Page 18 of Players Like Us (Reunion Gap #7)

D aniel loved his wife and he trusted her, but sometimes she couldn’t see the faults in other people, and if she could, she downplayed or excused those faults.

She can’t help it.

He’s really trying.

It’s not such a big deal.

But look at all of the other qualities he has...

She just needs someone to believe in her.

Yes, she meant well and her kindness toward others was one of the many reasons he loved her. But right now, he needed a more objective viewpoint and that’s why he sat across from Tate in the office of his mini mansion.

“So, you know my sister’s in the same city as your brother.”

“Yes, I’ve heard.”

No missing the caution or the curiosity in Tate Alexander’s voice.

He was nobody’s fool and no doubt he’d guessed the casual drop-in was about more than discussing the bowl Tate had asked him to design for Charlotte.

The guy sure did love his wife and had spent hours debating the type of wood Daniel should use, the size of the bowl, the dimensions, even the finish, which he’d said should be mahogany to match the highlights in her hair.

The sketch he’d handed Daniel of what he thought the bowl might look like didn’t require much fine-tuning.

Daniel hadn’t mentioned the project since he arrived other than to say he liked Tate’s ideas and planned to use most of them.

That made the guy smile, definitely made him happy.

“Do you want a drink or something to eat?”

Daniel glanced at his watch. “I’m done with drinking alcohol before noon, and I promised Meredith we’d head to lunch at the Oak Table.

She’s still trying to win Jameson over and show him how much she’s changed.

” He shook his head, laughed. “We both know she’s learned to keep her thoughts and her schemes in her head, but… they still bounce around in there.”

The lip twitch and the headshake said her brother agreed. “My sister has an intense desire to fix things, but she’s doing much better. You’re good for her.”

“We’re good for each other.” Life with Meredith brought more pleasure than walking through the woods on a fall day.

“Then try to convince her that Jameson doesn’t want any more gifts from her. He may come around in his own time, but when someone almost breaks up a guy’s marriage? That’s not easy to forgive or get over. I think he just wants her to leave him alone, and I’ve tried to tell her that, but...”

“But she can’t let it go.” Daniel rubbed his jaw, recalled Meredith’s sad commentary. I want to make things better. I want him to know how sorry I am. I want...

You want him to forgive you. Maybe he can’t.

I know. I know.

If someone almost destroyed us, do you think I would ever forgive that person?

The tears had started then, turned into shoulder-shaking sobs. No. No.

If you’re really sorry, then make sure nothing like that ever happens again. That’s how you get over it and get on with it.

Daniel pushed aside his wife’s desire to make things right with the man she’d hurt and added his own thoughts. “Jameson’s solid. I’ve visited him at the restaurant a few times, shared a bourbon or two. Meredith knows about it, but she’s never asked to come with me.”

“At least there’s that. And he doesn’t work the lunch crowd anymore, so everyone’s safe.”

“Yeah.” Daniel blew out a sigh. “You’re right.”

“So? You didn’t come to talk about my sister’s over-imaginative brain… And if you had good news to share about an expansion in the Reese family—” his voice shifted, softened “—Meredith would be sitting beside you.”

Of course, he was right, but how did the guy know? “What gave it away?”

“Easy.” Tate picked up a pen, twirled it between his fingers. “When do you ever call and ask for an appointment to see me?” He didn’t wait for an answer before he said, “Never?”

Daniel shrugged, worked up a smile. While he might give Tate a quick call to see if he was busy, he never set up a formal meeting time.

That would just seem odd, considering how well he and Tate got along.

“I’m worried about my sister. Rachel’s always been a wild card and I’ve tried to leave her alone, but.

..” He dragged a hand over his face, recalled the years of arguments with her over freedom and letting her live her own life.

“She’s not a kid anymore, even if she still acts like it sometimes.

Anyway, my parents don’t need that kind of worry, and while my sister says she’s fine and life is great, I don’t 100% believe that. ”

Tate laughed. “I hear you. You mean like when my sister used to go on these ‘adventures’ with several of her new best friends and was surprised and sad when they dumped her after a trip—the one she’d paid for…?”

Meredith was a kind soul with a good heart, but sometimes that kindness was too welcoming, the heart too trusting. “Exactly. I need to make sure Rachel’s on the right track and isn’t going down some harebrained trail with the wrong people.” The wrong guy. Again.

“Sure, I understand. Don’t think I wasn’t worried when my sister headed down the wrong trail with the wrong guy.” He eyed Daniel, lips unsmiling, as if to indicate Daniel was that guy . And then he laughed. “But the guy turned out to be the right guy. In fact, he turned out to be the guy.”

“You’re never going to let me forget what I did, are you?” Daniel couldn’t forget it, even if his intentions had been honorable and meant to help his father.

“After what you did for my sister? Named a collection after her and told the whole world who you really were? I like to tease because you are such an easy target.”

“Right. But I wonder what would happen if your wife’s brothers started to torment you? Maybe said a real man should know how to operate a drill and a miter saw? And what if they said a real man should know how to work up a sweat that didn’t come from exercise equipment or the gym?”

Tate’s cheeks turned red beneath his tan, and he cleared his throat. Twice. “Point taken. No more joking about that part of your relationship with my sister.”

Daniel hadn’t expected that sort of reply, but he’d take it.

“So, back to my sister and her questionable lifestyle. I just want to know that she’s doing okay and isn’t waist-deep in debt or hanging with the wrong people.

Yes, the wrong guys. I don’t want my parents to keep worrying about her and while my mother says a parent doesn’t stop worrying until they close their eyes for the last time, there are different types of worrying.

