Page 19 of Date with Destiny

‘Try to calm down, Tone,’ I swallow a laugh. ‘You have a boyfriend, remember? And we’ve had famous people in here before.’

I check my watch; the Walliams’ Custom Designs people are due soon, so I need to stop sweating and check my lipstick before meeting this insanely talented group. I so desperately want to impress them. I’ve been polishing glass cases aroundthe store all morning – something I know sounds like a euphemism, but isn’t.

‘Mainly our mum,’ Toni pouts. ‘Not really,reallysexy famous people. Nothim. Oh my god, should I go talk to him? Should I offer to help?’

‘I mean, youcoulddo your job, I guess?’ I give her a half smile and she swallows hard, suddenly looking very young and vulnerable. I stroke her back. ‘Is it too much?’ I ask nicely. ‘Shall I offer to help instead? I’ll have to be quick though, I have this meeting.’

‘No, it’s fine, I can do it!’ she says determinedly – and then her face crumbles. ‘No, I can’t.’ She shakes her head. ‘I’m sorry, you’ll have to do it. I don’t think I can… I mean he’s too… he’s justglorious, Ginny, look at him!’

She’s right, he is.

I steel myself, straightening my blazer before making the approach.

‘Hello, can I help at all?’ My voice is a little high-pitched, but I’m proud a real, fully formed sentence managed to emerge from my mouth.

The TV star turns to face me, smiling the most dazzling of smiles, teeth white and straight. ‘Hello!’ His voice is deep and I realize he’s older than I’d thought. Probably older than me – maybe mid-thirties? I would say he’s too old for Toni, but Shawn isn’t far off that…

‘You must be Ginny?’

I blink, surprised. ‘Oh? I mean, yes I am!’ I say after a moment’s confused silence.

‘Zach Walliams.’ He offers me his hand and I blink at it, baffled.

‘Hi?’ I say hesitantly, still confused. Was he in one of the Marvel movies?

His brow furrows. ‘We have a meeting?’ he adds after another long second.

‘Oh my god!’ The cloud clears. ‘Of course! You’re from Walliams’ Custom Designs – I’m so sorry!’

He laughs lightly. ‘Well, technically, IamWalliams’ Custom Designs. I’m a one-man operation.’

‘Wow.’ I am genuinely awed. ‘You do all that by yourself? That’s really impressive.’

He blushes and it is so adorable I want to touch the pinkness of his cheeks.

Toni is suddenly at my arm, her breath short and hot. ‘Hi!’ she squeals. ‘Can I just say I loved you in that show.’

Zach cocks his head, confusion lining that beautiful face. ‘Show? What show?’

‘That Netflix thing.’ She sounds impatient. ‘I can’t remember the name, but I loved it so much! I got everyone I know to watch it. I even made my boyfriend—’ She stops abruptly at this, paling. ‘I mean, I don’t have a boyfriend. Or, I kind of do, but y’know, it’s very casual and—’

‘Toni,’ I warn in a low voice and she puts a hand to her mouth.

‘Oh god, sorry. Idohave a boyfriend really, I don’t know why I said that! I feel terrible. Please don’t tell Shawn I said that! We’ve been together for years! I’m sorry!’

‘I won’t tell him!’ Zach reassures her. ‘But I think you’ve got the wrong end of the stick. I’m not in any Netflix show—’

‘Amazon Prime!’ Toni shrieks. ‘I meant Amazon Prime, I’m sorry!’

‘No, no…’ Zach looks even more concerned. ‘I mean I’m not an actor at all – I never have been.’ He pauses. ‘Well, I was in a school pantomime when I was seven, but I froze up and started crying on stage. Never lived it down.’ He smiles widely at me and I beam back, picturing this adorable little guy humiliating himself in front of a sea of judgy parents.

‘No…’ Toni is shaking her head. ‘No, you’re definitely that guy—’ She stops short, a smile slowly creeping across her face. ‘Ohhhh, right, OK, yeah, you’re totallynothim!’ She winks at Zach. ‘I get you! Totally understand. Our mum is famous, too, and it is so annoying being constantly pestered.’

‘No, really!’ Zach looks a bit panicked now. ‘I promise it’s not me! I’m a freelance designer.’

Toni winks again, leaning forward to lightly elbow him. ‘No of course not! Nudge nudge, wink wink! I get it.’ In a stage whisper she adds, ‘But I really did love you on that Amazon Prime show.’

‘Um, please ignore her, Zach!’ I swallow hard, gesturing towards the back. ‘Come on through to the office.’

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