Slow No Wake - By Dakota Madison Page 0,28

wasn’t looking forward to seeing Eddie again either but I was sure it was inevitable. He lived next door. And we worked together. I didn’t think the chemistry between us was going to subside any time soon. I thought about having sex with him, just so he’d leave me alone. He did say that he didn’t do two-night stands. But I didn’t know how I’d face Daniel again if he knew Eddie and I were intimate with each other.

Maybe the best course of action was to minimize contact with both of them. I could treat them as I did any other co-worker. That was a plan consistent with my no wake zone policy. And it was the only thing that made sense in my chocolate induced state of mind.

***

I spent Monday morning, sitting in my office, staring at the wall. I wasn’t expecting to hear from Daniel about lunch and I didn’t. A twinge of sadness shot through my heart as I thought about the possibility that we would never go out again. My heart cracked a little when I considered the possibility that I would never get to hold his rough hands or kiss his soft lips again. I guess I really had gotten my wish. Peace, serenity and celibacy. No men in my no wake zone. If that’s what I truly wanted, why did it hurt so much?

I sat on the bench near the pond closest to the waterfall. I closed my eyes for a moment and tried to clear my mind. I heaved a sigh. Then I heard a male voice say, “Mind if I join you?”

I opened my eyes and saw Ricky looking down at me. He grinned. “Meditating?” he asked.

“Something like that,” I responded.

“May I sit down?”

“Sure.”

Ricky took a seat next to me. “How are you doing?”

I wasn’t sure how much I wanted to reveal to Ricky. I knew he was friends with Daniel, and probably Eddie.

“I was kite surfing with the guys yesterday,” he said.

I raised an eyebrow. I guess I didn’t have to worry about revealing anything to him. It sounded like he already knew.

He continued. “Things were a little tense.”

“Am I to assume the tension had something to do with me?” I asked.

“You are a shrewd therapist,” he commented.

I opened my lunch box and examined the contents. Ham and cheese bagel sandwich with chips and a pickle. I wasn’t hungry anymore. Not even for the pickle. I closed the box.

“They both like you,” Ricky said.

“I didn’t know they were roommates. Obviously. I wasn’t even aware that they knew each other.”

He gave me a cold stare. “Does that make it any better? You were still playing a dangerous game.”

“I don’t think it really matters at this point, Ricky. I don’t plan on going out with either one of them again. Not that I was ever going out with Eddie. He kind of pushed his way into my life. And I don’t think Daniel ever wants to see me again.”

Ricky gave a single laugh. “That’s what you think? Eddie doesn’t give up until he gets what he wants. And he really wants you. Badly. Daniel has absolutely fallen for you, but the problem is that he doesn’t think he can ever compete with Eddie, because Eddie has always gotten the girls.”

I didn’t know what to say. I certainly didn’t want to be the reason for tension between roommates and best friends. “And what do you suggest I do?”

“It’s not a counselor’s place to give advice. I only wanted to help clarify the situation. It’s up to you to figure out what to do about it.”

“So you’re my counselor now?”

He grinned. “Only in an unofficial capacity.”

I shook my head. “I really have no idea what to do.”

“I will tell you this. You can’t have both. Eddie and Danny share a lot of things, but I don’t think they’d be willing to share you.”

“I’ll take that under advisement,” I said.

Ricky stood up. “Okay, well, I’ll let you get back to your lunch then.”

“Thanks,” I said, as Ricky headed off toward the main building.

I guess I never actually believed I could have either Eddie or Daniel. Forget about having both.

The rest of the day went by like a blur. I saw clients and typed notes in their case files but my mind was on Eddie and Daniel. I still had no idea what I was going to do. My father, who was an amateur philosopher, always told me and my sister, if we didn’t know what to