Unfinished Sympathy (Absolution Book 1)

by Amélie S. Duncan

  Gunnar’s spin was good, but we both knew The Sharing Circle wasn’t just a sponsorship. This program was dear to my heart and something my dad and I had built after Lily had gone through physical and emotional abuse by her ex-boyfriend. The program supported women’s voices in domestic violence globally. This would have hurt Dad and Lily.

  “Have you heard from my dad?” He’d been mysteriously absent recently.

  Gunnar shook his head. “I have news about Gary and Emono, though.”

  Gary had gone cool on selling Emono Games, at least to me. Every conversation I had with him made it seem like he wasn’t ready to sell. Though there was talk he was meeting with other companies about purchasing his company. Gunnar confirmed my suspicions.

  “He’s shopping Emono around hard,” he said. “Emono Games is also looking closely at Siena’s lawsuit. I’ve been able to stay ahead of everything thanks to Aubrey. She gave me a heads up that their HR was questioning her about your relationship. Good thing you both ended it and they never found out, or they’d have fired her on the spot.”

  I gritted my teeth. “Aubrey never told me about it.”

  No matter what I’d tried, ten days after that moment in my office I hadn’t broken through her professional armor. She did everything I asked, and we were ahead on the work, but well behind where we’d once been personally. She didn’t give a damn that I’d canceled the date from the matchmaking agency. It was as if I had gone through with it after all.

  “She was told not to inform Crane Productions, and you. Fortunately, that was a loophole, me,” he said and grinned. “She didn’t want to worry you. I think in her way she was trying to protect you.”

  I should be the one protecting her. “What are we doing about it?”

  “Emono has no proof. They can’t do anything,” Gunnar replied, though in his cautious tone he had more to tell me: “Everything Gary’s doing is evidence that he’s wary of the scandal and may worry about getting a soundtrack from you.”

  I cursed. “We have the progress update next week. He’ll pay me a fortune to buy me out.”

  I’d lose Absolution.

  “He won’t back out once he hears it,” Gunnar replied, but I could tell he wasn’t confident. “We’ll see where things stand afterward.”

  “I have the Prague trip right after,” I said. With Aubrey. She hadn’t canceled it.

  “Then we work fast,” Gunnar said. “Pull out all the stops, make him look foolish for upending the project. There have been plenty of artists saying you’ve been professional with them. We knew we had a fight on our hands. You’ll come out good.”

  I sighed heavily. I had no other choice.

  We left the studio for a meeting. On our way to my office, we had to pass Daniel’s. The workday had just started, and he was packing to leave.

  “Hey,” Daniel said. “Heading over to Emono. They need me to work there today.”

  No, they don’t. You don’t want to work.

  I didn’t care. He was useless anyway.

  “Did you know Daniel’s off the market?” Gunnar said with a fake smile.

  Daniel blushed and smiled sheepishly. “Four more months left.” He pointed to a picture of the blonde I saw him with at the basketball game. Something made me pick the picture up. There was the gem, hiding in plain sight. Ryan in the background.

  “Congratulations,” I said with a lift to my voice. “I can message staff. Where are you two registered for gifts?”

  “Bloomingdale’s, under Stiles and Parker, uh, I mean Parker,” Daniel said reddening again and staring at me hard to see if I caught his mistake. I gave him back nothing, but I knew Stiles was Ryan’s last name. It appeared Daniel was about to become a part of his family. That explained the lax attitude toward him, but I’d never let family impede good business.

  I gave Gunnar a nod in appreciation of his detective shit. Usually it would annoy me, but it seemed purposeful today.

  As I passed, I glanced inside Aubrey’s office, but it was dark. Fitting. She’d lit up my world and every day without her since had been dark.

  We briefly stopped by my office, and Eileen wasn’t there. She was getting close to her maternity leave, and I’d hire a temp after the Prague trip. I’d have Aubrey with me every day there, and my chance to win her back though how could I, when nothing had changed? Things had gotten worse. I regretted ever taking on Emono Games, but then if I hadn’t, I’d never have had Aubrey. And I would never regret a single moment with her.

