Chapter 15: Seven Years Late

Briggs's POV

I walked into Hatherton Hargrove at nine on Tuesday with Lena's hairpin still in my jacket pocket.

She had left it on the pillow.

It was the only thing of hers I could carry into this building.

The receptionist stood up when she saw me.

"Mr. Hargrove. We didn't know you were coming in."

"I'm half the name on the door," I said. "Where is he?"

"The glass room. He's with the Kestrel team."

I walked down the long corridor with every head in the open office turning to follow me.

Alister sat at the head of the conference table, with six of our project managers around it.

A model of the ski lodge stood in front of him.

He saw me through the glass wall, and he did not stop talking.

I opened the door.

"Everyone out," I said. "Alister and I need the room."

"We're mid-meeting," he said.

"The meeting's over."

Nobody moved.

Then the oldest of the managers, who had worked for us since the first year, picked up her laptop.

"Let's take ten," she said.

They filed out. They left the door open, and I did not close it.

Alister leaned back and laced his fingers.

"You look rested," he said. "I'm glad one of us is sleeping."

"You sent a doctor to a flower shop."

"I sent a friend to check on my wife."

"She recorded it. Forty people at your gala will hear it by the end of the week."

"Will they?" He smiled. "She'll have to get on the stage first."

I pulled out a chair and sat, because I wanted to be at his level when I said it.

"She's going on that stage, Alister. And before she does, you're going to resign as managing partner."