Page 42 of Game Change

Good luck to him for dating a combative witch who jumps to conclusions without a shred of evidence. I feel eyes on me as I cross the street and approach my building, but I don’t look back. I’m over it. I’m over her. And if she wants to fight with me about everything, she’s in for a rude awakening. I remove my coat and toss it on the couch before violently yanking my fridge open.

I’d like a drink, but I never drink during the work week, so I make myself a chicken salad sandwich from the leftover chicken in my fridge.

My phone starts to buzz in my pocket, and the name Francesca flashes. She lives in this building, and we keep running into each other at the gym. I’ve avoided her until I ran into her on Sunday.

Malcolm’s words came to mind. Maybe I need to let Brynne go and move on. He’s right. I’m her boss, and after the mess with Esme, the last thing I need is another mess. At least with Esme, I was able to escape her at the office. I even moved across the country. I don’t need to create more drama for myself.

“Hey, Francesca,” I say into the phone.

Chapter 21

Brynne

“It was great to see you, Sherman,” I say to my old friend.

I thought this was just a friendly lunch date with an old high school friend, but five minutes in, I knew he wanted more. Even though he’s married. He claims to be going through a divorce but admits to still living at home with his wife and their four kids. No way. I don’t do married men. I don’t care if they are separated and living separately…and I definitely don't date married men who are shorter than me.

I try to walk fast, but he follows me into the building. “You look good, Brynneka,” he says, biting his bottom lip in what I think is supposed to be a sexy look, but he has spinach stuck in his teeth. I force a smile, which I'm sure looks more like a grimace. He opens his arms, and I lean in for a quick side hug, but he leans in for a kiss. I turn my face, and his lips end up on the side of my mouth. He also had French onion soup for lunch, and I can smell it.

I try to step away, but he tightens his arm around me. The automatic door opens, and I’m relieved until I see Colin Kincaid walk through looking like some superhero. His long gray coat is unbuttoned and floats behind him. I manage to pull away from Sherman. I expect Colin to walk into the elevator and ignore me like he did earlier, but to my surprise, he walks closer to us.

“Brynne,” he says with a nod. “I need to speak with you before our next meeting.”

“Oh, yes. Of course,” I say quickly. “Have a nice afternoon, Sherman.” I shove him away as I practically sprint to the elevator. I slip on something and fall backward, but strong arms grab my shoulders and stand me up.

Colin helps me inside the elevator before he lets me go. A secret part of me wishes he didn’t let go. That same secret part wants him to take me in his arms and kiss me until I go blind with lust. More than that, I want the kiss to transport us through time and space and deliver us back to the resort where everything was new, and the future was optimistic.

“Are you okay?” he asks. He’s not looking at me. He’s looking straight ahead, and I hate that. I love the way he looks at me. Maybe that’s in the past since I’ve made it clear I don’t want anything more to do with him. Maybe I’ve succeeded in turning him off for good.

“Yes, thank you, but that wasn’t necessary.” I clear my throat.

“Really? It wasn’t necessary when it looked like he wanted to shove his tongue down your throat, and it looked like the last thing you wanted. But sure. My help was unnecessary. Have a good afternoon, Ms. Barber.” The doors open, and he walks out without a backward glance or word.

“Brynne,” Ernestine sticks her head in my office, “we have a situation,” she whispers.

“You’re not fighting with the kid again, are you?” I ask.

“You think that little pencil neck is worth arguing with?” She sucks her teeth. “I have shoes older than his scrawny ass.” She inches closer and whispers, “Oliver is here. I put him in the small conference room since he insists on seeing you.”

“Today is the day from hell,” I whisper to myself. First, Sherman and Colin walking in on us at that awkward moment. I was waiting for him to tell me everything would be okay, but after he told me off, he didn’t say another word to me.

I don’t know if I’m relieved or disappointed.

Ernestine has worked for me for three years now. She’s crossed the line from employee to friend, so she’s privy to my issues with my former stepbrother.

“I’ll deal with him.” I pick up my phone and wave it at her. “I’ll text you if I need you to call security.”

“Well, he’s going to get a foot in his ass while we wait for security to get here.” She follows me out of the office. From the corner of my eye, I see Colin and Heath talking in the breakroom. Heath is showing him his ridiculous French press, and I roll my eyes. For an assistant he has just hired, they are friendly. If I still cared about this company, I’d look into that, but I don’t. They, along with Milton, can go straight to hell.

When I reach the small conference room, Oliver is sitting there looking less smug than in the past. He stands when he sees me, and he looks gaunt. He’s unshaven and in desperate need of a haircut. The coat he’s wearing belonged to his father and is starting to show its age. He smiles, but I don’t smile back. The fake smile disappears, and in its place is the Oliver I remember. The selfish guy who couldn’t bother to visit or care for his dying father. He’s the same guy who left me to deal with everything but then swooped in and claimed everything as his own as soon as his father passed away.

My own mother had passed a few years before. Then Isaiah, my stepfather, got sick and died within a few months. None of my other extended family live nearby; it was just me and Oliver. Or so I thought.

“What is it, Oliver?” I ask. I don’t bother pretending not to be annoyed, and I don’t sit so he doesn’t think I’m here for long.

“I called you a few times.”

“I know. I told you never to call me again, remember?”

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