I straightened and pushed the door open like nothing and I hadn’t been standing there listening.
“Do you have the key to the cellar?” I asked, then cleared my throat. “A guest wants something vintage.”
Marlon looked at me for a second. Then nodded.
“Yeah. I’ll take you down.”
“I can do it by myself.”
“You don’t know where it is.”
“Then Lavender can show me.”
“I sent her and your little TaskRabbit home for the day.”
That irritated me more than it should’ve.
“Why?”
“This lil’ event you got going on has shut down production for the day. Don’t make sense having unnecessary staff on the payroll.”
“Hm,” I tilted my head. “You just getting rid of everybody you think is unnecessary, huh?”
He didn’t react. He just gave me the same flat, blank look I imagined.
Like nothing touched him and none of this, none of us, meant anything.
Wyatt stepped closer then. “Rory. Don’t worry about me, okay? I’ll be good.”
Before I could respond, his hand came up, resting on my head for a second in a familiar pat that caught me off guard.
“I need some air,” he said instead. “Come see me when you’re free, okay?”
“Okay,” I said.
My voice came out strong. I made sure of that. I wanted both of them to know just how strong I was for some reason.
He nodded once then walked out, brushing past me.
The room felt different the second he left and I didn’t look at Marlon right away.
I didn’t trust what I’d show if I did, so I focused on the task.
“I took no joy in that,” he said after a while. “It’s a hard thing to do, but I?—”
“The cellar,” I cut him off. “Let’s just get it over with.”
The elevator doors closed,but Marlon didn’t press the button. He just stood there across from me, one hand braced near the panel, watching me while I tried to keep my face straight.
“Aurora.”
I stared at the brushed steel doors. “What?”
He didn’t answer, he gave me a second. Then quieter, “…Aurora.”
I let out a slow breath. “…yes.”
“Why are you upset with me?”
