Page 103 of Hook Up

Greg has arrived.

Just in time.

Strolling across the pool area, I knock on his door, enveloping Greg in a bear hug the moment it opens. Sometimes you don’t realize how much you miss a person until they’re no longer in your life. It’s like that with Greg.

With Greer, it’s agony.

Now, I have to plead my case and pray Greg will help me salvage my marriage.

We settle onto the patio with glasses of lemonade instead of beer. Greg insists that it’s fine if I want to crack open a cold one, but why risk it? My friend just completed rehab. I refuse to dangle that carrot in front of his nose.

Leaning back in my seat, I cross one booted leg over my knee, considering my approach to this conversation.

Greg beats me to it.

“I visited my mom before I left New York. Imagine my surprise when Greer opened the door.”

“Did she tell you she left me?” I struggle to speak the words aloud, as if every time I give them breath, I’m also giving them strength.

Greg nods but doesn’t offer any further information. Looks like he’s waiting for me to spill my guts.

Here goes nothing.

“I didn’t do anything with those women, Greg. I swear.”

His eyes widen as he sucks down half the contents of his glass. “What women? Do I even want to know? Don’t forget, she’s my sister. Job or not, I will kick your ass if you cheated on her.”

Raising my hands, I attempt to ward off his growing fervor. “Some overly exuberant and handsy fans got close one night at the club. The media got a few shots and went to town with it. It looked bad, but it really wasn’t. Then Mandi showed up, and of course, they snapped a photo before security showed her the door.” Running a hand over my beard, I shake my head. Time to own my shit. “It looked bad. Greer was so upset when she saw the photos. She had every right. If our roles were reversed, I’d be furious.”

“Jillian would have my balls in a vise, are you kidding? Greer let you off easy.”

Huffing out a breath, I swing my gaze to meet Greg’s. “She left me, remember? What did she tell you? What reason did she give?”

“Honestly? She didn’t, simply mumbled something about not fitting into your world and promptly changed the subject. Typical Greer.”

“She is my world, Greg.”

He fixes me with his dark stare, mouth pursed in a thin line. “You sure about that? It doesn’t look good from where I’m sitting. I’m sure you didn’t mess around with those women, but the whole secret wedding and keeping everything on the down-low, it stinks.”

“She wants an annulment, but I’m not giving her one. I’ll fight her for years if that’s what it takes. I want another chance to make her happy. Put her first. Everything got so screwy after the accident. I never treated her the way she deserves and now, she thinks I’m like every other man.”

“She knows you’re not like every other man. I think that’s messing her up even more.” Greg huffs out a breath, his eyes skyward. “She’s had hangups since Dad left Mom, and they often get the better of her.”

“Gigi told me years ago she wasn’t built for relationships or love. I set out to prove her wrong, but I mucked it up then, too. I had her, Greg, and I let her slip through my fingers. I lost her.”

“I doubt it.”

“She’s gone, isn’t she?” I snap, my emotions getting the better of me.

“You know, Greer didn’t want to come to Vegas after discovering you’d be there. Not because she hated you, but because she was in love with you. She thought she was slick, but I’m her brother. She was way too interested in where you were and how you were and what gorgeous women you were dating. I knew she had a thing for you. I also knew you had a thing for her, back in the day.” He stands up, pacing the stonework floor. “Do you know the two of you lit up Vegas the second you saw each other? It was like a fucking movie, the way you gravitated to one another. I knew it then, that you two were meant to be together. I also worried if Gigi loved someone that much, it would scare the shit out of her.”

I stroke my beard, smiling despite the pain. “Glad to know I wasn’t the only one all those years.”

“All these years, you’ve had a thing for Greer?”

With a chuckle, I nod, letting her brother in on all my secrets. “Since I was ten. I dated women and screwed plenty more, but it wasn’t like that with Gigi. I wanted to give her three things: my ring, my last name, and my baby in her belly.” Holding up my hands, I wait for Greg’s inevitable wrath. “Too much information? Likely, but it’s the truth. It’s always been the truth.”

“Well, two out of three ain’t bad,” Greg jokes, dodging the napkin I lob at his head. “Maybe after the season, you two can talk.”

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