Chapter 503

• One o’clock,” I said, confirming the time, and I added, “See ya there,” and she got up and walked back towards the stairway to the stage.
• I sat back in my chair, put my coffee on the table, and thought, Did Trish Collett just make a lunch date with me?
• For the next couple of hours I walked around the complex, talking to people, doing what I was getting paid to do, looking at exhibits, taking lost kids back to their parents, and occasionally going back to join the audience watching the acts on stage, and listening to the announcements. I saw Trish a few times, announcing some of the performers, looking so poised and confident, in front of a crowd, holding her mike, in her stylish red dress, and I thought of the pretty, smiling country girl in that same stylish red dress, who had sat with me over coffee, asking me to have lunch with her, hesitating like she thought I might not be interested. The same person, but somehow different. I realised I was looking forward to lunch a little more than usual.