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“We re-signed the acquisition of Benson Digital’s manufacturing arm to Amalgamated so the ownership goes back to your uncle and the original shareholders,” Conner said. “Since all we were really interested in was licensing the patents, we decided to work a deal that gave us the rights to license the patents, but let Allen retain ownership of the company and the manufacturing arm.”
“And Reed went along with that?” I asked, not believing his words. I thought they were putting me on. “And the partners at Price?”
Conner smiled and gave me a nod. “Reed and the other partners were only interested in the long-term gain from the patent licenses. Since we were going to resell the manufacturing operation anyway, this is win/win for everyone involved.”
“Win/win?” I said. I had to smile. “Wow, have you ever worked a deal that you didn’t come out on top? I thought the Conner McGee mantra was ‘win and fuck the other guy’.”
Conner shrugged and shoved his hands into his pockets. He said, “That did not have to be the case here. And the result is the same. Allen retains his company and gets a huge payout for the licensing. And Price profits from brokering the licensing deals.”
I stared at Uncle Allen for a moment. He seemed truly pleased.
“You’re okay with licensing the patents?” I asked.
“I am,” he said, nodding. “I was hesitant at first. Then Conner showed me the math. It was a no brainer.”
I put a hand on Allen’s arm. “And the cancer? I thought you wanted to take a break.”
“I can still step away from the company to get treatment,” he said. “I have a great team in place that’ll keep things going while I’m away.” He looked at Conner and smiled, something I never thought I would see. “It truly is a win/win deal.”
“Win/win,” Conner said.
“Wow.” It was the only thing I could think of to say. So, I said it again. “Wow.”
“And now, you two need to talk,” Allen said, putting his hands on my shoulders and leaning down to look me in the eye. “I’m very happy with the way things have turned out. I want you to be happy, too.”
“I’m happy,” I said, lying badly.
“You’re not as happy as you could be,” Allen said. He glanced at Conner, then back at me. “I’m gonna go help your old man behind the bar. You kids talk. Work things out.” He turned to Conner. “And remember, son, she has six, very large brothers inside that bar. And I’m
betting they’re all drunk and looking for a fight about now. Don’t give them one.”
“Don’t worry,” Conner said with a smile. “I’m a lover, not a fighter.”
“Remember that,” Allen said to me as he headed for the door, I felt Conner’s hand on my back. A wave of passion swept through me that I hadn’t felt since the last time we touched. I turned to look at him with tears in my eyes.
“You did this?” I asked. “You made this happen.”
“I played a part,” he said.
“But why? I don’t understand. You had everything you wanted. You had won.”
“I decided to do the right thing,” he said. “I felt terrible about the way things turned out. That’s not what was supposed to happen. You must know that I never meant to use you in any way. The fact that you were Allen Benson’s niece, it was just a strange coincidence.”
“It was?”
“I had thought about you ever since New Year’s Eve. When I saw you in that conference room sitting next to Allen I knew it was fate. Or the luck of the Irish. Whatever you want to call it. You make me feel things that I’ve never felt before. And after the deal was done, and you wouldn’t talk to me, wouldn’t give me a chance to explain… well, I knew I had to do something to prove myself to you. You make me want to be a better man, Katie O’Hara. I…”
“You what?” I asked.
He looked deeply into my eyes and said the words we both felt in our hearts.
He said, “I love you.”
He held out his hands and I put my fingers into his palms. When his fingers closed around mine, I felt little tingles web up my arms and all across my body.
“You love me?”
He smiled and squeezed my hands. “I do.”
