Lana

The only things that got Lana through the week were her conversations with Ryan and knowing she would see him on Friday night. He was flying in late and she planned to pick him up after her shift.

She had teased him. "You can help me all day Saturday with my homework."

He laughed. "I think my mother wants to have a long visit with me on Saturday."

She knew he would help but was wondering if it mattered. She didn't like her class. Meanwhile, she was dealing with Haylee who kept asking about Erik. It turned out Erik bought her a drink but went home alone that night.

Lana had called him. "Haylee likes you."

"She's a nice girl, but she's not you."

"I keep telling you I'm not interested. Besides none of the others were me. Certainly not..."

"Don't say it! Will you be reminding me of the biggest mistake of my life when we're eighty?"

"I hope I'll have forgotten who you are by the time I'm eighty."

"Lana, we both know that you'll never forget me. You'll never love anyone like you loved me."

"See Erik that's where you're wrong."

Lana's biggest fear was not that his words were true, but that she already loved someone more than him, but she could never tell him. She couldn't ruin a friendship by confessing love to a man who didn't want a wife. Even if Ryan loved her, too, which was a big stretch, she couldn't just be with him without a promise of a future.

Lana was trying to figure out the material for her class so she wouldn't need to ruin Ryan's weekend. He should be able to visit with his mother, if he wanted to. She knew if she called his cell phone he wouldn't answer. She could text him, but it was unlikely he'd see it. Instead, she dialed his work number and asked to speak to him.

"I'm sorry Ryan's on the line. Can I take a message?"

She thought for a minute. "What's yield?"

"What's yield? Well, it's the percent of return on investment."

"No, I wasn't asking you. Besides, that's what the book says. That's my message."

She heard a chuckle as his assistant repeated. "Your message is 'what is yield' nothing else?"

"He'll understand."

"If you say so. Okay I'm writing it down and will be sure he gets it. Oh, hold on."

Lana heard nothing and then Ryan was on the phone. "Lana?"

"Who else would it be? How many students do you have?"

He laughed. "Yield is easy."

"For a genius like you maybe."

"Don't put yourself down. Okay, yield well if you have a widget."

"No widgets!"

"I'm kidding it doesn't involve good and services. Yield is about stocks and bonds. You know what interest is, right?"

"Yeah, I don't have any money to earn interest."

"Well, if you did, that would be the yield."

"The money, I don't have?"

"No, the amount you earn in interest. Got it?"

"Maybe, tell me again." She understood she enjoyed sparring with him.

She heard him call out. "Terri is Cam on the phone. If not, tell him to come in here."

"What are you doing?"

"Getting reinforcement. Cam explain yield to Lana. Here you're on speaker."

"It's okay Cam. I think I got it. I knew I was annoying Ryan and figured I'd keep it up."

Cam laughed. "Lana be nice he really can be a baby."

"Hey!" Lana heard voices in the background. "Great, now everyone is ganging up on me. Allie remember you work for me!"

"This is too much fun and we all know you wouldn't survive without me," Allie said.

Lana replied, "I like her."

"Stop ganging up on me!"

Cam called out. "I have work to do, bye Lana."

"Give kisses to Grace for me."

Ryan said, "You like embarrassing me don't you."

"You're the one who called Cam in. You should get back to work. Bye Ryan, thanks."

"Bye Lan."

Ryan

He really made a mistake with the crazy phone call. Even since Terri and Allie were doing a lot of whispering. He even saw Cam talking to them in hushed tones. He may be paranoid, but he was sure they were talking about him.

On Friday he was pacing his office while speaking with a client and he could see Allie on the phone laughing. He wasn't a stickler about personal phone calls, but he wondered what was so funny. When he hung up she rang through. "Lana's waiting to talk to you."

"Is that who you were talking to?"

"Yeah, she was telling me about you and her brother. I'll put her though."

Lana said, "I like her!"

"That's all I need is you and Allie to be friends. Did you call for a reason or to make friends with my assistant?"

"No, that was a bonus. I called to tell you it's supposed to get cold this weekend. Summer has suddenly disappeared."

"So I won't pack my shorts. I'm planning to run tomorrow with Jack. Maybe you can meet me and we can have coffee."

"Oh yes, I want to see your face when you taste what you've been missing."

"You are mean Lana Drake."

"I know, but you like me anyway."

"Do I? Are you sure?" He teased back, but thought if only she knew the answer.

"Yes, so I'll see you tonight!"

"I can't wait. Bye Lan."

He was smiling. He always smiled when he talked to Lana. He looked up and Allie was in his doorway.

"What?" He snapped.

She walked in and shut his door. She sat across from him. "I've never seen you like this. You've got it bad."

"What? No, I don't. We are just friends."

"You keep telling yourself. You know Cam showed me a picture. I would say if you want to show up Isobel, having Lana on your arm might just do the trick."

"Do you think she'd come?" Ryan knew Lana couldn't afford to come. He could offer to pay for everything.

"Of course, she would. It's obvious she likes you."

"If she does she shouldn't because I'm not what she needs."

"That's silly, of course you are. You just need to decide what's important to you."

Did she think she was helping because he was only more confused?

He was standing on the curb outside baggage claim when she pulled up.

"I'm sorry. I left as quick as I could."

"It's fine. You're right, it is cold."

"Sorry."

"I just told you it was fine. Was it busy?"

"Yeah, it was. Which is good."

"So do you have any cottages tomorrow?"

"No, they're all mostly done. I will have a few to close up after the long weekend in October. We can go see what Alex has done to your cottage."

"Yeah, I need to meet with him and Jen to make a few more decisions. Do you want to come?"

"No, it's your deal. I'm just the caretaker."

"You're not just anything. Why do you sell yourself short?"

"I don't. So I saw Maddie today, she was busy party planning."

"Isn't she working?"

"Not everyday. I'm not sure how many days, but I know she works on Saturdays. She was nice about me coming."

"What did she say?"

"Just she would see me on Sunday and she smiled at me kind of funny."

"Funny how?"

"I'm not sure."

Ryan imagined Maddie thought there was more to Lana coming then her being his friend. Why did everyone assume there was more to their friendship? Staying with her wasn't helping to squash the rumors.

Once they arrived at her cottage, she asked if he wanted a beer. Ryan nodded because although he was tired, he was glad to be with Lana again. He sat down on one end of the sofa and she sat on the other end. She tucked her feet under her, so she was sitting sideways. He turned his body so he could talk to her. She was more beautiful than he remembered.

She talked about how her mother wasn't bothering her as much. He watched her mouth move but had trouble focusing on what she was saying. Her lips mesmerized him.

"Ryan... Ryan! Are you with me?"

"I think I'm more tired than I realized."

"You can have my parent's room."

"Are you sure they won't mind? I can sleep in Will's room."

"It's fine. Will has a single bed. You'll be uncomfortable. Do you need anything?"

"No, I should be set. Thanks."

"Goodnight Ryan."

She surprised him with a hug which ended as quickly as it started.

"Night Lan." He turned into the room she pointed to.

It was the second time he was sleeping in a Drake family home. The first time, he thought of Lana because he was in her bed. This time a part of him wished he was in her bed again.