Chapter 29

Andrew

Two Months Later

Liam stood off to the side while I drank my coffee. A plate of French toast went uneaten in front of me. I rarely ate breakfast anymore. By the time lunch rolled around, my stomach was a pit of emptiness that had to be filled. I would scarf down something filling without tasting it. Food no longer interested me. Not much did.

“Can I get you more coffee, Mr. Andrew?” Liam asked.

“No,” I said firmly.

“How about a banana?” Liam pressed. “Something to put in your stomach before you get to work.”

“I’m fine,” I said.

“Mr. Andrew, I worry about you.”

“I said I’m fine,” I snapped, jerking my head up to glare at Liam. His eyebrows knitted together, but he fell silent all the same. He knew arguing was the worst thing he could have done.

We’d been playing this game for two months. Ever since Sophie left, my life had returned to normal. At least, that was what it seemed like from the outside.

I worked day and night. I slept the second my head hit my pillow, waking up before the sun each morning. Meals were quick and only meant to sustain me. I didn’t enjoy anything or anyone. The only people I spoke to were Liam and my clients. Even the Hopper employees knew not to bother me unless it was via email.

My mood was worse than ever. Before Sophie came into my life, I was a workaholic. But now, it was more than that. I couldn’t bring myself to focus on anything else. I didn’t care about anything else.

“I’ll be in my office,” I said, pushing away from the table.

Liam nodded. He didn’t speak. He just watched me walk away with concern in his eyes. I knew he was worried about me, but just like everything else, I didn’t care.

I disappeared into my office and closed the door with a snap. Finally, I could be alone to sulk and work. I threw myself into my job, enjoying the monotonous tasks that kept my mind occupied. If I allowed myself too much free time, I thought about Sophie.

Her face floated through my mind so often that I worried I’d never forget her. Those green eyes, that light brown hair, her petite stature, and curvy figure.

I daydreamed about her lips more often than not. I remembered how it felt to feel her lips pressed against mine, and every time I let myself, I got hard thinking about being inside of her.

It wasn’t often that I allowed my thoughts to get that far. Sophie broke me when she left. She took my heart and tore it from my chest. Now, I was nothing more than an empty shell. I went through the motions of my life, taking one day at a time but never truly feeling alive. Most of the time, I didn’t even feel awake. It was like my entire life had become a dream.

Just before lunch, my office phone rang sharply. I frowned and stared at it. My employees knew never to call me.

“This is Andrew Hopper,” I said as I pressed the phone to my ear.

“Mr. Hopper,” the voice said. “I’m calling on behalf of a client.”

“Which client?” I asked.

“They’ve asked that I keep their name private,” the woman said. “Is that all right?”

“Sure,” I said, frowning with confusion. “How can I help you?”

“You’re in possession of an old compass,” the woman said. She described the piece quickly. “The client wants to purchase it from you as soon as possible. They’re offering three thousand dollars.”

“For a compass?” I blinked.

“Yes,” the woman said. “Is that price acceptable?”

“I need to locate the compass before I can agree to anything,” I said.

“Take your time,” the woman said simply.

“Please hold.”

I put her on hold and then pulled up the catalogue on my computer. Every piece in our collection was in the system with a picture and an accurate description. The price estimate for the compass was just under one hundred dollars.

I stared blankly at the picture of the compass. Who would pay three thousand dollars for something like that?

“Are you there?” I asked as I picked up the phone again.

“Yes,” the woman said. “Did you find the compass?”

“I did,” I said. “You’re sure about the price?”

“Positive.”

My instinct was to correct her, to tell her she was offering way too much money, but I stopped myself. The company needed money. Despite all the help Sophie gave us, we were still getting back on our feet. I wasn’t in the position to turn down so much money.

“I’ll have someone bring over the compass today,” I said simply. “Can I have an address to meet your client?”

“No,” the woman said. “The client requested that you bring the compass yourself.”

I frowned. That didn’t make sense. I was the owner of the company. No one ever requested that I personally deliver an item. It was understood that my time was far too precious to run errands.

“I’m not sure that’s possible,” I said. “I’m a very busy man.”

“That’s the deal,” the woman said firmly. “They will only purchase the compass if it is delivered by you.”

I wanted to say no, but something stopped me. My curiosity was piqued.

“Okay,” I said. “That’s fine. I’ll pick up the compass and bring it this afternoon. Where am I going?”

“A coffee shop in town,” the woman said. She gave me the address and then said a quick goodbye.

I was left staring at the phone in disbelief. This was by far the oddest exchange I’d ever had. When I looked back at my computer screen, the compass was still staring back at me. It was old and grimy, broken beyond repair. There was no way this compass was worth three thousand dollars.

Shaking my head, I stood up and headed to the storage warehouse to collect the compass, eager to meet the person so hell-bent on having it.