The Players (TP4)

37 - I love a good cat fight

Ryan

The first thing Ryan did when he returned was look for signs of Lana at the cottage. He could tell someone had cleaned it. He looked out by the pool and her tube had moved. He was sure no one else would dare to use it. He had been damn adamant no one could. Ryan was very glad to know she had swam. The pool was her favorite place. He told himself he would put in a pool for himself and Jack's kids, but foolishly he hoped Lana would use it. It made no sense considering Heidi was her best friend and Lana hated him.

Sighing, he went for a beer and eyed the green object on the counter. It was a very sad, limp tiny cucumber. He smiled, he couldn't help himself. She was sending him a message all right. She was trying to insult his manhood and sadly he deserved it. He wasn't man enough to stand up to the prick Adam. When had he put business before human decency? Truthfully until this whole mess, he had always felt he did his job with dignity, but first, he ignored Adam and then he let Dougie act like a twenty-year-old. He deserved a small shriveled up penis - not like he had any use for it anyway.

He couldn't breathe when he ran into Lana at The Landing. His mind froze because all he wanted to do was beg for her forgiveness. Instead, he mentioned the baby which was stupid. Her entire marriage was ruined over her need for a baby, and he threw someone else's in her face. He should have thanked her for the cucumber. Maybe he would text her, but first, he had some phone calls to make.

The first call was to Alex. Although he promised not to turn the cottage into a house, he still wanted to update it. The kitchen was atrocious. There was a stand-alone stove, a rusted enamel sink which looked like it was fifty years old, and a free-standing hot water tank in the corner. There was only one small countertop with cabinets below. The bathroom was not much better. It was supposedly winterized, but he wasn't certain how well. He figured he could stay in it over Christmas when he might want to come for more than one night. Perhaps he would stay for the whole week between Christmas and New Year's. He may even like the holidays with his family as much as he did his summer.

His second call was to Allie, and he knew he'd have to pour on the charm. "Hey, I have a big favor to ask. I'll do it if you won't, but you know you're so much nicer than me."

"Good morning Ryan. It was nice seeing you this week. Now, what do want?"

"Could you call around to the local high schools for me and see if someone from their music program would like to perform at a charity event?"

"High schools not colleges?"

"I guess either or both. I'd do it, but I'm guessing it will be a lot of leaving messages. I know from my mom teachers don't have time to return calls... combine that with me always being on the phone and..."

"I know you need me."

"I always need you. So just one musical number. I don't care if it's singing, an instrument. I just need someone before Isobel starts bad-mouthing me more."

"I'll get an entire theater production if it would shut that bah... woman up!"

"I love a good cat fight and I love you for caring enough, but nothing with a lot of setup. It will be one act after another. You have the correct date right?"

"Yeah, yeah... You're buying a whole table this year? Am I invited?"

"Of course, I need you to protect me from Isobel."

"You know I can do that. I'll step on her toe and ruin her Choo's with my spiked heel and claim it was an accident. They probably belong to you anyway."

"Are you sure you want to marry the other guy?"

Allie laughed and Ryan stupidly thought, he could see Allie and Lana as friends. They were about the same age and although Heidi was friendly with the assistants, she was too into being the boss' wife. It was stupid because Lana wouldn't speak to him and Allie wasn't coming to Maine.