Page 41 of Players Like Us (Reunion Gap #7)

H arrison Alexander never disappointed. When the call came from an unknown number late one afternoon, Neal answered it.

“Well, I hear you’ve been busy doing something with your life. Congratulations.”

That was as close to a compliment as he’d ever received from his father. “How did you hear that?” Neither said “Hello, how have you been,” because that would be a nicety and an attempt at decency.

“People talk. I listen.” Laughter filled the line and was that joy that snuck through?

Yes, it certainly sounded like it. “The restaurant business is a difficult one, and yet you pulled it off. I’ve been reading the reviews and I must say, they’re very impressive.

I might have to make a trip to Virginia and try Matilda’s out myself. ”

Please don’t . But Neal would not voice that because doing so would only make the old man determined to come. “Maybe you will.” Please. Do. Not .

“Imagine finding all of this out in that ridiculous little diner? I didn’t even have to hire an investigator for this. Good old hometown gossip. The whole town’s buzzing about it.”

Neal blew out a long sigh, pictured what that would look like. “I’ll bet they are.” Were they lining up praise alongside all of his misdeeds? Were they comparing and trying to determine if good outweighed bad?

“It does appear you have an aptitude for the restaurant business. Who would’ve thought?”

“Certainly not you.”

More laughter skittered through the line, tightened Neal’s resolve to be done with the man who had damaged his belief in goodness.

“I like your spunk. Had I known of your capabilities, I might have employed your services. Your brother is a bit too unbending and caught up on his principles at times, but you? There are occasions when you and I would work well together.”

“I see. Are you going to offer me money again for some sort of suspicious activity? Or do you have another pregnancy where you want me to pretend I’m the father? I’m good for ‘bad’, right? Not good enough to be treated with any level of decency, but fill in for a deed like that? I’m your man.”

“Tsk-tsk. Why so contrary? Match the person with the qualifications. I wouldn’t suggest that again, but you must admit, my choices were limited.”

The man wasn’t fit to be a human being, let alone a father. “What about tagging that responsibility to the owner? Your brother?”

“He had too much to lose, and he did not have the leverage of being underage.”

“So, lies packed on top of lies are fine as long as they serve a purpose? And that purpose is to protect you and your money?” If he never spoke with the man again, he’d be fine with it.

“Money that you accepted, let’s not forget that.”

Neal was not going to let his bad choices mark the rest of his life. “What do you want?”

“I wanted to congratulate you on your success. Isn’t that enough?”

“With you, it’s never just about one thing. What else?” With Harrison Alexander there was always something else.

A chuckle, followed by “Maybe you are more like me than I thought. Since you asked, stay away from the girl. One Reese infiltrating our blood line is enough.”