Page 108 of Game Change

“Have you really? You’re planning on leaving, aren’t you?” I don’t answer. I only stare into his eyes. “You’re going to marry Paddy and quit so you can start your own company.”

I stand abruptly. “What are you implying? That I’m marrying Colin so I can use him to—”

“No.” He stands, too. “You two love each other, and I’m happy for you. You’re a good person, Brynne. I didn’t think you’d be so hurt—”

“Mr. Kincaid, stop.”

“Milton,” he insists.

“Stop. I don’t know what you want from me.” I try to tamp down my exasperation with this conversation. I’ve accepted his decision. I accepted it months ago before I got involved with Colin again. What I’m not going to do is act like my relationship with Milton hasn’t shifted.

“I want you to tell me how you feel,” he practically yells. In all the years we’ve known each other, he’s never been angry with me. He’s never yelled at me. He’s hardly ever yelled at anyone in the office. That’s not his way, and I’ve always admired him for that but no more.

“You’re not ready for that discussion,” I whisper under my breath, with no intention for him to hear my words.

“Let’s discuss.” His voice reverberates through my office.

“Mr. Kincaid—”

“Oh, stop that. You haven’t called me Mr. Kincaid since we first met, and I ordered you to call me Milton.”

“You really want to do this?”

“I do. I’m tired of this weird dynamic between us.”

“Fine,” I concede. I take a deep breath while I mull my next words. “I would have had no issues with this situation if you had been honest with me, but you misled me. We were more than boss and employee. I’d like to think we were friends.”

“Are. We are friends. We’re about to be family.”

“Then why, in all the years, in all our conversations, did you never once mention your architect nephew? You referred to him as Paddy Cake to let me think he was a kid.” When all he does is stare, I snap, “Why?” He has the grace to look away, so I continue. “Is this how you treat your family?”

“It was never personal. Colin is like a son to me. Of all my nieces and nephews, he’s the one I’ve been closest to. Him and Heath.” It takes all my strength not to roll my eyes because he's repeating himself.

“The entire time you were telling me the job was mine, you were recruiting your nephew behind my back. In all the years I’ve known you, you never mentioned an architect nephew. Never. Not once. And you know what? I’m not going to ask you why you did that. I already know, but I wish you had been honest with me from the beginning. You blindsided me, threw money at me, and disregarded me. It’s business to you, but it’s personal to me.”

“Business is not supposed to hurt your feelings, Brynne. I thought I taught you better than that.” He almost sounds disappointed. Or maybe he’s angry. I’m not sure which one, and I’m not interested in finding out.

“Milton, I don’t think there’s anything else for us to say. We have fundamental differences in how we conduct business.” None of that will matter in a year or less when I resign and focus on my own company, but as much as I want that, there’s a part of me that’s disappointed.

It will be like starting over, and it will take time for me to have the resources and tools I have here.

“We’re about to be family,” he repeats.

“Well, like you said, this isn’t personal.” I don’t know what else to say, but I refuse to make him feel better.

“Maybe with you and Paddy getting married, you can run Kincaid Architecture. You’re going to be one of us.” He leans closer to my desk and puts a hand on mine. It’s warm, and I don’t pull away. “I’m fighting colon cancer,” he whispers.

I suspected he was sick, but hearing the words from him causes my stomach to sink. Despite the state of our relationship, I still care about him. I still have him to thank for teaching me so many things. I rest my other hand on top of his.

“They caught it early, and I had surgery and only need radiation.” I exhale in relief at that. “That’s why I fought for Paddy to come here. When I first found out, I was scared, and if anything happened to me...”

He leaves the sentence unfinished, and I want to call bullshit. He’d been trying to get Colin to work here for years. It was always him, and I was the second choice, but I don’t say that. There’s no point.

“I put family first. Maybe it’s a flaw, but that’s been ingrained in me from birth. You’re about to be family, Brynne. That’s important to me. I’ll be back on Friday and you, me, Colin, and Heath are going out for lunch. I’ve already made a reservation.” He pats my hand before he heads for the door.

Chapter 55

Colin

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