“You had a better shot than most,” Matt reminded him. “You had a good education, a family who loved and supported you. You could have done anything you wanted with your life.” When Matt saw he wasn’t getting anywhere, he sighed. “You still can do, be, or have whatever you want, man. If you’re not happy, start over. Figure out what would make you happy and go after it.”

  Paul gave him a level look that set Matt’s teeth on edge. “Maybe you’re right, Matthew. Maybe that’s exactly what I should do.”

  Matt watched his brother walk back to the house as Kristen stepped outside. They exchanged a few words before Kristen made her way toward Matt. When she stopped just shy of reaching him, Matt could tell she was upset.

  “I’m sorry about that,” he said, inclining his head toward the house. “I was determined not to get into it with him tonight, but he manages to push all my buttons.”

  “Be grateful you still have a kid brother to fight with. Not all of us are so lucky.” She turned away, fixing her attention on the setting sun instead of him.

  Feeling like a heel for tearing open her wounds and appearing like a selfish S.O.B., Matt slipped his arms around her waist, praying she wouldn’t push him away. When she didn’t, he tightened his grip and buried his face in the crook of her neck. “I’m sorry, baby. About everything.” She couldn’t know everything he was apologizing for. He was sorry for not being the man she thought he was. He wasn’t perfect, as Paul was only too happy to remind him.

  Kristen didn’t say anything. She just covered his forearms with her cold hands and tipped her head back on his shoulder.

  “You tired? Cold?” Having second thoughts about me?

  “I’m okay,” she said quietly. “Your mother asked me to come out and tell you guys the coffee was ready. I think she was hoping you’d call a truce if I was here.”

  “If only it were that easy.” He dropped a kiss on her cheek and admired the glorious amber streaking the sky while he collected his thoughts. “Paulie and I bring out the worst in each other. I know that’s not easy for you to understand, given the relationship you had with your brother—”

  “I do understand,” she interjected, sounding heartbroken. “I know all too well what you’re going through with Paul. I loved my brother, but we were always at each other’s throats. Hell, he was a teenager. It was his job to be a pain in the ass.”

  He smiled, though she couldn’t see it. “I hear that. Sometimes it seems like my brother never has or will outgrow that stage.”

  “But he’s still your brother.” Turning in his arms, she looked up at him. “Don’t make the same mistakes I made. Don’t assume you’ll have forever to tell him you love him or that you’re sorry you’ve never had the kind of relationship you’ve always wanted.”

  He looked into her eyes. Her admonishment made him fall a little deeper in love. Knowing how much she cared reiterated what he already knew: he was a lucky man to have her in his life.

  “I do want things to be better, but…” He couldn’t explain that he didn’t need Paul in his life without sounding like a callous jerk. “My partners are like my brothers, Kris. They’re more than my best friends. They’re family. They’ve always got my back, and when I’m going through hell, they’re the guys who pull me out.”

  “That doesn’t mean you don’t need your family.” She ran her hands over his biceps. “I see how close you and your parents are. They’re so proud of you and what you’ve accomplished. Anyone can see that… especially Paul.”

  “Don’t feel sorry for him. He’s made it his mission to make my parents’ lives miserable, and believe me, they’ve done nothing to deserve it. They’ve always been there for both of us, and Paul repaid them by thinking of new ways to humiliate them.”

  “I’m sorry about that.” Kristen slid her hand over the soft fabric of his designer dress shirt. “Your parents seem like wonderful people, and I’m sure you’re right, they didn’t deserve that. But Paul is still your family, honey. A few fights won’t change that.”

  “What about your father? You told me you don’t have a relationship with him anymore.” Matt wished he’d kept his big mouth shut when he saw the stricken look cross her beautiful face. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean—”

  “No, it’s okay. You had every right to call me out about that.” She looked at him with the most earnest expression he’d ever seen. “He didn’t just cheat on my mama. He cheated me too. He lied to me when he told me I was the most important person in the world to him and he’d never do anything to hurt me. He didn’t just hurt me. He crushed me. He was the one man I thought I could always count on, no matter what.”

