Free Photo Opportunity by Jess Dee

unfaithful to you?”
    “Both,” she answered without thinking. “First he’d cheat and then our friendship would be destroyed.”
    “Amy, are you sure we’re talking about Daniel?” Maggie asked gently. “Or are you confusing him with Simon?”
    Amy stared at her, dumbstruck. Simon hadn’t entered her head. The only person she’d thought about for the last twenty-four hours solid was Daniel.
    Maggie touched her hand. “Honey, that’s not Daniel you’ve just described. Sure, he has trouble with commitment, but we both know he’s never cheated on a woman in his life. Don’t mistake him for Simon. He doesn’t deserve that.”
    Amy sagged against the back of her chair. Of course that wasn’t Daniel’s style. Her friend would never cheat. “God, I’m pathetic. Nine months. You’d think I’d be over him by now.” How could Simon still have such a strong hold on her almost a year later?
    “I do think you’re over him. I just don’t think you’re over the hurt. Yes, the bastard cheated on you, but don’t let it destroy your future. Don’t turn every man into Simon. That’s not fair to you. And projecting your anger onto Daniel isn’t fair to him.”
    It was easy for Maggie to say. She was married and in a healthy relationship. Her parents were still together. She never had to deal with infidelity and cheating bastards. Still, she was right. Daniel wasn’t Simon. Daniel would never cheat on her. Nope, he would treat her like cherished gold—until he grew bored of their fun and games. Then he’d dump her and move on. Just like he always did with his lovers.
    “Don’t you see, Mags? Whatever the reason, I never want to risk my friendship with Daniel. I’m just not willing to give him up. Not for a temporary fling.”
    “Who’s to say it would be temporary?”
    She stared at her friend, not bothering to answer. They both knew Daniel only did temporary.
    “Okay,” Maggie conceded. “But don’t you think last night the two of you crossed some line? It might be hard to go back to just being friends now.”
    “Hard, but not impossible,” Amy said with vehemence. “Especially if it means I’m going to save a friendship in the process.” A friendship that meant more to her than a fling ever could.
    “And you think Daniel will accept that? He’s no pushover. If he wants to make something of last night, he will.”
    “I’ll make sure he doesn’t.” Amy reached for the phone. “It’s time we spoke about it anyway. I’ll be damned if I’m going to let one incident ruin a lifetime of friendship.” She punched in Daniel’s number.
    Maggie stood up. “I’ll give you some privacy.”
    “Thanks for listening.”
    “Anytime.”
     
    ***
     
    Amy waited on a bench on the promenade above Coogee beach. The coldness of the winter evening seemed to have little effect on the activity around her. A group of noisy teenagers yelled and laughed as they ate fish and chips on the grass, while beside them a dad played soccer with his two sons. In front of her, the paved path was packed with joggers and walkers.
    She checked her watch. It was still a little early. The sun hadn’t quite set yet, the sky behind her was strewn with orange and pink clouds. She arranged to meet Daniel at five-thirty and it was only a quarter past now. It gave her a few minutes to think about what she had to tell him.
    It was quite simple, really. Last night was a mistake. She wanted Daniel to be her friend, not her lover. Daniel left his lovers. He was faithful to his friends. She would lay her cards on the table. Tell him that nothing more would happen between them. Their relationship would proceed platonically. Period.
    Maggie’s astute insight about Simon had thrown her. She couldn’t stop thinking about him. Was her friend right? Was she confusing him with Daniel? How could she? The two were so different.
    Daniel was trustworthy. Simon was not.
    There was never any love lost between the two men, they never saw eye to