Chapter 21: Table for Two

Thane's POV

On Friday at ten to six, I stood at the door of the Lakeshore Room with my own card in my hand.

It was the same door, the same carpet and the same manager.

She came out from behind the host stand and stopped when she saw me.

I watched her remember.

"Mr. Rayburn," she said. "Welcome back."

"A table for two, please. Eight o'clock."

"Of course."

"The deposit is twenty thousand dollars."

She hesitated, and I realized she was waiting for me to ask who would pay.

"I'll pay it," I said. "On this card. Now."

I handed it over.

She ran it with both hands, and the machine printed a slip.

She tore it off and held it out to me.

This time she looked me in the eye.

"It's refundable against the bill," she said. "And I'm sorry about the other night. I should have said something."

"You had a job to do. I'm the one who should have said something."

She nodded.

I signed the slip and walked into the empty room, and for a moment I just stood there.

It was a long table under a low chandelier, set for twelve.

Two weeks ago I had stood at its door and told the best account director I had ever hired not to lie to me.

I had said it low and calm, so nobody could say I shouted.

I had been so sure.

At seven-fifty I stood by the window with a cold glass of water, more nervous than before any board meeting.