Page 31 of Players Like Us (Reunion Gap #7)

W ho would have thought that the one time Neal took a chance and opened his heart to someone, she had to think about whether or not she was interested in the offer?

If he weren’t so damn hurt and irritated, it would be laughable.

No doubt the women who’d spent years trying to convince him to give love a chance would say he got exactly what he deserved.

They’d probably be right. Now he knew what it was like to really care about someone, to open yourself to hurt and pain and vulnerability…

And when you finally got the courage to do it, basically admit you were all in…

walk up to the line of “love” without saying it—she balks? Says she needs time to sort it out?

Sort what out? Whether she wanted to be with him?

Whether she cared enough past sleeping with him?

There’d never been a woman who could turn him upside down like this one, one minute making him feel he’s the king of her world and the next, stomping on the very idea of it.

Yeah, well, he wasn’t sitting around waiting for her to cause him more pain, more indecision, more frustration.

He’d get through this party tonight and then he was gone, and she could contact him when she “figured out a few things in her head”.

Or not.

When Neal arrived back at Tate and Charlotte’s, all he wanted was a hot shower and an hour of quiet before the shindig started.

He’d have a whole night of pretending and he needed time to rest before the playacting started.

Unfortunately, Tate spotted him before Neal could escape upstairs.

His brother’s gaze narrowed a fraction, no doubt assessing and analyzing, seeing way too much.

“Do you have a minute?”

Not really . “Sure.” Neal followed Tate into his study, closed the door and sank onto a chair. “What’s up?”

“Is everything okay?”

Neal didn’t miss the concern in his brother’s voice, or the empathy, as though he had a feeling this was about Rachel. “Could be better.” Yeah, Rachel could have accepted his all-in offer instead of asking him to pretend .

That blue gaze that never missed anything narrowed. “Don’t suppose you want to tell me about it?”

Neal shrugged. “Not particularly.”

“Is Rachel involved?”

“She’s always involved when my world starts spinning apart.”

A nod, a big sigh. “I get it. I wish I didn’t, but I do. It’s the worst place to be, and it happens to all of us.”

“Great. Glad I held out for the one woman who can make me feel like crap and make me doubt every thought I ever had.”

“Sounds like she’s worth it.”

“She is, but she’s not sure I am.” Neal had never been this honest with Tate or shared so much, but maybe it was time.

“She’ll come around. She’s scared, afraid you might hurt her.

My guess is she’s not sure you won’t get tired of her.

The vulnerability isn’t welcome, nor are the feelings she has for you, which I’ll bet are what our sister would call ‘love and meant to be’.

If you sit tight, she’ll figure it out and then maybe we’ll be attending your wedding. ”

“Yeah, she doesn’t even want anyone to know about us except there doesn’t seem to be an us so… I wouldn’t hold out for a wedding.”

His brother smiled, patted him on the back.

“There’ll be a wedding. You’ll see. I like this side of you.

” Tate’s blue eyes turned bright, brighter still.

“I wish I’d taken the time to get to know you better, try to understand what you were doing, instead of attempting to fix you.

You don’t need fixed. You’ve got a lot to offer and the whole restaurant gig?

I can’t get over it. Very impressive. If you don’t mind, I’d like Jameson Price to get in touch with you.

The restaurant venture’s been a slow go and you might have a thought or two on getting it moving. ”

Despite the misery in Neal’s personal life, the fact that his brother wanted his advice? That was something he’d never anticipated. “Sure. I’d be happy to talk to him.”

Neal’s conversation with Tate carried him through the rest of the day and into the evening where he and Meredith were “surprised” with an early birthday party.

Yeah, Happy Birthday to Me . If he avoided the half of the room where Daniel Reese stood guard over his sister, and he made sure not to look at her , then he was fine.

Apparently, Meredith and her husband were still at odds because Neal didn’t miss the “puppy dog” looks they gave each other when they thought the other wasn’t looking.

He might not like the guy, but Daniel Reese loved Meredith and she loved him. It was so damn obvious.

Forty minutes later, Neal found his sister in the kitchen, squeezing lemon into her water. She looked beautiful in pink, and the floral headband was an extra-nice touch. “Hey, happy early birthday.”

She glanced up, eyes bright. “Thank you. Happy birthday to you, too.” The smile she gave him wobbled, fell flat. “How are you?”

Neal moved toward her, slung an arm around her shoulder. “Better than you.” He kissed the top of her head, pulled her against him. “I might not like the guy but he loves you. I’ve been watching you two and you’re both miserable. I thought he was going to cry.”

“Stop.” She let out a soft sigh. “You’re being ridiculous.”

Yes, but if it worked to lighten her mood, he’d do it. “Then how about Daniel looks so down right now, I bet I could take him? One solid punch to the jaw, just like he gave me. What do you think?”

“You’re being silly.” Meredith sniffed. “I will not let him hurt you or say those things about you, Neal. It’s not right and I won’t have him accusing you of trying to hurt Rachel.”

“I’d do the same for you, and if I’d been around when you two had your issues, I probably would have had the same conversation with him.

Don’t blame him.” The truth settled over Neal, forced him to accept what he should have known.

“If I’d been more concerned with my reputation, maybe he would have seen I really am a decent guy and wished me luck with his sister.

” Pause and a laugh. “But probably not.”

Another sniff, a hoarse “I don’t want to see you hurt and I certainly don’t want my husband to be the cause of it.” She reached up, touched the black-and-blue area on his jaw.

“It’s only a bruise.” But what Rachel had done? The whole not-sure-I-want-to-be-with-you routine? Yeah, that was a big deal. Neal swiped a tear from his sister’s cheek, said in a soft voice, “How about you go find that husband of yours and make things right?”

“Okay. Thank you.” She flung her hands around his middle, buried her head against his chest. “You are such a good brother.”

No, he wasn’t or he hadn’t been, but he planned to work on it.

“And you’re a great sister. Happy birthday.

” Neal was thinking of ways he’d start showing his sister how much he cared when the kitchen door opened.

Daniel Reese stood just inside the door, looking beaten, unhappy, and morose.

Yup, Neal guessed that’s what love could do to you.

The guy’s gaze darted from Meredith to Neal, back to Meredith. “Can we talk?” Those eyes were so bright maybe he was going to cry...or maybe that was just pure emotion...

“Uh-huh.”

Neal eased from his sister’s grasp, squeezed her hands, and whispered, “I love you.” And then he approached his brother-in-law and held out a hand. No jokes, no sarcasm, just an honest handshake. “Truce.”

The man looked at his outstretched hand, stared at it. Was the guy really going to reject him? Two-second hesitation and then he shook Neal’s hand, his grasp firm, gaze intent. “Sorry about the jaw.”

Neal shrugged. “No big deal. Just make things right with my sister.”

“I will. How about you do the same?”

What to say that? I tried and she’s not interested because she wants to think about it? No, he would not humiliate himself that way. The nod was the best he could do and then he headed out the kitchen door, but not before the rush of I love you’s and I’m so sorry’s .

Neal made his way to the bar, fixed a scotch. Tonight was a scotch night—maybe a three-drink scotch night. He glanced at the side of the room where Rachel had been standing. She was gone. He tossed back his scotch, poured another, and wished he were back in Virginia.