Page 20 of Players Like Us (Reunion Gap #7)

R eunion Gap

The evening before the birthday party

Neal had been summoned home. No explanation other than his brother’s terse Do this for your sister. The dates are not negotiable.

Okay then. No, Hey, how have you been? What have you been up to these days?

Nope. Big brother didn’t operate that way, but why should he when he thought he was dealing with a fool who was incapable of understanding the hidden message.

Do not screw up. Do not disappoint . Heading back to Reunion Gap right now was not on Neal’s can’t-wait-to-do-this list. It was nowhere in his universe, but he was not going to disappoint Meredith.

And besides, he needed to get out of the city for a few days, needed to get away from everything that reminded him of her .

Beef carpaccio. Tangerines. Dark-roasted coffee. Red halter dresses. Roses. Slender hands. Red lips. Auburn hair. Dangle earrings. Silk. Soft sighs. Throaty laughter.

Matilda’s.

Yeah, that last one had become his own personal torment.

No way was he sitting in the booth Dominic had dubbed Neal and Rachel’s.

He only ventured to the place when Dominic confirmed she would not be there.

Why hash up old memories that would serve no purpose but agitate him?

And when that was over, the sadness would creep in, smother him, followed by regret.

The regret always won out. Regret that he hadn’t been up front with her about a lot of things…

Regret that she hadn’t chosen him when it mattered.

He’d rolled into Reunion Gap twenty minutes ago, drove past the family house and almost puked.

People called the place majestic, palatial, awe-inspiring, but they’d never lived in it, never been subjected to Harrison Alexander at the head of the dinner table.

Yeah, nothing like having every bite critiqued, every comment scolded.

Tate’s place wasn’t a palace or anywhere near majestic, but it was big, classic, and had his sense of style and taste.

But there were some interesting choices to the décor like a six-foot wooden giraffe in the corner of the living room, a string of multicolored glass globes hanging from one end of the ceiling, and red accents.

Lots of red accents from candle holders to picture frames, even vases.

Well done but still...not what Neal would have considered Tate’s choices.

And dog beds? He’d counted three on the main floor.

No doubt Tate’s new wife had a say in these.

Interesting. Neal made his way to the row of windows in the sunroom, took in the area outside: the inground pool, the stone patio, the flowers.

So damn many flowers. He squinted, took a step forward as he homed in on what looked like a hammock.

His brother in a hammock? The visual was humorous and impossible to imagine. And was the—

“Hey, Neal. Thanks for making a point to get back here. I appreciate it.”

Neal swung around, spotted his brother, and forgot all about humor and hammocks.

Tate stood before him, formidable and unapproachable as ever in tan slacks and a navy-striped shirt.

Huh, no jacket? No tie? Maybe he was learning to relax, and maybe his wife was part of that.

And the dog. Who didn’t find a way to relax when a dog was involved?

“You do remember the part in our conversation where you ordered me back here, right? Something about not ‘breaking our sister’s heart’ and disappointing her.

..again.” Neal eyed his brother. “Or was I imagining that conversation?”

Tate shrugged. “I offered my perspective; the choice was still yours.”

That made Neal laugh. “Right.”

“Anyway, I’m glad you’re here.”

Tate held out a hand, his grip firm. Then he pulled him into a hug, uncharacteristic, and yet Neal couldn’t say it was unwelcome. Marriage suited his brother. “When do I get to meet the woman responsible for the ‘new and more relaxed’ you?”

“Charlotte doesn’t get off work until 4:30 p.m.—” a faint smile played about his lips “—not until the buzzer goes off.”

“Buzzer?” Meredith had shared the whole story about how their perfectionist brother had fallen for an unconventional woman who didn’t care about designer clothes, fancy jewelry, or the difference between flannel and suede.

According to Meredith, their new sister-in-law would rather have a dog and a husband who adored her.

Well, looks like she’d gotten her wish because the way his brother’s voice dipped and his expression turned all soft said he was head over heels for Charlotte and he didn’t care if she wore steel-toed boots and jeans with holes in them.

“I’m looking forward to that visual. I always thought you’d end up with the CEO of a company or a model, but the model would never be long term. ”

Tate’s blue eyes shifted to silver, his voice spilled emotion. “There’s nobody like Charlotte.”

Spoken from a man in love. “Okay then, I’m happy for you, and I’m sorry I didn’t make it to the reception, but…”

The soft expression hardened, the smile flattened. “I didn’t think you’d show, though I’d hoped you would. I’m sure you were busy.”

Sarcasm at its best. “If you’d picked up the phone instead of sending me a text message, maybe I would have…” The fact that his brother couldn’t bother with a simple phone call had angered Neal, made him wonder if Tate preferred he stay away.

That gaze that always saw too much narrowed. “Would it have made a difference if I’d shown up at your doorstep—provided you were there and it was a current address? Would you have come?”

Neal didn’t hesitate with his answer. “Yes. If I’d known you really wanted me there, I would have come.

” For too many years all he’d ever wanted was his brother’s approval and he’d stopped looking for it years ago when he realized it would never happen.

No matter what Neal did, how many businesses he started or how much money he earned…

Tate would have a comment and a correction.

But if his brother had picked up the phone and asked him to attend his reception instead of sending a terse I eloped and we’re planning a reception next month.

I’ll send the details if you can make it?

Then he would have attended because a phone call would have meant Tate wanted him there and this wasn’t because his new wife insisted upon it.

Tate rubbed his jaw, shifted from one foot to the other.

“I’d like to believe you, but you didn’t show up for Meredith’s wedding, and she begged you to come.

Why did you tell her you would and then call her two days before the event and back out?

That really hurt her.” His next words sliced Neal.

“I’d rather you not build up her expectations.

Next time, just say no and let her deal with it. ”

“Right.” Same old big brother, dictating the rules even if he didn’t have all of the facts.

“So, what have you been doing?” A raised brow, a curious “Are you working, or...?”

“Or playing?” Neal forced a smile, held his brother’s gaze.

What would he say if he knew the truth? Maybe it was time to find out.

“Of course, I still play, but I’m not twenty-two anymore and it takes me longer to recover.

” Somewhat true, but the real truth was that he didn’t have the interest or the desire to hop on a plane and fall from one party into another.

..one bed into another... “Since I’m getting older and not capable of partying like I used to, I figured I needed another diversion.

” He offered a truth he didn’t often share.

“A few years ago, the owner of a restaurant I frequented was close to bankruptcy. Bad luck, family debts, all of that. He came to me to see if we could work out some sort of deal so he wouldn’t lose his restaurant.

I could tell the place was his life and I might be a jerk, but I just couldn’t squash the guy’s dreams. However, I also wasn’t going to give him an unlimited line of credit with an indefinite timeframe to pay back the loan.

I told him I wanted 75% of the business.

He wasn’t thrilled with the idea, but he didn’t really have a choice. ”

Tate couldn’t hide his surprise, or his approval. “It’s good business. It’s tough to do, especially if it’s a friend, but…”

Neal shook his head. “We weren’t friends at that point. He was the owner of one of my favorite restaurants. I had my own table, a standing reservation, and the ladies loved it. The guy even created a special appetizer because I told him I had an affinity for beef carpaccio.”

“Making a deal like that with a relative stranger when you’re not really sure of the outcome? That takes guts...and risk.”