  We headed to the conference room. My marketing and advertisement team leaders were already there, waiting. I had just taken my seat at the head of the conference table when the door swung open. Eileen appeared more distressed than I’d ever seen her. And right on her heels was Aubrey.

  My heart stopped when our eyes met. Hers shone with unshed tears.

  She stepped closer, and I got to my feet. My eyes widened in shock. What was she doing there, and what had upset her?

  “It’s your father, Jonas,” Eileen said. “He’s been taken to the hospital.”

  “You mean Alan…” My voice trailed off. I sucked in to refill the air that rushed out of my lungs as my heart fought for space behind my ribcage.

  Alan was sick, not my dad. Dad hadn’t gone to the hospital. He’s never sick. He was working like he’d done every damn day of my life. Or he was at Darling’s school, being the odd man in a suit with a painted face on a school trip. He was kissing Lily or ready to tell me what I needed to do.

  Fear clenched like a tight fist inside my chest. ‘What should I do, Dad?’ I heard my voice as a child. The many times I’d called and asked him that very thing. What if he couldn’t answer?

  Gunnar’s hand fell on my shoulder. Aubrey’s hand tightened its grip on mine, and it was then I realized I’d lost time. Gunnar was instructing my Chief Officer to take over the meeting.

  My eyes darted to the elevator. “I need to get to the hospital,” I said.

  Aubrey.

  I looked, and she was there, next to me. We walked out of the room together.

  I felt my suit jacket for my phone. “I should call Regan.”

  “Eileen has already called Regan,” Aubrey said. “He’s waiting in the garage.”

  My eyes met hers and my heart pounded. She’d talked with Eileen for me.

  “I’m coming with you,” Aubrey said, which was exactly what I longed to hear. She tensed as we walked past my staff in the halls, eyeing us as we moved to the elevators. We weren’t alone or in private, and I wasn’t even sure Daniel had left the building. Hell, she’d gone to my side in front of over twenty of my staff.

  Gunnar’s voice was low, but loud enough to let me know that he was also there. He talked with Aubrey, and I watched her nod along with whatever he was telling her. They’d become friends, I saw, and a shard of jealousy cut into my mind. But then Gunnar ended their conversation and squeezed my shoulder. “I’ll check in with you later. Go on to the hospital with her.”

  Aubrey moved us inside the elevator and pressed the code for us to go down together to the garage. When we were in the car, I buckled my seat, but then I reached for her to stay near me, and she moved as close as she could, retaking my hand.

  I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. How could I be content when my world was breaking? My throat burned. I couldn’t believe this was happening.

  “Do you need anything?” Aubrey asked gently.

  “I need you,” I said.

  “I’m here,” she whispered.

  I took out my phone. There were messages, but I scrolled through to find the one from my mom.

  9:03 A.M. I’ve asked the rest of the family not to call you, and that I’d be the one to discuss with you what happened to your dad. We’re all on our way to the hospital. Your dad is strong; he’ll be fine.

  My mom’s way was to give no details. She wouldn’t worry me with what had happened. I tried to understand what was going on with Dad and myself.

  “Dad’s been hanging a
round, trying to be with me, and I pushed him away. I was awful,” I told Aubrey.

  “Your dad understands,” Aubrey said and again squeezed my hand. “You’re his son. He loves you.”

  Aubrey was trying to be comforting, but all I could think of was losing my chance to make things right between Dad and me. Time was fleeting. I’d taken time for granted. I thought I had time for work, my life, my music, Aubrey.

  She had on her Emono shirt, but also a backpack. “You were on your way to Emono?”

  It then dawned on me that today wasn’t Aubrey’s scheduled day.

  “I heard on the news and came straight to Crane Productions,” she explained.

  My heart rose to my throat. She’d come for me.

  Aubrey had stood with me. I would do the same for her. Right now, I didn’t give a damn about the soundtrack, or anything except for my family, which included Aubrey. She was the one I wanted.

