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, and that hter to bear

“How long has it been?” George asked

Neal knehat he meant, but he still counted internally before he answered He had been only twenty-two, and George had been twenty-six

“Seven years now,” Neal replied

“Seven years,” George repeated, “seeer”

“Funny, to me it feels like it happened yesterday,” Neal said, but then he aain, I didn’t have a business to keep afloat”

“I was lucky,” George said modestly “Dad handed me a well-oiled machine I just had to pay attention, that’s all”

“You were twenty-six,” Neal told him, “and you were not only handed a iven a small fortune”

George laughed

“I’,” Neal explained, “you could have done what I did… and pissed away your money”

“You didn’t piss it all away,” George said gently

“Because I had you there to rein me in,” Neal said honestly “If it weren’t for you I would have blown that cash on drugs, booze and women”

George laughed “Youthan you actually are”

That was just like George He was modest even when he didn’t have to be, and he shied away frohtfully due Neal always felt woefully inadequate in his brother’s presence, but he loved George too much to feel any real envy

“I did go through a phase,” Neal said defensively