Page 81 of Game Change

“So, she thinks it’smyfault?” he asks as if it’s not his fault. “That’s why she’s so cool with me now.” I don’t bother to answer. “Well, how the hell was I supposed to know? If I did, I wouldn’t have sabotaged you. Why didn’t you tell me?”

“She’s cool with you because you made her promises and reneged,” I remind him again. “She’d be icy with you now regardless of who you gave the job to. And I didn’t tell you because you’ve been dealing with your health, and she didn’t want anyone to know. I didn’t want to piss her off more by telling you.”

“And you’re just letting her go off with that guy?” He gives me the side-eye. “He’s handsome,” he says as if I’m blind. “And he might look ridiculous dressed like a cowboy, but women love cowboys. Heath told me that his mother reads nothing but romance novels about ranchers.”

“Well, he’s doing her house.” I ignore everything he said about the man Brynne is having lunch with. She’s never given me any reason to believe she wasn’t committed to me.

“He wants to doher,” he insists. “Don’t be naïve.”

“Well, he can’t,” I toss back. She’s already doing me, and she’s not the type of woman who would go behind my back and screw another man. She’d dump me first. Not that I’m going to give her a reason to do that.

“You know I support you,” he says. There’s no reason for me to doubt him. He’s always supported me. He’s supported me more than my parents. “But this can get complicated. What if things don’t work out? Are you prepared to work with your ex? And knowing how the men in our family are, you’re probably the one who’s going to get dumped. Then she’ll start dating that handsome man in the ridiculous cowboy hat, and you’ll be left looking like a fool.”

Lunch was more talk about my personal life and less about work, but overall, he seems happy about the turn of events. It’s like his devious little mind is already spinning, and I can’t get a read on what he’s thinking. Lunch dragged on for longer than it should have. Instead of forty-five minutes, it was close to two hours. Uncle Milton barely ate, claiming that his chef was making something for him tonight. He seemed tired, but he assured me his doctor said it was okay to come to the office today. He says it’s good for his mental health and that he is sick and tired of being at home.

When the car pulls to the front of the building, I say, “I’ll call you at the end of the week and update you on things.” I expect him to nod and say goodbye, but he opens his car door and steps out.

“I have a few things to do before I go home,” he says. “Don’t worry, Paddy. I feel good.” We go inside and ride the elevator in silence.

The doors open, and I almost walk into Heath. He gives me a sly grin, and my stomach sinks.

“What?” I ask, hoping he won’t say Francesca is here again.

“You won’t believe this,” he whispers. I never realized how much of a gossip my nephew was before he started working for me. He knows everything about everyone in the office, and he loves nothing more than to tell me.

“What is it?” I ask.

“Ice Princess was carried in through this office. Just like Kevin Costner carried Whitney Houston in The Bodyguard.”

“What?” I ask.

“It’s the housekeeper’s favorite movie.”

“Who is the Ice Princess?” Uncle Milton whispers.

“Brynne,” Heath says. “She supposedly hurt her ankle and got this big brute of a man to carry her. I bet there’s nothing wrong with her. Some girls can be so—”

“She’s hurt?” I ask. I pull my phone out of my pocket, and there are no missed calls or texts from her.

“I doubt it,” Heath says with a dramatic eye-roll. “She probably just wanted that man to touch her. No one would do it willingly, so she faked an injury.”

“Heath, I swear to God, if you don’t shut your mouth about Brynne, I will kick your—"

“Boy, why are you talking about Brynne that way?” Uncle Milton asks, interrupting me

“She’s my nemesis,” Heath whispers. “Her and that witch, Ernestine.”

“What man?” I snap, uncaring about his rivalries right now.

“Now, don’t be an idiot,” Uncle Milton says. “I warned you about that in the car.” I leave them by the elevator and stomp down the hall to Brynne’s office.

I’m not sure what’s happening, but a group congregates in the breakroom. I ignore everyone and continue to her office. Heath and Uncle Milton are fast on my heels.

She’s sitting on top of her desk when I barge in. He’s kneeling on one knee and touching her shoe. She winces when he does that.

“Move,” I say to him and shove him out of the way. “What the hell happened, and why didn’t you call me?” I grit out. I do what the idiot was trying to do, and I remove the stiletto. I toss it across the room because I blame it for whatever pain she’s in.

“I slipped,” she says.

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