  I called Logan. He was fine with Aubrey staying at Crane Productions today, though he probably already knew she was with me. I’d make sure to handle that for her.

  “You have enough on your mind, and you didn’t need to do that. Thank you,” she said.

  I stared at Aubrey. Her face was blotchy. She barely knows my father, was my first thought, but then I remembered her own dad and how close she’d been to him. Going to the hospital with me couldn’t be easy for her. Nothing she’d done had been easy. She’d stood up and showed everyone how much she cared about me. She’d sacrificed her work, financial security, her reputation, everything for me.

  “Aubrey, I never went on that date,” I confessed. “I don’t want to see anyone else. I only want you.”

  “Paul let’s not go into any of that right now,” she replied and cleared her throat. “Let’s focus on your dad.”

  She wouldn’t let me talk about us, but she allowed me to place my arm around her then and hold her. I brushed my lips against the side of her head. “I know this is hard for you. Thank you for being here for me.”

  She leaned into me and I sighed. Her being with me was right.

  We went inside and Alan met us there to lead us over to the waiting room, where the rest of my family waited. Lily was trying to hold herself together for Darling, who appeared as lost as I was. I hugged them.

  “What do we know?” I asked my mom, who came in holding her mala prayer beads. She was doing her positive energy thing, and I needed it.

  “The doctors are running tests. It’s his heart,” she said.

  I nodded numbly.

  “He’ll be fine,” she said with conviction.

  Aubrey moved close to the hallway. She looked unsure, but when I reached my hand out to beckon her closer, she came forward and held it. “This is Aubrey.”

  “The violinist.” Lily’s watery gaze lifted, and she smiled at Aubrey from her seat. “Jonas has told us about you.”’

  “I’m sorry,” Aubrey told her. “I don’t mean to intrude.”

  “Not at all,” my mom said. “Your presence means a lot to us. Thank you for being here for Paul.”

  She hugged Aubrey, because that was her way, and Aubrey hugged her back. She then shook the hands of everyone else before taking a seat in the family lounge with me.

  We stayed in our own personal thoughts or spoke of light things as we waited for results from my dad’s surgery. Aubrey kept me talking about books, music, anything to stop me from slipping into anxiety about what might be happening with my dad.

  The doctor finally came with news. “Jonas had a mild heart attack. He’s stable now after surgery. We’ll be keeping him for a few days. You can see him.”

  “Can I go in now?” Lily asked, rising with Darling.

  “For ten minutes, only,” the doctor said. “He needs his rest.”

  We all let out a collective breath. I let them all see him first. When I went in, Dad’s eyes were closed.

  “Dad.”

  He was in a hospital gown with a blanket over him. Was he grayer? Paler? He looked smaller than I’d ever seen him, lying there. He had a breathing apparatus on, so he couldn’t speak. But he was there with us. I was grateful.

  Wiping my eyes, I leaned down to kiss his cheek. “I love you, Dad.”

  I took his hand and he squeezed it, his eyes telling me the same.

  “I want you to know that. No matter what I’ve said in the past, I won’t waste this time with anything else but the truth. I was angry, but only because you’re the person I admire the most, and I’ve tried my whole life to be you.”

  He squeezed my hand again, but this time he tried to speak.

  “Don’t speak and please… don’t leave me,” I said my voice failing.

  I sat with him then until our time was up, and I walked out into more hugs from Alan and Mom. I looked around for Aubrey and didn’t find her.

  My pulse went faster. “Did Aubrey leave?”

  “No,” she said walking back into the lounge with a few bottled waters for all of us. “Here I am.”

  She stayed with me all night.

  I returned to the office the following afternoon and worked until the evening. On my way out, I found Aubrey in the lobby. She had on a red and black dress with heels. Her hair was up in a twist. She looked amazing. The only odd thing was her backpack. I held the door open and followed her outside.

  “How is Jonas?” she asked.

