You step forward. “Hold up – can I just tell you something.”
She pauses, looking in your direction, but her body still facing down the hallway.
“I don’t want anything from you,” you assure her. “I just had to say: you are one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen.” Another woman rubbernecks as she strolls past you, with an appraising toe-to-head glance at Inez.
Inez raises an eyebrow in your direction. “And how many women have you tried that line on today?"
You shake your head. “Just you.” Then you stand back against the wall, acting as if your business is all finished.
“Well, thanks," she says. Then she turns and walks away.
You start to call after her, but realize you can't do so without making it clear that you actually had wanted something from her. You painted your own self into a corner with that one.
The fact of the matter is that it's been so long since you've asked anyone out that you have no idea how to do it anymore. But you've got all the time in the world, of course – literally – so there's no reason to stop trying. You jump back sixty seconds into the hallway full of people, half of them already texting someone on their phones.
Inez appears. You decide to
Or you can think better of it, deciding instead to