End Zone: Texas Titans 2 (12 page)

“This won’t take long,” Matt repeated,
ignoring his parents’ subtle warnings not to let their little chat get out of
hand. It wouldn’t be the first time he and his brother had come to blows, but
Matt wouldn’t disrespect Kristen by showing her just how dysfunctional his
relationship with Paul was.

Paul followed Matt through the kitchen and
out to the patio. They walked in silence to the pool area where they knew they
would have a little privacy.

Matt said, “What the hell was that in
there?”

“What?” he asked, lifting his hands, palms
up.

“Don’t act innocent with me. You start off
flirting with her. When that didn’t work, you thought you could make me look
bad by bringing up that mess with Robin.” Matt paced. If he didn’t work out
some of his frustration, his brother just might end up sputtering and cursing
as he made his way out of the deep end.

“I didn’t say a word about your wife.”

“Ex-wife,” Matt reminded him sharply.
“Robin is my ex-wife.”

“Whatever. I didn’t even mention her.”

“But you were going to.”

A slow smile spread across Paul’s face.
“No, I wasn’t.” Paul stroked his chin as he said, “But when you thought I was
going to go there, you couldn’t get me out of the house fast enough. That leads
me to believe you’re keeping secrets from your new girlfriend.” When Matt muttered
a curse, Paul’s grin widened. “So I’m right. You haven’t told her the whole
story. Why is that?”

Because he feared Kristen would convict him
without even trying to understand his side of the story. Eventually he would
have to tell her what ended his marriage, but he wanted them to be on firmer
ground, to be more invested in their relationship. He wouldn’t mind seeing his
ring on her finger before he filled her in on the whole sordid mess. His past
was the past. It had no bearing on the way he felt about her or their future,
but he had a feeling Kristen wouldn’t see it that way.

“Let’s just say it’s too soon.” Matt hoped
Paul would back off if he told him the truth. “Look, I really care about this
girl. She’s important to me, and I don’t want to blow it by scaring her off
with—”

“The truth?”

Matt had never confided in his brother what
happened the night he asked Robin for a divorce, but his ex-wife hadn’t been
shy about sharing the whole story with anyone who would listen. Matt had always
suspected the two had a relationship that crossed the line, but he couldn’t
prove it and didn’t even care enough to try anymore.

“Are you talking about Robin’s version of
the truth or mine?” Matt gave him a level stare. “Because they’re very
different.” Paul had never even cared enough to ask Matt about what happened.
He took Robin’s word.

“I wouldn’t expect you to own up to what
you did.” Paul glared at him with a lifetime of jealousy and contempt in his
eyes. “You’d never admit to being at fault. You’re perfect. The guy who never
makes mistakes.”

“I’ve made plenty of mistakes. Starting
with Robin.”

“Hell, you two were perfect for each
other.”

Paul’s powerful legs were planted wide
apart, as though he was poised to strike. But Matt wasn’t worried. He would be
ready for him. “How so?”

“She was a shallow, selfish bitch, and
you’ve always thought you were the center of the whole goddamn universe.” His
voice rose with his sweeping arm gesture. “You’re the one everyone thought
would do great things, the one granddaddy wanted to take over the company. He
never even asked me. I guess he didn’t think I could handle it. Boy Genius was
the only one smart enough to fill his big ol’ shoes.”

“Don’t blame me because your life hasn’t
turned out the way you wanted it to, little brother.” Matt wasn’t the type to
rub salt in someone’s wounds, but Paul’s “poor me” routine was getting old.

“Like I ever had a chance, having to walk
in your shadow.”

The hatred in Paul’s eyes hurt more than
Matt thought it would. He’d chalked it up to sibling rivalry and petty
jealousy, but he saw it was more than that. Paul resented the life Matt had
built for himself, even more so because he had an incredible woman to share it
with.

“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.

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.”

“I don’t love her anymore, if that’s what
you’re thinking.” When he seemed satisfied that his words had finally
registered with Kristen, he admitted, “I’m not sure that I ever really did.”

“Then why are you telling me this?” She
pulled her hair away from her face.

“Because I need you to know the truth.” He
looked torn. “It would have been that easy for you… to walk out on me?”