Page 79 of Player
BRADLEY
Want to meet in town?
He gives me directions to find him, and I leave my room after finishing getting ready.
It takes me almost thirty minutes to reach downtown, and when I enter the coffee shop where my brother asked to meet, I'm afraid he might have bailed. But I find him sitting at a table by the window. He takes a sip of coffee while looking me over.
I sit down on the bench across from his.
"You look like hell," I comment.
His right eye is barely in better shape than mine, a hugebruise spreads along the edge of his eyelid. My gaze moves to his hands, where the knuckles are scraped up.
"You don't look any better than me, Dixie." I hear the concern in his voice. I look up and his gaze meets mine. "I'm sorry, little sister."
Tears fill my eyes before I can stop them. Bradley places his hand on mine.
"It'll be okay," he says reassuringly.
My throat is so tight I can't respond. A waitress approaches us and he orders for me, "A mint green tea and a slice of lemon pie, please."
Through my tears, I smile. He's still as thoughtful as ever, and he knows me inside and out. A silence falls between us during which I try to decipher his enigmatic expression. I have the feeling that as time has passed, Bradley’s become more secretive. Not that he was ever very open or eager to confide the smallest details of his life to me, but lately, it's gotten worse.
"What's happening with you?"
The question left my lips without thinking. Bradley turns his attention back to me, looking thoughtful.
"Life," he finally answers cryptically.
I frown and prepare to reply when the waitress sets my order in front of me before offering to refill my brother's coffee cup. He accepts with a nod and the waitress quickly returns. Once he's been served and she's walked away, I turn my attention back to him.
"The Marines have turned you into a philosopher," I tease gently.
His lips twitch, but his smile never fully forms. This is something that's really changed about him. When we were younger, he was always smiling.
He drinks his coffee while I take a bite of lemon pie. Thelemon curdmelts on my tongue in a sweet and tangy blend.
"Do you love him?"
His question cuts short my moment of indulgence and I freeze, my spoon halfway between my plate and my mouth. My brother's gaze is locked on mine, his expression very serious.
"That's a personal question," I evade before taking another bite of the pie, this time mostly crust.
He shakes his head and I don't know what that means. When did he become so unreadable? I can't follow or understand him.
"Love isn't a valid reason to accept everything, Dixie." He seems so serious, and he appears to be speaking from experience. I frown as he continues, "Some people have a gift for making you believe you matter to them as much as you'd like, but it's not always sincere."
I think about Player and our relationship before smiling bitterly. "You're wrong about Player. I assure you he's never tried to present himself as anything other than what he shows the rest of the world. In fact, he's the first to say he's a huge jerk, he doesn't hide it."
Now it's my brother's turn to frown. Lifting an eyebrow, he asks, "So it's his bad boy side that you like?"
I shrug. "Does it really matter?"
"Maybe not, or maybe it does. I don't want him taking advantage of you."
"What if I told you we're taking advantage of each other?"
He doesn't answer and his gaze drifts toward the window through which you can see the main street. Vehicles pass by, people walk on the sidewalks. Outside, life goes on.