  Matt knew from experience those promises were usually meant in the moment. He’d said the same to Robin when he asked her to be his wife. He tried to close his arms around Kristen, but she seemed determined to keep him at a distance.

  “Without even realizing it, I recreated that pattern by choosing a man just like my father. Someone I thought I could trust. I turned out to be dead wrong.” With a shuddering breath, she said, “That’s why it’s so hard for me to trust you. I’m still not sure I can trust my own instincts.”

  Matt knew he should say something to put her mind at ease, to confirm that she was right to trust him, but the words got lodged in his throat. She’d already suffered enough. He wouldn’t be just another guy who made promises he couldn’t keep. They had a long road ahead of them, and they’d have to navigate it one step at a time. Unfortunately, he felt like they’d taken a dozen steps back.

  Chapter Eleven

  Kristen arrived at High Rollers early the day of the party to make sure her crew had everything they needed. The bar was closed until early evening, but the vice president, Dylan Easton, and the operations director, Grayson Barrett, were huddled in a booth enjoying breakfast. Grayson waved Kristen over. He had flirted with her shamelessly the few times they’d met, but she knew he was just trying to get under Matt’s skin. One thing was obvious about the tight-knit group: they would never cross that line.

  “Hey, beautiful,” Grayson said, wiping his mouth with a paper napkin before standing to greet her. “Have you met my partner in crime yet?”

  “Yes, we’ve met,” Kristen said, smiling at Dylan. “Matt introduced us.”

  Grayson sighed heavily. “Matt. Haven’t you come to your senses about that guy yet?”

  Kristen merely smiled. She knew he was fishing for a tidbit about the status of her relationship with Matt. That led her to believe Matt had been tight-lipped about the two of them, which she hadn’t anticipated. She didn’t know if she should be concerned that he wasn’t confiding in his friends or flattered that he respected her enough to be discreet.

  “Don’t pay any attention to this guy, Kristen,” Dylan said, rolling his eyes at his friend. “He’s just jealous he could never get a girl like you.”

  They were obviously trying to flatter her, and it was working. Matt’s friends certainly weren’t lacking in charm. “I’m sure you both have to carry a big stick just to keep the women away.” Her cheeks burned as soon as she realized what she said.

  Dylan and Grayson looked at each other, both wearing a grin, before Grayson started laughing. “Honey, that’s how we attract them.”

  “Forget I said that,” she said, shaking her head ruefully.

  “You wanna join us for breakfast?” Dylan slid across the bench seat to make room for her.

  “Maybe just coffee. Your partner showed off his culinary skills by making me a ham and cheese omelet for breakfast.” She slid in beside Dylan, grateful that he’d positioned his back to the wall so as not to crowd her.

  Grayson snorted. “If he’s trying to convince you he can cook, he’s lying.”

  “This coming from the guy who charred the hamburgers the last time he had us over for a barbeque.” Dylan wadded a paper napkin and fired it at Grayson. “A Texan who can’t barbeque. Man, you should be ashamed of yourself.”

  “I’ve got better things to do than stand around with a spatula, especially when there are bikini-clad babes divin’ into my pool.”

  Kristen had no trouble envisioning that scene. When those six bachelors entertained, she had no doubt women routinely crashed their party. It made her question how often Matt went home alone. Before he met her, of course. She had no reason to believe he would look at another woman as long as they were together. She was beginning to hope that would be a long, long time. Maybe even forever.

  “Is that all you ever think about?” Dylan asked, feigning disgust. “Beautiful women?”

  “There are worse things I could do with my time.”

  “Yeah, there are better things you could do too… like work for a living.”

  Kristen knew Dylan was just busting his friend’s chops. According to Matt, one of the reasons High Rollers was so successful was because all of the partners were passionate about their role in the business.

