Chapter 35
Rohit stopped short on the sidewalk in front of the Desmond Business Center when he caught sight of Cynthia, trailed by Jilly and Malik, approaching the parking lot with cardboard boxes in their arms.
He shot Jilly and Malik a friendly wave but when Cynthia stopped in front of him, his smile faded. Cynthia waited until Jilly and Malik had made their way past before she placed her box on the ground and shook out her arms.
“What’s in there?” he joked half-heartedly. “Bricks you’d hidden under your desk to throw at my head?”
Cynthia’s lips quirked. “That and years of underappreciation and bitterness. They can weigh a girl down.”
“Hey.” Rohit pulled her into a hug. “You’re not weighed down anymore, though, right?”
“Not anymore.” She tipped her head back and grinned at him. “But I will keep the bricks. Just in case.”
“I can’t believe it’s your last day.”
Cynthia turned to stand by his side and examined the office building with him. “I know. I considered this place a home away from home for almost fifteen years.”
With its reflective glass exterior, the building had always seemed imposing to Rohit, but now, in the brilliant afternoon sun, it looked cold, too.
Inhospitable. He supposed he’d believed this place to be a home of sorts, too, and he couldn’t deny it had served an important purpose for him, as a newcomer to Kelowna.
He’d met most of his friends and acquaintances here. His mentor, too.
But it wouldn’t feel the same without Cynthia.
He’d always liked going to work, but she’d been the real draw, even when she’d hated his presence.
She’d been an exasperating, addictive, complicated fixture in his work life.
That life seemed decidedly lacking without his Ice Princess burning hot one minute and spearing him with icicles the next.
“I can’t believe we’re not working together anymore,” he murmured.
“Don’t go soft on me now.”
But they both knew that between the two of them, he was the soft one. And because he knew she loved him all the more for it, he allowed himself to speak from the heart: “I think I’ve loved you every single moment since the night I met you. I don’t know what I’ll do without you.”
Cynthia turned to him, her face solemn. “You still have me,” she told him, grabbing his hand and squeezing, “for as long as you want me.”
Forever , he thought, squeezing back. But he didn’t need to say the words out loud. If she didn’t already know, then he would show her for the rest of his life.
Rohit raised their joined hands to his lips and brushed a kiss on the back of her hand as they stood in silence watching the steady stream of harried-looking professionals entering and exiting the building, briefcases, unlit cigarettes, and coffee cups in their hands.
“Will you miss this?” he asked.
After a few long minutes, she answered, “I honestly don’t think I will.” Cynthia laid her head on his shoulder. “Nervous?”
“Your dad asked me to come in today,” he reminded her and, perhaps, himself.
“Maybe it’s to celebrate my departure.”
Rohit rolled his eyes. “You know it’s about everything that went down these last few weeks. For all I know, today might be my last day, too.”
“You won’t know until you go in there,” Cynthia sang off-key, reminding Rohit how much he loved her.
And now he could say it. “I love you.”
Cynthia’s face softened. “You better,” she said. She pulled him into a tight hug and pressed her lips close to his ear. “And if you forget, I have the bricks to remind you.” She waited until he’d finished laughing before adding, “I love you, too.”
Stepping onto the thirtieth floor was like sliding under a microscope that morning, but Rohit ignored the faint buzz of speculation around him as he made his way to Rich’s office.
It wasn’t so much the curious glances thrown his way but the knowledge that no one, it seemed, knew what lay in store for Rohit today.
He’d received plenty of private messages and texts in the last few weeks from colleagues checking on him and railing against the unfairness of it all.
The outreach had warmed Rohit’s heart, reminded him that although the future of his career was uncertain, his second family was a sure thing.
He belonged at Kumar Construction, and while he wasn’t proud of how he’d gotten his foot in the door, he was glad he had.
But when he found Rich’s office empty, his hopeful spirits cooled considerably and, on leaden legs, he headed toward his own desk instead.
Rich was waiting for him there, standing at the window and looking out into the city, his hands clasped behind his back.
“I…” Rohit cleared his throat. “I thought we were meeting in your office.” As we have, almost every morning, for the last nineteen months.
