Chapter 98

I exhaled deeply, lowering my gaze to avoid letting my emotions get the best of me. I didn't want to dwell too much on the sadness of that little girl whom I had only known for a few days. I could only be out of the hospital for a short while. I'd have to return in the afternoon for another IV drip. I turned to Darren. "How about we grab a bite to eat?" He nodded. We headed toward a bustling pasta place. As we stood in line, a tall, thin man bumped hard into my shoulder, sending me stumbling back a few steps. Darren was quick to catch me, his arm wrapping protectively around my shoulders as he focused his gaze on the man. The stranger looked up at me, muttering a hurried apology before walking away. I recognized him even with the brim of his baseball cap pulled low. "Andy?" I said in surprise. The moment the name left my lips, Darren's tone sharpened. "That's him? That's Andy?" I nodded. "What's wrong?" "You stay here and eat. I'll catch up with you later." Without another wo