Eyes full of stars | ✔️

Chapter 14: Daisy

The waiter served us, we started eating and I decided it was time to have a talk.

"Tell me about Daisy" I said.

Toby glanced at me, but there was no anger or accusation in that gaze, only surprise. I guessed he imagined that Sebastian had informed me about the matter. He took a sip of soup and I could tell he was a bit embarrassed when he replied "Daisy... my wife." He took more sips before going on. "She lives in Nantucket with our son. She's from there, you know."

I blinked. "She's American? Sebastian told me that she and you moved together to the United States."

He glanced at me again, playing with his spoon. "Daisy's family moved here in London when she was a toddler. They have been in the American exhibition industry for three generations. The Miller's Trade is like... the San Diego Comic Con for artists, architects, designers and so on."

"Her name is Daisy Miller?" I breathed. "Like the girl of the book?"

Wow. I had met a Maria Bertram once, but the name of a secondary character from a Jane Austen's novel was nothing compared to the name of the main character from a novella by Henry James that was also its title! How cool was that?

Toby smiled. "Correct. This namesake would haunt her during high school and college years. I have always thought it was cool. Her name is Daisy Reynolds now, anyway."

"So... when did you guys meet?" I asked, putting a piece of cracker in my soup.

"High school." Toby started into the space outside the window. "We met during a summer break before sophomore year. Daisy, Sebastian and I. We have been inseparable ever since; Daisy fighting for human rights, Sebastian breaking hearts and I... just pursuing my dream of becoming an architect, I guess." He grinned, more to himself than to me. "After college, Daisy's father offered me a job as lead architect of his permanent exhibition in Nantucket, so I accepted it. We got married ten years ago, Sebastian was my best man."

I smiled at the thought. "What do you think..." I cleared my throat "... of Sebastian and I being a couple?"

For the second time that day, Toby's amber eyes pierced me right in my very soul. "I think it's cool" he answered after what I felt like a very long time. "He's my best friend and it was about time he found his special someone."

My heart was beating so fast at this point. "And I'm that special someone?"

His eyes didn't move from mine. "You are."

Positive energy and happiness overwhelmed me. Being defined Sebastian's special someone was beyond amazing!

I was about to ask Toby about his son, when someone stopped by our table.

"Hiiii guyyyyssss!" squeaked the voice straight out of my nightmares.

Toby and I turned around to see Amanda standing there, tall, thin and pretty. With that annoying fake smile on her face.

"Hey, Amanda" Toby greeted her.

I simply waved at her, doing my best to hide my annoyance towards her.

"Oh, everything is going AMAZING, actually!" she exclaimed in total excitement.

Damn, were there batteries inside of her or something?

She stretched out her left arm and showed us her perfectly manicured hand... and a huge diamond ring on her finger.

"I'm engaaaaaged!" she shouted, skipping like a five-year-old on Christmas morning.

Don't get me wrong, I would have skipped like a five-year-old on Christmas morning too for my favorite characters of a television series kissing for the first time, for the arrival of the pizza delivery guy and for taking a picture with a celebrity during Comic Con. However, I would have never jumped like an idiot in front of colleagues and total strangers. But I was willing to let her off the hook in this case.

"Wow" Toby kindly commented, more out of politeness than real interest. "Congratulations."

"Congratulations" I mumbled. "I didn't know you were dating someone" I added, before I could stop myself.

But Amanda didn't pay much attention to what people said because the world revolved around her, even if they were complimenting her. She was one of those persons who would take everything for granted. In that precise moment, she was taking for granted that I was happy for her, that I was envying her and that I wanted to know every detail of her love story. She was so wrong!

She put her wide open green eyes on me and proudly said "Oh, it was a secret, you know! My fiancé is Nasser Al Amoudi."

An awkward silence followed. Toby and I exchanged looks. Neither of us had the slightest idea of who this Nasser Al Amoudi was, but it was clear from Amanda's tone that she expected us both to recognize his name straightforward. As if she had mentioned Prince William or Elton John.

Toby was the one expressing out loud what we both were thinking. "Sorry, I'm not sure to know who he is."

Amanda chuckled. "Ahah! It's okay! Well, he is the heir of one of the richest Saudi families in the entire world! He's also owner of half of the most important fashion stores in the United Kingdom! He's very famous, you know! Our marriage had to be approved by his family, so we needed to keep everything secret until their decision."

For the second time in five minutes, I couldn't help myself speaking. "And what if they didn't approve?" I asked, curious.

She didn't change her attitude, still treating me like her long-lost sister. "I love him very much" she simply said. "I would marry him even if they disinherit him."

She had spoken with such pride that I almost believed her and empathized with her, but all I could really feel was relief that she wouldn't have flirted with Sebastian - anymore - and deep pity for that poor Nasser guy. I hoped he was one of those wealthy people who only wanted a trophy wife, because Amanda couldn't have been more appropriate for that kind of role.

Thankfully, Amanda's phone rang right after she mentioned she would sent us the announcements of her wedding and she left the bar.

"Will you attend her wedding?" I asked Toby, standing up to put on my jacket and purse.

"I guess I'm forced to, since we are colleagues" he said, following me on my way to the cashier. "I'm not very fond of weddings, ceremonies and big parties whatsoever. I will find an excuse to leave before the reception begins."

"You are so boring" I laughed. "Promise me that, should I ever get married" - hopefully, with Sebastian - "you will attend my wedding from the first to the last second of it."

He smiled, amber eyes full of stars. "I promise."