Page 38 of Don't Tell

He’s just that delusional.

"I'm sorry," he says, still struggling to maintain an emotion on his face. "Am I boring you?"

The room goes quiet.

This is exactly what I need — a reason to end this meeting early so I can get through the day and return to Suzanne. I consider him. "If you were saying anything interesting," I tell him, "I probably would have been listening."

Neil's mouth opens. It closes.

I push back from the table and stand. "We'll revisit this on Thursday. I want revised projections by the end of the day tomorrow." I pick up my phone and my jacket from the back of the chair. "Meeting's adjourned."

No one argues. They rarely do.

I take the long way back to my office — down the east corridor, past the framed acquisitions on the wall.

I need to see her, but I can't leave yet. My desk is stacked with three contracts that have been waiting for too long.

I push through my office door, drop into my chair, and pull the top folder toward me. The work is not complicated. It requires only that I stay in my body and inside the room, which is harder this morning than it should be.

My phone vibrates against the desk. It’s my mother. I know why she’s calling. We haven’t revisited the topic since she last called. My answer hasn’t changed. I know I’m about to disappoint her, but I answer anyway.

“Hi, honey. How’s work going?”

Her voice is sweet and gentle. She’s working up to it. She should know me well enough by now to know that wouldn’t work with me.

“Work is fine, Mom. Are you doing okay?”

“Oh…you know me. Just having a ball. Look…”Here it comes.“We have a date for the service. It’s next month. On your dad’s birthday.”

5th of April. I’m annoyed that I still remember. "I already told you. I'm not going. That hasn't changed."

The line is quiet for a moment. In the background of wherever she is, I can hear a door opening, a few low murmurs. Then she says, "Henry would like to speak with you."

"I'll call him," I say.

"When?"

"When I have a moment."

“Really, Cade. Sometimes I wonder why you’re so cold. We’re trying to be there for you. You can’t just go around feeling nothing.”

“I feel plenty, Mom. Just not for Jonathan.”

“How can you say that? He was still…”

My desk phone buzzes. I reach over and press the intercom. "Yes, James?”

"There’s a Mr. Maddox here to see you. He says it’s urgent."

I smile to myself.Interesting. So he finally grew the balls to come here himself. I've been wondering when he'd arrive. “Give me two minutes, then let him in.” I turn my attention back to my mom. “I have to go. I have a meeting to attend to.”

“Fine. But I’ll call you back, whether you like it or not. And you better answer.” She ends the call before I get the chance to.

Maddox comes in three minutes later, wearing a black Armani suit. He’s the spitting image of his father, except he’s not balding yet. His blonde hair is still present.

His dark eyes land on me, and he grins. It’s the hard opposite of the expression on his face the last time I saw him.

"Nightingale!" He strolls in confidently. I don’t move from my chair. It appears Maddox might not be as easily intimidatedas I thought, but that doesn’t matter much. He won’t get what he came here for.