  “Forget about him.” Grayson turned the full impact of his blinding smile on her. “I’d much rather talk about you.”

  Any other time, Kristen would have been flattered by Grayson’s attention. But since she’d started seeing Matt, she found it difficult to notice another man’s appeal, no matter how handsome, rich, or charming he may be. And Grayson certainly had all of those bases covered.

  “What about me?” She was almost sorry she’d asked when he sized her up as though he were trying to guess her weight.

  “Why aren’t you married or engaged?”

  Taken aback, Kristen figured the best defense was to go on the offense. “I could ask you the same question.”

  Dylan chuckled and reached for a clean mug. He poured her a cup of coffee from the carafe the waitress had left on their table. “She’s got you there, Barrett.”

  “I have no secrets,” Grayson said, lifting his palms. “My life is an open book.”

  “Yeah, that nobody wants to read,” Dylan muttered.

  Kristen nodded her thanks when Dylan passed her coffee. “I’m interested. Ever been married, Grayson?”

  “Who would have him?” Dylan disguised his laugh behind a cough when Grayson scowled at him.

  “Turns out I’m too busy working,” he said, firing a pointed look at Dylan. “Which is a hell of a lot more than I can say for some people.” He turned back to Kristen with a smile. “The truth is I travel a lot for business. Last year, I was on the road two hundred and forty days. Not too many women would tolerate a schedule like that.”

  “Awww, poor baby.” Dylan pretended to play the violin. “That’s why he talked us into buying a company jet last year, because he was tired of flying commercial.”

  “I get a lot more work done in the air now,” Grayson said defensively.

  “Yeah, how many times you had your card punched?” Dylan asked, tongue in cheek. “You know, your membership card?”

  “Need I remind you we’re in the presence of a lady?” Grayson asked, looking affronted.

  Obviously they were talking about Grayson’s membership in the mile-high club, and Kristen suspected Grayson’s reluctance had more to do with his friend calling him out about his escapades on their company’s dime than the desire to be a gentleman. She was grateful for the reprieve nonetheless. The last thing she wanted to talk about was sex with two men who’d probably experimented with positions she’d never even heard of.

  “Sorry,” Dylan said, grasping Kristen’s shoulder. “He’s right. For once. Tell me about yourself, Kristen. I know you’re an event planner, and you have good taste in men. What else do I need to know?”

  That Dylan was secure enough to compliment his friend told her a lot about the kind of man he was: loyal, trustworthy, confident, and generous. All qualities she admired. “There’s not much more to the story. I started my business a few years ago, and it’s been work, work, work ever since. You, of all people, know how hard it is to get a new business off the ground.”

  “Sure do,” they agreed in unison.

  “But what do you do for fun?” Grayson reached for his coffee. “It can’t be all about work. That’s not healthy.”

  He was right, of course, but prior to Matt, that had been the story of her life. At least her life post-Richard. “I don’t want to bore you—”

  “Impossible,” came a familiar male voice behind her. Matt planted a kiss on her cheek. “Miss me?”

  She would have if not for the fact that she left his house less than two hours ago. “I thought you had a meeting.” You have it bad if you can’t go more than a few hours without missing the man. She wouldn’t listen to the little voice that told her she was getting in too deep. She was happier than she could ever remember being.

  “I managed to rearrange my morning,” he said, pulling up a chair and turning it around so he could straddle it. “I thought you could use an extra pair of hands.”

  “That was sweet of you. But you didn’t have to.” It had been a long time since a man cared enough to put her first. “My very capable assistant has things under control.” Kristen cast a worried glance over her shoulder when she saw Shell arguing with the florist. The two opinionated women often went toe-to-toe, leaving Kristen to referee. “At least, I hope she does.”

  Matt chuckled when he saw Shell’s tirade. They’d bumped into each other at Kristen’s office a few times since Shell returned to town, and Matt had a pretty good idea of what made Shell indispensable and insufferable at the same time. “Maybe you should think about getting involved. We don’t want any blood shed all over our new floor.”

