Dana nodded her head, “and this is the only way?”

“I think so.” Alice fell silent for a few seconds before continuing. “I don’t want to hurt anybody, Dana, but in the end somebody is going to get their heart broken, and that’s killing me.”

Dana griped Alice’s hand, and lightly ran her thumb against the blonde’s palm. “I don’t want you to worry about the pain this is going to cause Kerry or me, because in the end we only want what’s best for you, and in my case if it happens to be Kerry then I’ll find a way to deal, because I need you in my life, even if it’s just as a friend.”

A tiny smile found its way across Alice’s lips, “Thank you.” Alice leaned in slightly, and wrapped her arms around Dana’s slender frame. Ending the hug, the blonde stood up, and looked at the tennis player, “I know how much you must be hurting right now, and to hear you say you’ll be here no matter what means more to me than you could understand.” Smiling at Dana one last time, Alice turned around and headed for her car.

*********************************

Dana’s head rested on the not so comfortable arm of Shane and Jenny’s couch. Her left hand was tightly wrapped around a half empty beer bottle, while her right hand reached for the bottle of tequila resting on the coffee table.

Shane stood up from the chair she occupied, and grabbed the bottle before Dana could reach it, “I don’t think drinking yourself into a stupor is going to make Alice chose you, Dane, and I’m really not in the mood to clean up the result of your little pity party.”

The tennis player shot Shane an ice cold glare, “What else am I suppose to do while I wait for Alice to decide who she loves more. You’d be doing the same thing if you were me.” Dana said, grabbing the bottle from Shane.

“If I was you, Dana, I wouldn’t let Alice leave.”

“And how the fuck am I suppose to stop her?”

Carmen walked out of the kitchen, quickly glancing at Shane and shaking her head, she then brought her attention to Dana, “Don’t listen to her. Giving Alice her space while she figures all her shit out is exactly what you need to be doing, and if you need to throw back a few drinks along the way I say go for it.”