The Players (TP4)

29 - There are no secrets here

She found Ryan by the pool. "Hey."

"Are you done for the day?"

"Yeah, but I met your new friends."

"Huh?"

"From last night, I almost felt sorry when one was so hungover from tequila, but I literally had to pack them up and throw them out an hour after check out time" Ryan laughed. "One was pissed at you and then the other was just as pissed when I let it slip your friend is married."

"You didn't?"

"Yup!"

He laughed. "I'm taking Will to the drive in tonight. I told Doug I'm busy. I'm too old for his shit!"

"So you'll be out tonight?" She tried to sound casual.

He rolled his eyes. "Don't have sex in my pool!"

"It's Heidi's pool, and she used to have sex in it all the time!"

"Too much information. I didn't need to know that!"

Lana laughed. "You sound like a prude."

"No, but I think certain things are private."

Lana didn't care she was just happy she could have sex. Once a week just wasn't enough."

Adam asked, "What time is the movie over?"

"Probably around midnight, I really should go."

They had been lying with their bodies entwined, but it was after eleven-thirty. Lana was on the verge of nodding off and didn't want to wake up to find it was morning. One unexpected night in this cottage was enough for her. She also didn't want to face her mother's disapproval if she came home in the morning.

"I have to leave early, but I'll really miss you."

"Yeah me too."

She kissed him and slipped out of bed.

Adam

It surprised Adam when Amanda announced she wasn't going away for the weekend - surprised and panicked. She explained how a work friend was having a bachelorette party.

"I'll just go see Jack Saturday night and come home in the morning. If you aren't hung over, we can spend the day together."

He normally spent time with Lana before leaving on Sunday, but he'd tell her he had things to do.

"Where does Jack live?"

He was aware he hadn't told her and answered casually. "In Maine."

"What? Really you just drive up for a visit."

"Yeah, it's not that far."

"I know. Where does he live?"

"Just a little place called The Point."

"You're kidding! That's my favorite beach!"

"You know it?" She surprised him.

"Yeah, I grew up about a half hour away."

"What? You're from Maine! How come you never told me?"

"I don't know. I guess we've been busy discussing other things."

Lately, he felt like they were talking about her boss all the time. She was still miserable at work and he just wanted to help fix things.

"I've put some feelers out to people I know. Maybe I can find a contact at another marketing firm."

"It sucks because I like everyone I work with, except him."

Adam took Amanda out to lunch and for a walk around Harvard Square before she went home to get ready to meet her friends. When he kissed her goodbye, he felt jealous she'd be out attracting men. Then he remembered he was a jerk because he had a date with Lana. It was the last week of July, summer was flying by and he wasn't any closer to deciding. He promised himself he'd decide by Labor Day, but he loved being with both girls.

If only he had someone to talk to about his predicament, but he couldn't talk to Jack. He knew his best friend would not approve. He couldn't have Jack thinking less of him - perfect Jack and Adam the fuckup. That wasn't fair, because he spent two years keeping things together while Jack was the messed up one with his grief.

Ryan was out of the question. He already knew Ryan didn't approve of him seeing Amanda in the beginning. Ryan showed his disapproval but ignoring Adam's relationship with Lana. Every weekend, he welcomed Adam as a guest and was the same old Ryan whenever they talked business, but he didn't want to hear about Lana. Adam decided it meant one of two things, either he liked her himself or he suspected Adam of seeing both girls. Adam would bet a grand it was the latter. It really wasn't hard, because Lana Drake was definitely not Ryan Harris' type.

Lana was the type of girl a man married and set up house with. Adam realized he didn't know what Amanda wanted. She was too young to be thinking of it, and if Adam wanted those things he was getting too old to wait. Still, coming home to Amanda every day would keep him happy for a long time - until she didn't want an old man anymore. Lana was a safer choice, but Amanda was the fun choice.

He made the quick trip north and when he arrived Lana had a smile on her face which made his pants tight. He knew her parents were up so they wouldn't have time alone and oddly didn't mind because seeing two girls didn't make him feel as guilty as sleeping with two girls did.

She kissed him. "Ryan's going out. We can hang out at his cottage."

Lana was more excited about having sex than him. He wanted her, but he had been in Amanda less than eight hours before. He would indulge in Lana's sweetness regardless of the nagging guilt.

Eighteen hours after he arrived, he was on his way south to meet up with Amanda. She promised she wasn't hungover but tired so a day in bed was in order. In bed meant his bed, because she crashed at his condo without him. So while he was sleeping in Ryan's cottage with the scent of Lana all over him, Amanda was in his bed.

Jesus, I'm going to hell.