  “Oh, it never gets that bad.” Kristen thought she would have to have yet another talk with Shell about behaving appropriately in front of clients.

  “There’s always a first time,” Grayson said. He didn’t sound convinced.

  Dylan laughed. “It’s not like y’all aren’t the first to claim a front row seat at a good cat fight.”

  Matt frowned, obviously not appreciating being outed in front of his girlfriend. “You’re one to talk. You’re usually the one they’re fighting over.”

  Dylan lifted a broad shoulder and flashed a mouthful of perfect white teeth bracketed by deep dimples. “I can’t help it if women find me irresistible, can I?’

  “Spare us.” Grayson stood. “The only women fighting over you are the ones the rest of us were smart enough to reject.”

  “Ouch.” Dylan looked more amused than offended. He glanced at the time on his cell phone. “I hate to cut the party short, but I should bolt. Unlike you,” he said to Matt, “I do have to get to the office.”

  Kristen stood to let Dylan slide out of the booth. She was surprised when both of Matt’s friends leaned in to hug her.

  “It was great to see you again,” Grayson said.

  “Yeah, you guys too,” she said, smiling. It was easy to see why Matt considered his friends more like family than his brother. They were clearly the kind of men who would always be there for him. “I guess I’ll see y’all tonight. I hope the party is everything you want it to be.”

  She knew how important the night was to Matt and his partners, and she wanted more than anything for it to exceed their expectations. Not because she was trying to score points with them, she told herself, but because she was trying to do a good job for her clients. Yeah, right.

  “Sit, finish your coffee,” Matt said when his friends walked away.

  “I really should get back to work.”

  He looked uneasy suddenly. “Can you give me a minute? There’s something I wanted to talk to you about.”

  Kristen sat down opposite him, feeling her gut churning. She had the feeling Matt’s decision to rearrange his schedule had more to do with his mood than his desire to help her. “Is there a problem?” She prayed he wasn’t about to give her the “friends” speech. Things had been going so well between them… or so she thought.

  “I hope not.” Matt sighed and waved off the waitress when she approached to clear their table. He set aside discarded coffee mugs before reaching for her hands. “You know I think you’re great, right?”

  Kristen withdrew her hands immediately. She’d heard that intro too many times. “But…?” As if she didn’t know.

  He leaned back, regarding her closely. “My ex-wife is back in town.”

  “I see.” She felt his words like a punch to the gut. He’d just been using her until Robin came back. Kristen should have known he was too good to be true.

  “No, I don’t think you do.”

  Kristen lowered her head, praying he didn’t see her tears. She’d never felt like that about anyone, not even Robert, and letting Matt go just might prove to be the hardest thing she’d ever done. She’d be damned if she would be his second choice though. “I have to get back to work, so if you could just say what you need to say, I’d appreciate it.” She was being brusque, especially after they’d started the day in his bed, but what did he expect? For her to sit patiently while he listed his ex-wife’s virtues?

  “I wasn’t expecting her. She just showed up on my doorstep a few minutes after you left.”

  “And…?” She didn’t know how much more she could take.

  “And she wanted to talk about what happened between us. She said she was sorry, that she wanted another chance with me.”

  “I see.” Kristen stood up quickly, almost colliding with the waitress approaching their table.

  “Not a good time,” Matt said to the young woman between clenched teeth.

  “Sorry, Matt.” She scurried away.

  “Sit down,” he said to Kristen. “Please.”

  “You don’t have to spell it out for me. I get it. She’s back and—”

  “No, you don’t get it.” He sighed, gesturing to the seat she vacated. “Please, baby. Just hear me out.”

  His term of endearment sounded like more of an offensive oath in light of what he’d just told her, but she couldn’t just run out on him. Her team was busy preparing for his party. She prided herself on being a conscientious professional, so even if it killed her, she would have to hold up her end of the bargain. “Fine, you have five minutes, and then I need to get back to work.”