"Do you know her or something?" Daniel asked, giving me a light nudge in the ribs as he leaned forward with an all-too-obvious smile. "Because if not, buddy, I think you should introduce yourself. You were staring at her like she just cracked the meaning of life or something."
"I wasn't staring," I replied unconvincingly, turning my gaze back to my half-full frappuccino. The caffeine wasn't helping with the exhaustion of the day. Daniel, however, didn't seem willing to drop the subject.
"Oh, really? Because I could've sworn your eyes were laser-pointing her soul at least three times. What's the deal? An ex? A future girlfriend? Give me something, Sack, don't leave me hanging."
"It's nothing," I muttered, shrugging. But in my head, the image of the girl—Lindsay—was still vivid. Sure, I'd seen her before at the store, but I didn't expect to run into her again so soon.
I rolled my eyes and glanced toward the door where she had exited. That's when I noticed something I hadn't registered before. On the floor, near where she had been sitting, there was a small bottle. It looked like one of those vitamin or supplement containers.
"What's up?" Daniel asked, following my gaze.
I pointed at the bottle.
"I think it's hers. She must've dropped it when she left."
Daniel leaned closer to inspect it and then burst out laughing.
"Iron supplements? Is she anemic?"
I ignored him and stood up, walking over to pick it up. I grabbed the bottle and turned it over in my hands. The label confirmed what I already suspected—it belonged to her. Lindsay.
"Are you going to return it or what?" Daniel asked.
I stared at the bottle for a second longer before slipping it into the pocket of my jacket.
"Maybe."
"That's a yes!" Daniel declared dramatically, as if he'd just witnessed a love confession. "Dude, I need to be there when this happens. I want to see it all: the awkward moment, the grateful look, the start of their epic love story."
I shook my head, trying to ignore him as I returned to my seat. But the truth was, I had no idea what I was going to do.
-----------------
Several days passed, and the bottle was still in the pocket of my jacket. It wasn't that I cared much, but every time I reached into my pocket for my keys or something else, the bottle would appear there, like a constant reminder. "Return it," a voice in my head said. "Or just throw it away," another suggested. I couldn't decide, so I left it there.Today, however, I couldn't think too much about it. My father had other plans for me.
"Get dressed formally, Sack. We're going to an important party tonight." His voice echoed from the living room as I tried to enjoy a quick lunch. I looked at my half-eaten sandwich and sighed.
"What party?" I asked, though I knew I didn't have a choice. When my father said "we're going," what he really meant was "you're going, whether you like it or not."
"The Grove family is hosting a reception at the Waldorf Astoria. They own the Sapphire Grove Hospital, does that ring a bell?" he said in a tone that clearly implied I should be impressed.
Of course, I'd heard of the hospital. It was famous, almost legendary. But that didn't make the idea of attending the party any more appealing.
"And what does that have to do with me?" I grumbled.
"They're planning to expand the hospital and need properties. They want to talk business, and it would be good for you to be present. You know, to make connections." His tone was direct and cutting, as always.
"Great," I muttered, slumping into my chair. There was nothing I dreaded more than spending an evening surrounded by important strangers pretending to care about topics I didn't understand.
"Oh, and wear something decent. None of your usual sweatshirts, got it?" he added before leaving the room.
I stared at my sandwich, now completely without appetite, and sighed again. This was going to be a disaster.