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Ben & Dan

In the building that was rapidly becoming his new gambling club, Ben Wade looked over at Dan Evans. Dan was looking over some paperwork for the club--purchase orders for supplies, contracts for potential employees. Ben, however, had seen him several times pick up the copy of the Glen Times lying next to him. Look particularly at several articles headed with the byline "Libby Tyler".

Finishing his talk with an electrician, Ben stepped over and sat down next to Dan. "That little blonde reporter really has you in knots, don' she Dan?"

Startled, Dan looked up at him. "Huh?" He'd been paying particular attention to the purchase orders and hoping the manager Ben had hired arrived soon. Dan was excellent at business and accounting, but he'd never come anything close to being a club or restaurant manager. He couldn't wait for someone who actually knew what he was doing to be here.

"I said Libby Tyler's really got you messed up." Ben took a drink from his glass, watching Dan closely.

Dan met his eyes. "There's nothin' between Libby and me. She's seeing your solicitor, Richie Roberts."

"Well, now, that ain't what Roberts tells me," Ben replied. "An' that ain't what the woman in question says either. You're not willin' to believe either one of 'em?"

"I've seen Libby." Dan went on quietly. "I've seen the way she looks at him. Heard the way she talks about him. They can say whatever they want, but she feels more for him."

Dan wasn't sure what to think about this conversation. He and Wade had been what you might call friends for years, but they had rarely talked about feelings and emotions. Once when Dan and Alice had divorced. Once when Ben had first told Dan he was marrying Liana.

Ben searched Dan's eyes thoughtfully. "Regardless of how she feels 'bout anybody else, it don' change how you feel 'bout her. Roberts tells me that there's no strings there, so why don' you just go after her?"

"You know why," Dan said quietly.

"Dan- You're the damned stubbornest man I've ever met! You gon' spend the rest of your life worryin' about bein' caught and arrested? Why not have a little happiness? Look at me and Liana. We're happy. We're havin' a baby."

That comment made Dan wince. It made him think again about Libby and the baby she'd lost that might have been his. "Even if I wanted to-" he told Ben. "It's too late. I hurt her and she's not gonna forgive me."

"And I'm afraid she's gonna end up gettin' hurt by Richie Roberts too. Whether he means to do it or not."

"That just might be in your favor, Dan," Ben said quietly. "You ever think about that? She falls for Roberts. Gets hurt. You end up bein' the man that steps in an' picks up the pieces. A woman could be might grateful for somebody does that for her. Maybe you oughta think about it."

Rising from his chair, Ben slapped Dan on the shoulder, before going upstairs to check on how things were going there.