn't just be a performance, but a competition which is unfair because she has an ex-Broadway singer and I have seventeen-year-old kids."

"She's just trying to be superior to you. Really, I would like five minutes in a room with her."

"Two minutes in a room with her caused my next problem!"

"What did you do?" Lana snapped.

"I told her I have a date which I don't. She'll humiliate me when I show up alone."

"You'll have to get a date. I've read books where you can pay for one."

"You're a lot of help. By the way, it's not a date, but I told Jack you would be my guest on Sunday. I know he was worried if he started inviting Point friends he'd have the entire Point in his house, but I'm your houseguest so..."

"I don't want to cause trouble."

"You're not, at least not about the party."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing, I was just teasing."

"I can cause trouble for you. I know your secrets."

"That's what you think. I still have one or two." He knew the big one, but there was another which was becoming bigger by the day and it involved Lana directly. The truth was there was only one person who he wanted as his date and he wasn't sure he had the balls to ask.

"Intriguing Mr. Harris, but you'll have to save them for another day. It's late. Get some sleep. Good night."

"Night Lan."