Free Good Morning Heartache by Audrey Dacey Page B

you get to it?” Ryan turned back to the
blueprints.
     Daniel sat down in a chair
and leaned back on its axis. “That is the point. You ignore a chick like that
for work. You need to loosen up.”
    “I didn’t ignore her. I even
carried the dog food to her car.” They had a conversation like this at least
once a month. Usually on Sunday, when they were watching some game on TV and
some woman was in the kitchen with Daniel’s wife. He was sick of the blind
dates, but he didn’t know how or have the guts to tell his friend to knock it
off. So, he tried to change the subject. “Do you have the schedule on you?”
    Daniel crossed his arms over
his chest. “I have it, but I’m not going to give it to you until you make me a
deal.”
    Ryan finally looked up at
his friend. “What kind of deal?”
    “I’ll give you the schedule
if you ask out that beautiful woman.”
    “No.” Ryan glanced at the
blueprints and then stood up straight and turned to Daniel. Changing the
subject never worked. Ryan wasn’t sure why he continued to try. “What the hell
kind of business are you running if you aren’t going to give me the schedule
when I ask for it?”
    “I dare you to ask her,”
Daniel said with a smile.
    “You dare me? Like fourth
grade?” Ryan asked, incredulous.
    “More like third grade but
sure.”
    “Fine. Whatever. Just give
me the damn schedule.”
    Daniel pulled a folder out
from under his arm and held it out for Ryan. Just as Ryan reached for it, he
snapped it back. “The next time you see her.”
    He didn’t plan on seeing her
again. In fact, he planned on avoiding her, so there was no harm in taking the
dare.
    “I’ll do it.” Ryan grabbed
the folder and opened it.
    “Well, this is cause for
celebration. Speaking of which...” He pulled a bottle of Glenlivet from a paper
bag, one hand on the neck and the other on the base, like a waiter. “For you,
my friend.”
    Ryan glared at him
unforgivingly and then turned back to the folder.
    “You’re kidding me? How did
they pass you over for the promotion?” Daniel asked, thudding the bottle on the
kitchen table hard enough to make a noise but not hard enough to risk breaking
the bottle. “You’re the golden boy.”
    “Apparently my social skills
are lacking. And a major project director needs good social skills.” He
responded without looking up. As it was, Ryan could hardly face the facts
himself; he couldn’t face his best friend with them.
    “I’m sorry. Keep the bottle.
Sounds like you’ll need it anyway.”
    There was a silence between
the two men for a few moments. Ryan couldn’t remember a time when he was more
embarrassed. His career was the one thing that he could always be proud of. He
worked hard, but apparently that wasn’t enough. If the work day wasn’t just
beginning, he’d go sit out on that deck, watch the wind blowing through the
trees surrounding the yard, and make love to that bottle of Glenlivet. He
glanced at the bottle. A 25-year-old single malt scotch. Daniel was a hell of a
friend even if he did pester him with women.
    “This could be a good thing,”
Daniel said slowly, cautiously. He folded his arms over his chest. “I’ve wanted
to tell you this for a while, but I didn’t know how to broach the topic. I
think this is as good a time as any.” He paused, obviously surveying Ryan for a
reaction, but he didn’t give one. Ryan was too preoccupied to attempt to figure
out what Daniel was dancing around. “Lisa wants to move back out this way, so
she’s closer to her family. Plus, there are better schools for the kids.”
    Ryan straightened up and
matched his friend’s stance. Daniel was a little bit taller and more muscular
than Ryan, but he wasn’t intimidated by him. “You’re leaving the city? You want
to live in a suburban hell hole like this?”
    “We are thinking about a
town on the outskirts of Boston, about an hour from here.”
    “Do you have a job?” Ryan
was shocked. He knew that Lisa wasn’t