"It is." I gave her a nod.
She held my eyes for one beat. Then she straightened up slowly with the cup. "Beau has been here every day. So has his brother. So has Suzanne. Theo flew in from Monaco when he heard."
She didn't say anything else. She didn't need to. She'd told me where her son was every day, and she'd told me without asking me to do anything about it.
“Cade, dad's tea.” Beau reminded the dark-haired man.
Cade touched Vivienne's shoulder. "Mom, let's go give Henry his tea."
"Yes." Vivienne nodded once at me. "Excuse me."
She moved down the corridor. Cade and Suzanne went with her. Theo turned and gave Bonnie a wave that was about half a salute and half a wink, and Suzanne touched my arm on her way past.
Beau didn't move.
He waited until they were eight feet down the corridor before he stepped a half step closer. He kept his voice low.
"What did the doctor say?"
I shook my head once. "I can't do this here."
He didn't push. "Okay."
The man at the far end of the corridor stepped out of the stairwell.
He was in a charcoal suit two sizes too big at the shoulders. He had a black folder under his arm. His jaw was set hard, and his shoulders were forward, and he had taken the stairs.
I knewhim.
I'd poured him whiskey. He'd paid me forty dollars for thirty dollars' worth of pour. He'd told me he was hoping to talk to the owner of the foundation that night.
He cleared his throat — across the corridor, deliberately, asking for permission to interrupt — and then he came toward us.
"Mr. Cross."
Beau turned.
"I'm sorry to interrupt." The man stopped two feet from Beau. He held the folder against his ribs, not yet offering it. "My name is Simon Kessler. I've been trying to reach you. Five minutes is all I'm asking. My son is Dylan. He's on the waitlist."
Beau looked at him for one beat.
He turned to me. His voice was level. "Excuse me."
I nodded.
He stepped away with Simon Kessler down the corridor. They stopped about fifteen feet off, near the window at the end of the hall. Simon was talking. Beau was listening — head bent toward the smaller man, nodding small, careful nods at whatever Simon was telling him.
Simon held out the folder.
Beau took it.
They shook hands.
Simon walked away.
Beau came back to where Bonnie and I were standing. He had the folder in one hand. He didn't immediately look at me.
"Who was that?" I said.
