Time to Live Again

"Come on, Lacey." Jo glanced over at Phoebe. She gave her a knowing look. "He is a nice guy."

"This is true. Trevor is a very handsome guy and nice." Phoebe agreed. "He has lots of money too."

Lacey rolled her eyes. "I am not a gold digger. I am trying. But you both are making me nervous. I'll go out with Trevor. Now let it go."

"Trevor is a really nice guy." Jo repeated as she chewed on her straw. "Listen. Try to have some fun."

"I can't believe you set me up on a blind date." Lacey moaned as she took a bite of her sandwich.

"Not exactly." Phoebe sighed out before grinning broadly. "Your dad and we did."

"Uggh. I'm too nervous to be going on a blind date." Lacey closed her eyes.

She reached over to push a stray curl from Thomas's forehead. He had fallen asleep on the drive over. It seems that pre-school was too much for him today. He had a break down. Therefore, Lacey had to go get him. Luckily, it was at her lunch time. Lacey tried to explain to Jana Dinsmore that not having chocolate milk in the cafeteria is what upset him even if he didn't drink but the white milk with strawberry powder, which Lacey provided in his lunch box. Over the course of the last two weeks, Thomas had grown accustomed to the chocolate milk displayed right by the white milk. When the lunch person forgot to put out the chocolate, Thomas had broke down in a fit. Instead of explaining to Thomas, he was expelled from school for the rest of the day.

"The last I heard Danny is married with his own children now, Lacey." Jo stared at her lifelong friend. "He hasn't even contacted me since his mother's death. Or..." Jo admitted despite knowing it would make Lacey angry. "You know me. I would have told him about his son. You need to try and live again, Lacey. You can't build your life around Thomas. You deserve more than that."

"Listen." Lacey tossed down her napkin. "I'll go on a date but no promises. I feel railroaded in to this already. Find me a man that you think I may like. I'll go out."

"How about you go on ten blind dates?" Phoebe held up her hand before Lacey could speak. "I don't mean if you find the right guy. I mean if you don't like the guy then go out with more than one date. Sarita, Jo, and I will pick out three dates for you. Well, Jo gets four because she has put up with you longer."

Lacey could see the concern in both her friends eyes. She hated they worried about her. The truth was that Thomas had taken over her life. She hadn't been on a date since he was born with the exception of one man. Jeffrey Ross was a good guy but Thomas didn't care for him. Or he didn't care for Thomas. She could tell that Jeffrey preferred Lacey not Thomas. But they were a package deal. They had even got engaged but that ended when Lacey overheard Jeffrey calling group homes for children like Thomas, as he put it.

"Fine." Lacey conceded. "Ten blind dates. IF I happen to find someone who I enjoy, I don't go on any more dates but that guy. But if I don't find a man, I go on ten dates. Then I expect you all to leave me alone."

"Deal." Jo and Phoebe stated simultaneously.

"I can't wait to tell Sarita." Phoebe giggled. "She already knows a guy if you happen not to like Trevor. By the way, he's gorgeous."

"Oh brother." Lacey chuckled at her friends.

"Desia, get yourself out here." Cole threw a soccer ball against the wall to bounce back to him.

Danny came walking out of his bedroom followed by a tall blonde in spiked heels. He had on a pair of low hanging jeans with boxers. His hair was down in messy tangles making it obvious that he had just got up. He had an angry look on his face.

She rubbed down Danny's bare chest. "Can I see you again, Danny?"

Danny took her hand from his chest. He kissed it quickly trying to be cordial considering the blonde was just in his bed. For the life of him, he didn't remember inviting her home with him. "I told you to leave last night before you went to sleep. I tried to wake you up. I had to sleep in my floor."

"You didn't have to." The blonde smiled as she licked her lips seductively. "I didn't mind if you cuddled with me. Now answer my question. When can I see you again?"

"I don't allow girls to stay all night." Danny tried to explain as nicely as possible. "I'm sorry, Amy. I'm not into commitment."

"My name is Alli." She huffed out before grabbing up her purse and marching out the door. The door slammed causing all the men to look towards Danny.

"Whoa, Danny. You cut all ties with that beautiful lady." Cole laughed as he nodded towards the slammed door.

Bruce Flannery, the fourth friend of Danny's crew, grabbed the ball as it bounced towards Cole once more. "Danny is a confirmed bachelor, Cole. Or did you forget?"

Charlie walked out of the other bedroom rubbing his tired eyes. "Can you guys quiet down? I got in late from work. Danny and his Barbie made a lot of noise last night. Quit bringing home screamers, Danny."

Danny plopped on the sofa. "I only met her last night, Charlie." Danny picked up the morning newspaper and turned to the stock page immediately. "How was I to know she was a screamer?"

Danny was known for one night stands. However, even those were few and far between. He usually was a loner, who dove into his projects. Danny had invested his money in various lucrative adventures. This proved only to make more money for him. Basically, Danny was already a millionaire. However, his business savvy made him even more wealthy. Those adventures also was the reason Danny was back in the United States. He had a little project that Desai Enterprises needed to look at.

Cole, Bruce, and Charlie followed Danny around taking advantage of that wealth. Charlie was Danny's older brother by an affair Vikram had with one of his many females over the years. They had spent time together in juvie before Charlie came to Green Grove wanting to take over Danny's life. Things changed when Danny found out Charlie was his older brother. They decided to put Vikram's past to the past. Cole was Danny's best friend from high school. Danny allowed Cole to enjoy what wealth Danny had while Cole skated through life without much goals. Bruce was the only friend that didn't come from Green Grove or was hooked to Danny's high school years. Bruce was actually an employee of Danny's who kept Danny up to date on his business adventures in the state.

"You need to settle down with one girl, Danny." Bruce plopped his feet on the table. "You need to let go of your break up with Angela. That was four years ago. It is time to live again."

Both Cole and Charlie turned quickly to stare in Bruce's direction. They both had a strange knowing look on their face. Danny scowled before he threw the newspaper on the table. Without another word, Danny marched out of the room in a huff.

"What?" Bruce shrugged as he glanced at Cole and Charlie. "Danny hasn't been the same since his mother died and Angela broke up with him. I'm stating the obvious."

Cole rolled his eyes before bouncing the soccer ball off of Bruce's head. "You're clueless, Dude."

Bruce rubbed his head due to pain from the ball hitting it. "How so? Danny won't even think of letting a female be more than a one night stand. Let's be honest, that doesn't happen often. The guy can get more dates than I can count, but he chooses not to. He needs to put Angela out of his head."

Charlie plopped down on a barstool beside the counter. "Danny was never into Angela. His problem is not Angela."

"Oh. Bull. He hasn't been the same since ..." Bruce started to say.

"Since Lacey Porter." Cole interrupted before picking the soccer ball back up to bounce on his knee. "Danny hasn't been the same since seeing Lacey Porter again at his mother's funeral."

"Lacey Porter?" Bruce placed his hands behind his head. "I never heard of her. If Danny was so into this Lacey character, why haven't I heard her name before?"

"We're not allowed to say her name when Danny is around." Charlie and Cole stated simultaneously.