Page 91 of For Your Love

“No, I’m not.” Finn stalked out of Chilton’s office. A vaguely familiar-looking man was standing just outside the door.

“Hi, Finn,” the man said shyly.

Finn took a closer look. The buzz cut was new, but Finn would never forget those dark, deep-set eyes. “Cole?” Finn asked.

“Yeah, it’s me.” Cole’s appearance was far different from the bully Finn remembered from school. Instead of wearing the latest men’s fashion, Cole wore a rumpled white shirt and chinos. His skin, which Finn remembered as a light bronze from a tanning bed, was now pasty. “Um…I’m working for my uncle now.”

“That’s what I heard,” Finn said, taking a look at his phone. “Look, I’m sorry, but I’ve got to get going. It was good to see you.”

“Yeah. Same here,” Cole called after him.

Finn went directly to the foundation’s office in search of Mary. He ignored Carmen as she tried to stop him before he reached Mary’s door. He was going to find out how much she knew about Reed’s objections. He had never wanted to go to the gala in the first place. With any luck, Mary would be able to help him back out.

He rapped on the door twice and strode inside.

Mary was on the phone. With a nod to Finn, she said, “I’ll have to call you back.” She hung up the phone.

Finn remained standing with his hands in his pockets. “I assume you’ve already spoken to Reed about Colleen Murphy.”

She removed her glasses with a small sigh. “Yes. He’s upset.”

“So am I.”

“Reed is obsessed with appearances and he believes bringing Colleen to the gala will cast an unfavorable light on the foundation, and I agree with him. You’ll need Reed in your corner when you’re a candidate for the vice president position. Don’t let one date impact your future here.”

Colleen was his future, not a job. “My private life is my business. I want to be clear about that.”

“Please reconsider.”

“If my promotion is based on who I date, then I need to reconsider working here.”

Mary pursed her lips. “I’m sure if you explained this to her—”

“No,” Finn raised his voice. “I invited Colleen, and I’m honored she’s agreed to come with me. That’s the last I’m going to say about it.”

Back in his office, he paced by the window, reflecting on how fucked up this day had become. There was no way he would abandon Colleen. Not now, not ever. He would either have to figure this out or quit his job.

It was late afternoon when Finn returned to O’Connor Tower. He walked past David and a few of his neighbors without comment. It had been an unbearably long day. Everyone in the office must have got wind of his conversations with Reed and Mary. He went through meetings and got caught up on some office work, but his mind kept drifting back to Colleen.

Opening his door, he saw Colleen curled up asleep on the couch with Alfie tucked beside her. She wore jeans and a gray T-shirt, her long legs pulled up to her chest. Her laptop was open, and a peaceful song played softly in the background. For the first time, his empty loft felt like a home to him. And it was all because of Colleen. He would be eternally grateful that she’d made the decision to move to New York. They missed out on ten years, but she was here now and that’s all that mattered.

Alfie lifted his head and shook. He hopped off the couch to greet Finn.

Colleen didn’t stir, so he sat next to her and brushed a few locks of hair from her cheek. Her breathing was deep and even, her face peaceful.

Finn leaned over to kiss her cheek.

Colleen’s eyes slowly blinked open, giving Finn a sleepy smile. “Hi.”

“I wanted to get here earlier but I was swamped at work. How was your day?”

She sat up with a yawn and a big stretch. “Interesting.” She was pensive as she focused on the late afternoon sky. “I spoke with Sean and Ryan today.”

“Yeah? About what?”

Colleen turned to him. “Dan Pike was arrested in San Bernardino for child sexual abuse. He’s already pleaded guilty. Ryan said the DA suspects he’s a serial molester.”

Finn didn’t respond right away; he scrutinized her expression with care. This was a huge surprise. This guy had been molesting little girls for years? He cradled her face with his hands. He couldn’t make all the pain go away, so he did the only thing he could do; he spoke from his heart. “My sweet Colleen.”

---