Rich didn’t look surprised to see him as he gestured for Rohit to take a seat at his office chair before claiming his own across Rohit’s much less impressive desk. “I felt like a change in scenery,” the older man said.
When he didn’t elaborate, Rohit shifted in his seat. “Change can be good…” he ventured uselessly, and when Rich didn’t respond, he cleared his throat again. “And change can be…bad?”
Rich’s face split into a grin. “You can relax, Rohit.”
“I can?”
“You’re not fired.” Rich paused and stretched his legs out in front of him. “But also, I’ve decided not to retire.”
Rohit knew he had no right to feel anything but gratitude and relief, but he couldn’t help his shoulders slumping forward.
“I’ve decided not to retire…” Rich repeated, “yet.”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s recently come to my attention that there is a lot more work to be done around here. I love my company and I’m proud of what I’ve built, but I can do better. I want to do better.”
It was the one of the first times, while meeting one-on-one with his boss, that Rich was talking about the future.
Their time together was usually spent revisiting the past, reminiscing the twists and turns that had led Rich to building an empire.
But there was a glint in Rich’s eyes that Rohit had never seen before, one that made him sit forward in his seat, every nerve ending on high alert.
“I think that’s very commendable,” Rohit ventured. “And I’m grateful that you’re allowing me to keep my job.”
“Oh, you won’t be a client manager anymore.”
He was being demoted. Rohit forced a polite smile as his heart dove into the pit of his stomach. “Well, still, I’m very grateful—”
“No, son. I still want you as my successor, but I want to spend some time making sure you’re equipped to be successful. I’m going to spend the next few years closely mentoring you to take over, and we’re going to make changes in that time so the staff here are equipped for success, too.”
“What kinds of changes?”
“I’m bringing in a board of directors. We’re going to restructure.
” Excitement threaded Rich’s words as his eyes took on a faraway look.
“I built something great here, something that some immigrants only dream for themselves. But I’m not done building my legacy yet.
There’s still more I wish to do.” His gaze refocused and he cocked his head.
“There’s more work to do for you , too. If you’re interested, I’d like to arrange for you to finish your MBA during this mentorship.
The company can help with the expenses.”
Again, Rohit knew he should be thankful, but something else was squirming its way into his heart, only this time, his shoulders pulled back.
During his entire career at Kumar Construction, he had adopted a go-with-the-flow persona in order to make himself indispensable to his superiors and popular with the rest of his staff.
And while he’d reaped many benefits in this role, he’d been oblivious, complacent, and, like Rich, too comfortable with a problematic status quo.
He’d allowed his family’s financial needs to dictate the course of his life, but he was the one who’d taken it too far and that ended now.
He couldn’t keep putting everyone’s needs and desires before his own.
“Or maybe I can pursue architecture,” he said.
The words sounded tentative to his ears and Rohit momentarily closed his eyes, reaching deep for the confidence and strength he’d seen Cynthia show so many times before when she stuck to her beliefs and went against the grain.
He found himself lifting his chin, and when he reopened his eyes and met Rich’s gaze, his voice was much more assertive.
“I’ve always wanted to be an architect. And with the company’s backing, I think it could help build your legacy and make this place better. ”
“An architect?” Rich leaned back in his chair, a surprised but pleased smile spreading across his face. “It’s certainly something we can discuss,” he said.
“Thank you, sir.”
“I forgot how exciting change can feel,” Rich mused.
While it sounded like the older man was talking to himself now, Rohit couldn’t help but ask, “What brought on this need for change anyway?”
“Cynthia.” There was no small amount of wonder in Rich’s voice. “This is all her.”
“Well then, it makes sense,” Rohit said. Realizing it sounded like an underhanded shot at the man who had secured his future, he tried to backtrack. “What I mean is—”
Rich lifted his hand to waylay him. “My daughter is really something, isn’t she?”
Rohit was in full agreement. “She’s incredible.”
“So, son,” Rich said. “Before we move forward, I have to ask: is there anything else about you that I should know?”
“Well, actually, sir, you should probably know…” Rohit reached for courage again, but this time, it was all his own and, to his delight, the words that followed were strong and firm: “I’m in love with your daughter.”