Page 59 of Game Change

“You heard me. Ten of these cardigans couldn’t wipe your ass. Have you seen the size of that thing trailing behind you?”

Ernestine lets out a loud gasp at Heath’s last retort. She’s so shocked that her mouth remains open.

“You will not speak to her that way,” I say. “How dare you—”

“How dareI? Why didn’t you say anything when she called me Scarecrow? All the times she called me scrawny, you were there, and you never said a word. How aboutthat?” He crosses his arms and stares before he looks away. “Or when she calls me pencil neck? What about those times?”

“You’ve only been working here a few weeks, and all you’ve done is—”

“My job, Ernestine. I’ve done my job. “ Everyone except you two loves me,” Heath says.

The little troll is right. The only two people in the office who see through his bullshit are me and Ernestine.

“Let me talk to him,” Colin says. “Heath, come into my office.”

“Talk?” I ask. “This needs more than talking. He’s rude, entitled, and a complete menace. I don’t understand why you continue to let him disrespect the rest of the office, Mr. Kincaid.”

“Respect is earned,” Heath says. “And just because she’s old—”

“Heath, shut the hell up,” Colin says through gritted teeth. “Brynne and Ernestine, let me do my damn job and handle this.”

For once, the little troll listens and shuts up. Colin grabs his arm, and they walk away, but Heath escapes Colin’s grasp. Ernestine picks up the broom, and says, “And what the hell am I supposed to do with this?”

Heath turns around and says, “Ride it. You look like you can use it.”

Colin snatches him by the elbow and drags him away.

Chapter 31

Colin

“Heath, I don’t need this shit. Grow the fuck up,” I practically growl after I close my office door.

He drops himself on the couch and laughs as if what just happened is the funniest thing on earth. I love the kid, but he can be a true pain in the ass.

“I heard her say I looked like Gumby, only without the sex appeal. Well, now she looks like a witch. Too bad her giant behind will probably break the broom.” And he bursts into uncontrollable laughter again.

This is the last thing I need after the three days I've had. When Uncle Milton called, he led me to believe he was waiting to be discharged from the hospital. That was not true. They had admitted him after diagnosing him with a concussion. He mixed up his medication and took two doses instead of one, got dizzy, and hit his head as he was passing out. He needed stitches, and his blood pressure would not go down. I spent Saturday night and most of Sunday in the hospital with him. I spent yesterday at his home, looking over his medications, talking to his staff, and making him his favorite soup because, according to him, his chef sucks.

“I’ve barely had any sleep, and I’m so not in the mood to deal with your antics.” He crosses his arms and looks away like a petulant child. “When I brought you on, I didn’t think I needed to explain how to behave in an office. This isn’t high school, Heath.”

“It feels like it, and Ernestine is the mean girl. Well, I’ll show her,” he says. He stands and walks closer to me.

“Well, nothing.” I run a hand over my face. I was too tired to bother shaving this morning. “I’m ordering you, as your boss, to stop the nonsense. And you need to apologize to her.”

“Apologize? I will do no such thing. She’s been body-shaming me for weeks now, Uncle Paddy. I just gave her a dose of her own medicine.”

“Grow the fuck up. Apologize, or you’re fired. I’m not in the mood for this shit.”

He takes a step back at my tone, then gives me the side-eye. “Are you sick or something?” he asks. “Let me make you some—”

“Did you not hear what I said?” I ask.

“Fine, but I won’t mean it,” he says. “To make it up to you, I’ll get you a coffee with an extra shot of espresso. By the way, you paid for that fancy machine in the kitchen and the coffee beans. They’re from Ethiopia.” He whispers the last part. “It’s a subscription, so don’t cancel it. I know you’re loaded.”

I shake my head at him.

“And guess who won’t be getting any coffee from me?” he throws in on his way out the door.

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