Page 55 of His Long-Lost Baby
The elevator doors open, and I step outside and into the busy lobby, waiting to see what Rose has to say.
But then the dots disappear. She hasn’t responded.
Which is probably for the best. I’m ready to cut off all ties from the past and move forward.
I’ve never seen myself in a committed relationship, but after the time spent with Billie I’m feeling different.
I stride across the lobby and into the part of the hotel where the conference is happening. I hated leaving her in the hotel room, but soon enough all this schmoozing will be over and we’ll have some time to ourselves once more.
“Hey, James!” Stephen Leigh, CEO of one of the biggest tech companies in the world, calls out to me from across the room.
I force a smile, not really in the mood for small talk. “Hey, Stephen. How’s the conference treating you?” I ask, trying to sound interested.
Stephen launches into a ten-minute long speech about the conference and how important it is for the future of tech. I nod along, not really paying attention to what he’s saying.
All I can think about is Billie’s smile, her laugh, and the way she makes me feel.
Finally, Stephen finishes his speech and excuses himself to go mingle with some other tech giants.
There are more people waiting to talk to me, though. I see their eyes glistening with excitement and can nearly hear the pitches they’re mentally running over.
“Mr. Garris.” An eager young man approaches me. “It’s such an honor, sir. I’ve been following your work for years and I just wanted to say—”
“That’s very kind of you,” I say, cutting him off. “But I’m afraid I’m pressed for time. Is there something specific you wanted to discuss with me?”
The young man’s face falls, but he quickly recovers and launches into his pitch. I listen half-heartedly, nodding along without really hearing what he’s saying.
Finally, the young man finishes. I’m about to step away when I’m approached by someone else.
Then someone else.
This is what conferences are about, and I expected it, but I’ve never disliked the whole matter this much.
I excuse myself from the fifth conversation and take a step back — and bump right into someone.
“Oh! Excuse me!” I turn around to face the person I’ve hit.
It’s a man who looks oddly familiar, but I can’t quite place him.
“James Garris.” He smiles broadly at me.
I nod at him and smile back, but I still don’t know if we’ve met before or if he merely recognizes me.
“Richard Sims,” he says, offering his hand for a shake.
The light turns on in my brain. That’s right — Richard Sims. I invested in his DNA app a few years back.
“Richard.” I shake his hand. “How are things?”
His smile turns into a smirk. “Well, they’re about to get a lot better now that I’m talking to the one and only James Garris.”
I laugh. “What can I do for you, Richard?”
“I actually wanted to talk to you about my latest project.” He gestures towards his smartwatch. “We’ve been working on integrating some new features into this, and I think you’d be interested in investing.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Oh really? Tell me more.”
As he launches into his pitch, I can’t help but feel grateful for the break in the monotony of the conference. Unlike the other people I’ve talked to, Richard is genuinely passionate about his project. His excitement is contagious and I find myself getting pulled into the conversation.