brother. “What did you want to see me about?” As if he didn’t know.
“I’d rather not talk about it out here.” Frazer walked into his office.
Rylan followed him in. “Want me to shut the door?”
“Yeah.”
Closing it, Rylan unhooked his laptop bag from his shoulder and laid it on Frazer’s extremely neat desk. “Ah, much better. Can’t hear that ominous music anymore.”
“It kind of fits the situation.”
“Meaning?” He’d let his brother carry the ball during this conversation.
“You’re taking a big chance getting involved with Miranda.” Frazer’s tone was familiar, the one he adopted when he was giving big brother advice, but there was an emotion lurking in his eyes that looked a lot like pain.
“How so?” Rylan stared at his brother in morbid fascination. Did he still love her? Whatever was affecting him must be powerful if it could cut through his protective armor.
“I’d hate to see you get hurt.”
Time to take a chance. “Like you were?”
Frazer’s expression closed down. “Nah, she didn’t hurt me. I bounced right back. But I know you. You get invested. When she walks away, and she will, you aren’t the type to bounce back.”
Rylan agreed he wasn’t a bounce-back kind of guy but Frazer’s statement that Miranda would inevitably walk away really grated. Unfortunately, history had taught him that debating with his brother would be pointless. Frazer always thought he knew best.
Besides, the guy probably wanted to believe that Miranda would walk away. Despite insisting that he’d bounced back, that momentary flash of pain in his eyes spoke volumes. With sudden insight Rylan realized that he’d never succeeded in an arena where his brother had failed. If Frazer counted losing Miranda as a failure even though he’d never admit it to a living soul . . . damn, this could get complicated.
One thing confused him, though. “If you think I shouldn’t get involved with her, why were you pushing the personal relationship document?”
“I wasn’t. I was relieved that you hadn’t made the decision to sign it and my goal this morning was to convince you not to.”
“But the fact is I’m in a relationship with her. We should both sign it.”
Frazer gave him a pitying glance. “Take it from me, bro. It’s not gonna last.”
“I’m willing to risk it.” If he hadn’t seen Frazer’s brief moment of vulnerability, that pompous declaration that the romance was doomed would be irritating as hell. But Frazer’s attitude made perfect sense if he still mourned his loss. Losing Miranda would be tough, something Rylan certainly appreciated after only one weekend with her. His brother had dated her for at least six months.
“Let me put it another way. You were there quite a bit when I was involved with her. Remember how much she seemed to care about me?”
“Yeah, sure.” He’d been trying to delete that little slide show, but thanks to Frazer it was running again.
“Mom and Dad liked her. Mom thought we might even end up together for the long haul. I began to think so, too. I didn’t change, but she sure did. She said it was nothing I’d said or done, that the fault for the breakup was all on her. I was the same guy she’d supposedly been crazy about and she wasn’t any more.”
Rylan wondered if Frazer knew he was shaking. Nothing would be gained by pointing it out. “That must have been painful.”
“For a few days, yeah. But I survived just fine because that’s who I am. I’m worried that you won’t.”
“Why did you recommend her for this consulting job?”
“Because she’s perfect for it. The night that you, me, Tony and Garrett brainstormed this idea I knew she was the one we needed. And I was right. She has an amazing grasp of the subject matter.”
“Did you also think that by working together you might rekindle the old flame?”
“Hell, no!” He sent a dark glance in Rylan’s direction. Then, as if realizing he’d
“I’d rather not talk about it out here.” Frazer walked into his office.
Rylan followed him in. “Want me to shut the door?”
“Yeah.”
Closing it, Rylan unhooked his laptop bag from his shoulder and laid it on Frazer’s extremely neat desk. “Ah, much better. Can’t hear that ominous music anymore.”
“It kind of fits the situation.”
“Meaning?” He’d let his brother carry the ball during this conversation.
“You’re taking a big chance getting involved with Miranda.” Frazer’s tone was familiar, the one he adopted when he was giving big brother advice, but there was an emotion lurking in his eyes that looked a lot like pain.
“How so?” Rylan stared at his brother in morbid fascination. Did he still love her? Whatever was affecting him must be powerful if it could cut through his protective armor.
“I’d hate to see you get hurt.”
Time to take a chance. “Like you were?”
Frazer’s expression closed down. “Nah, she didn’t hurt me. I bounced right back. But I know you. You get invested. When she walks away, and she will, you aren’t the type to bounce back.”
Rylan agreed he wasn’t a bounce-back kind of guy but Frazer’s statement that Miranda would inevitably walk away really grated. Unfortunately, history had taught him that debating with his brother would be pointless. Frazer always thought he knew best.
Besides, the guy probably wanted to believe that Miranda would walk away. Despite insisting that he’d bounced back, that momentary flash of pain in his eyes spoke volumes. With sudden insight Rylan realized that he’d never succeeded in an arena where his brother had failed. If Frazer counted losing Miranda as a failure even though he’d never admit it to a living soul . . . damn, this could get complicated.
One thing confused him, though. “If you think I shouldn’t get involved with her, why were you pushing the personal relationship document?”
“I wasn’t. I was relieved that you hadn’t made the decision to sign it and my goal this morning was to convince you not to.”
“But the fact is I’m in a relationship with her. We should both sign it.”
Frazer gave him a pitying glance. “Take it from me, bro. It’s not gonna last.”
“I’m willing to risk it.” If he hadn’t seen Frazer’s brief moment of vulnerability, that pompous declaration that the romance was doomed would be irritating as hell. But Frazer’s attitude made perfect sense if he still mourned his loss. Losing Miranda would be tough, something Rylan certainly appreciated after only one weekend with her. His brother had dated her for at least six months.
“Let me put it another way. You were there quite a bit when I was involved with her. Remember how much she seemed to care about me?”
“Yeah, sure.” He’d been trying to delete that little slide show, but thanks to Frazer it was running again.
“Mom and Dad liked her. Mom thought we might even end up together for the long haul. I began to think so, too. I didn’t change, but she sure did. She said it was nothing I’d said or done, that the fault for the breakup was all on her. I was the same guy she’d supposedly been crazy about and she wasn’t any more.”
Rylan wondered if Frazer knew he was shaking. Nothing would be gained by pointing it out. “That must have been painful.”
“For a few days, yeah. But I survived just fine because that’s who I am. I’m worried that you won’t.”
“Why did you recommend her for this consulting job?”
“Because she’s perfect for it. The night that you, me, Tony and Garrett brainstormed this idea I knew she was the one we needed. And I was right. She has an amazing grasp of the subject matter.”
“Did you also think that by working together you might rekindle the old flame?”
“Hell, no!” He sent a dark glance in Rylan’s direction. Then, as if realizing he’d
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