Page 71 of Don't Tell

He ends the call and sits down beside me.

"It's done."

He takes my hand, pulls me up off the couch, and walks me back through the private elevator, through the lobby, to the ballroom.

Roger is still there.

He is standing by the cart I left with the half-broken-down bar. Carmen is at the far end with the catering staff. Frank is atthe corner of the room. The whole staff has somehow found a reason to be in this room in the last forty minutes.

I don’t know how to look at any of them, but I keep my eyes on Roger.

Cade doesn’t raise his voice.

"Roger."

"Mr. Nightingale."

"As of approximately three minutes ago, the Cresswell's controlling ownership was transferred. Your employment is terminated."

"You can't…"

"You have until the end of the shift to collect your personal belongings. If you contact any member of this staff directly or indirectly, the new ownership will pursue you for breach of nondisclosure."

Roger's face has gone a color I've never seen on a person before.

He opens his mouth.

"Roger." Cade does not look away. "This is the third strike. I told you it would require more than an apology."

He turns and walks me out of the ballroom.

I don’t look back.

We are in the suite.

I sit on the couch, and Cade is on the armchair across from me. The shaking has stopped, but my hands are cold.

"You don't need to worry. I have you — rent, bills, whatever the gap is — until you decide what you want to do."

"No, Cade. I'm going to figure it out."

"Suzanne…"

"I'm not going to let you pay my rent. I’ve been taking care of myself since I was eighteen, and I didn’t need anyone’s help then. I’m not starting now."

He looks at me for a long second and doesn’t push.

"Okay."

He is quiet for a long moment.

"One of the calls I took earlier. That was Henry, my stepfather."

I wait.

"My father's funeral is this week. I wasn't going, but Henry asked me to come. He never asks me for anything ever, but he has that voice — the kind of father you can't say no to. So I'm going to go, and I want you to come with me."

I look at him and sit with it.