I wanted to hire an investigator to deliver the goods.

I figured it was quick, efficient, and businesslike.

Of course, Meredith had a fit. She told me I absolutely could not do that, said she’d lived most of her life under an investigator’s eye and I had to find another way. ”

Tate nodded. “And did you find another way to gather this information without going against Meredith’s wishes? Because we both know you get one shot in the honesty department and you do not want to disappoint her again.”

Daniel didn’t try to hide his frustration when he answered. “Of course I know that. I would never go against her, but I’m worried about my sister. Meredith came up with a plan and that’s where you come in.”

“My sister has a plan?” The raised brow and frown said that could mean trouble.

“She does and I agreed to it, but with conditions.” His wife hadn’t been delighted with the necessity of “conditions” but she’d agreed. “I think Meredith might not be objective enough in this situation. In fact, I’m sure she won’t be.”

“Ah, so...what’s the plan?”

“It involves your brother.” Had the man just cringed? Daniel focused, tried to determine if Tate’s breathing pattern had changed, sped up the tiniest bit.

“What about Neal?”

Yes, that had been a cringe and Daniel didn’t miss the dread in Tate’s voice.

Great . This was worse than he thought. “Meredith suggested that since Rachel and Neal live in the same city, Neal could do a little reconnaissance work, keep tabs on her, see where she lives, what she does, who she’s hanging out with.

.. She’s only been there a few months, but there are a lot of vague answers when my parents or I ask her questions.

Easy ones like, where are you working? Do you have enough money?

Do you plan to stay? Typical Rachel never gives a complete answer, which makes us all think she’s not giving an honest answer.

I want to help her, give her money to start a business, pay her expenses, or whatever she needs, but I want her to at least think about her next plan.

Does she have a plan? Or is she just bouncing from one disaster to another? ”

“And Neal agreed to do this?”

“That’s the thing. Meredith said he did, but she didn’t sound too convinced, like he wasn’t thrilled with the idea.

” Daniel blew out a long sigh, asked the only question that mattered right now.

“I know he’s your brother and I mean no disrespect, but do you think the guy’s trustworthy? This is my sister we’re talking about.”

“You mean because Neal doesn’t have the most exemplary record when it comes to honesty and dependability?”

“Uh...right.”

The sigh said it would take days to convey the whole story behind his brother. “I haven’t seen him in a while and I’m still annoyed he couldn’t make it home for Meredith’s wedding. Don’t ever count on Neal and if he shows up and actually does what he said he’s going to, consider it a big win.”

“That’s what I’m worried about.” Meredith had a difficult time seeing the dangerous side of people, especially her twin brother.

He’s just misunderstood , she’d said. You have no idea what it was like growing up with a father like ours.

Neal deals with things by pretending he doesn’t care, but he does care.

Very much. Daniel didn’t care about the guy’s sad story or how he’d been mistreated.

All he cared about was whether the guy could find out details about Rachel’s life in Virginia and do so without touching her.

Both requests unsettled him because he wasn’t certain the man could deliver on either.

“What’s really got you worried, Daniel? Is it the fact that we’re having this discussion and you’re going to have to tell my sister about it—” the silver gaze burned him “—because you are going to tell her about it. Or are you worried she’s asked Neal to gather the information?”

The guy just saw too damn much. “Of course I’m going to tell Meredith and you don’t have to give me that you-will-do-this stare.

I’m never going to repeat what happened between us, and you should know that.

” The nod indicated Tate did know and the hint of a smile said he was just checking up on him.

“As to the other? Should I feel excited that the person checking up on my sister is someone who spends his life partying and womanizing? That does not leave me with a good feeling.”

“Oh, yes. I understand.” He held up a hand to stop Daniel from whatever he’d been about to say.

“I’m not talking about you this time. I’m referring to myself and the Donovans.

Rogan warned me off of Charlotte years ago, and he was right at the time.

But he also caused a lot of grief for us, and it continued when we both returned to Reunion Gap.

That guy was not going to trust an Alexander, and he acted pretty much the way I did when I caught you sniffing around Meredith with the whole pretense to be somebody you weren’t…

It was a mess but look how that turned out? ”

Daniel’s chest squeezed with emotion when he thought of his wife.

Meredith was his destiny, his heart and soul, the best and kindest person he’d ever known.

She was the reason his work flowed, his attitude had shifted, and he was happy.

Filled with joy and hope and real gratitude.

“I just don’t want my sister to get hurt, but it’s not only that.

Rachel’s a spitfire, and she can get into enough trouble on her own without anybody’s help.

Put those two together and who knows what might happen?

” He dragged both hands over his face, muttered a curse.

“She could take him down and he might never see it coming.”

“I don’t think there’s a lot we can do about it, but I can check in with Neal, see what he’s up to... He may or may not share, but it’s worth a try.”

Tate Alexander was a master tactician. “What’s your plan?” If Tate had a plan, it was usually a good one.

“A birthday party for Meredith…and Neal.” The sparkle in those blue eyes said he’d only begun to plan. “If he’s one of the guests of honor, he can’t very well refuse to attend now, can he?”

Yup, Tate was a brilliant tactician. “It’s not like Rachel can ignore the request because it’s her sister-in-law’s birthday, right?

” Oh, yes, he liked this idea. Get Rachel and Neal in the same room, make sure nothing was happening, and do their own information gathering.

He bet in a few days, they could gather enough information to not only figure out what Rachel was doing, who she was hanging out with, and what her life looked like, but they could also see if there was anything going on between her and Neal Alexander. “That is one fantastic idea.”

Tate grinned. “I thought so. Now all we have to do is work out the details.”