  “I was just at the hospital with him. He’s doing better, but they’re keeping him longer,” I replied and sighed heavily.

  “I’m sorry,” she said. “Do you need me to go back with you?”

  “No. The visiting hours are over,” I said. “Where are you off to? I can give you a ride.”

  “I have a date,” she said, hiding her face. “He’s at the restaurant waiting for me.”

  “No need to explain,” I said, dialing back my anger. I’d done this by not standing up for her in the beginning, for trying to create distance when all I wanted was to be with her. I had wanted her then and still did. “I understand. I’m still taking you.”

  Her lips parted. “What? No, you can’t. I don’t want you to.”

  “Please, allow me to,” I pleaded with her. “I don’t want to be without you any longer than I have to, even if it’s to take you to someone else.”

  Her face crumpled, and she shook her head. “This is too much.”

  I placed my hand on her back. “Let me, please,” I whispered.

  She lowered her head but gave me a brief nod, and I guided her out of the building with a hand on her back. When my car arrived, I opened the back door for her and climbed into the other side. “So, who is he?”

  “Brett Stover. He works as a broker at Loam’s,” she said, and bit her lip.

  Loam’s? Must be a small brokerage firm. I’d never heard of them, or this Brett guy may have made it up to impress her. I took out my phone and googled the company, finding him on the company’s home page. He was a self-made man. Smart and willing to wait at a restaurant all night for Aubrey. Though classless for not coming to pick her up. Bottom line, this shit was real and happening, and all right in front of me.

  Selfishly, I couldn’t let the ride end without saying how I felt. As Regan pulled away from the curb, I told her what was on my mind.

  “I regret how I left things between us, Aubrey. I didn’t take good care of your feelings. I was trying to protect you and myself from more scandal. I wanted to take things slow because I didn’t think I was ready to have something serious right now. I know now I was wrong. I don’t give a damn about the contract. I’d give it up for you. Say you’ll be with me.”

  “But I care about the contract,” she replied, drawing in her breath. “I worked so hard on it. I want to succeed. I don’t want you throwing it all away for me. I… I’m still here for you, Paul, and that’s what I wanted you to know. You have me, even if we’re not together. I…. I liked you.” Aubrey mumbled the last words and that hit me square in the chest. She liked me. Past tense. She didn’t now.

&n
bsp; I touched her chin to get her to look at me, which she now tried to avoid. “It was more than that. My feelings for you haven’t changed. I want your success—hell, I’ve supported you doing things your way, though it’s been hard not to intervene. I want you to have your win, but I miss you. I want our chance.”

  “It’s too late. And this isn’t a good conversation to have before my date. Or are you trying to ruin it because someone showed interest in me?” she asked crossly. “I think it’s better that we stay work friends.”

  “You’re lying to me, and you’re lying to yourself,” I said. “You know it and that’s why you’re in this car, that’s why you came to my job and stayed with me at the hospital. You know you’re mine.”

  Her voice cracked. “Paul, please don’t do this.”

  The ride to the restaurant was short, too short.

  She had her hand on the handle the second the car stopped. “I’m sorry about your father, and I believe in my heart Jonas will fully recover. I’m trying to move on, and you should too.”

  “Never. There is no one else for me but you.” I leaned over and kissed her lips, her face, and neck, taking in her sweet scent. Damn, I missed her. I needed so much to feel her.

  She took my kisses, her sweet glossy lips parted for me.

  “I want you. I always did.” I ached to touch her more, but then she said, “We can’t…. It’s better this way. I have to go.” She pushed me back.

  Her chest rose and fell as she composed herself and left the car. I was left cursing because I couldn’t grab hold of her and keep her with me until she saw that we belonged together.

  I had to let her go taking my heart with her.

  Aubrey

  I couldn’t look back. If I did, I wouldn’t leave Paul.

  What was I doing? The second I heard about his dad, I went to him. I couldn’t let him face whatever was to come alone. Stubbornly, I believed no one else would take care of him better than me. Then I left him right after he told me everything I wanted to hear. He only wants me…