Page 20 of Date with Destiny

He follows me across the store and I’m suddenly acutely aware of my butt. In the office I take a seat, finding the chair more uncomfortable than usual, as Toni hovers at the door.

‘Can I get you a tea?’ she offers Zach hopefully. ‘Coffee?Or something to eat? I read in that interview that you like M&S cookies – I can run out and get some for you?’

Zach shoots me an awkward look, before turning back to Toni. ‘That’s really nice, and I do actually love their cookies, but I swear to you, I’m not that actor.’ He pauses. ‘A coffee would be wonderful though, if that’s possible.’

‘Of course,’ she winks slowly, backing out of the doorway. ‘I hear you.’

Alone at last, I clear my throat. ‘I’m really sorry about that. My sister, Toni, she’s—’

He waves away my apology. ‘She’s lovely,’ he says with warmth. ‘It’s flattering, I’m sure.’ He pauses. ‘Unless the actor she’s thinking of is Steve Buscemi?’

I laugh. ‘I think Steve Buscemi is quite charming-looking actually.’

He cocks his head, revealing a teasing half-smile that hides those white teeth. ‘You do? Well, that’s me told. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I guess.’

‘I think you’re safe though,’ I tell him. ‘Toni’s only twenty-three – I’m not sure she would even know who Steve Buscemi is.’

‘Gosh! Twenty-three…’ He raises his eyebrows. ‘What’s that like?’

‘No idea.’ I relate to his bemusement. ‘She’s a lot younger than me, and sometimes it feels like we come from different planets.’

Toni arrives back with the coffee then, placing it down on the desk, along with a piece of paper and a pen.

‘Thank you!’ Zach says nicely, as Toni leans down, getting too close to his face.

‘I know you’re having a meeting,’ she says in hushed tones, ‘but when you’re done, would you mind signing that for me? It’s Toni with an I,’ she gestures at the paper, slipping out of the room before he can respond.

Zach and I look at each other for a long moment and then – simultaneously – we burst out laughing.

‘If I knew the name of this guy she thinks I am,’ he says through amusement, ‘I actually would sign this for her!’

‘She clearly doesn’t know his name either!’ I am belly laughing now. ‘You could sign whatever name you like! You could be Tom Cruise – why not!’

‘Oh god no!’ He looks horrified. ‘Not him! I want to be someone cool!’

‘Unfortunately, I’m not cool enough to know who’s cool,’ I shrug helplessly.

‘Me neither,’ he shakes his head, rubbing an eye.

The laughter trails off, and for a second we’re left just smiling at one another in a strange moment of bonding.

I clear my throat at last. ‘I guess we should get to business!’

‘Right,’ he nods, holding eye contact for a fraction too long. ‘Business.’

I look down at my notepad, feeling a little awkward – a littlewatched.

‘So then,’ I cough again. ‘Um, Zach, how did Walliams Custom Designs come about? Have you been designing jewellery long?’ I try for job interview authority andimmediately know I have fallen short. He takes a second to answer, and when he does, I find myself staring at his throat instead of his face.

‘Well,’ his Adam’s apple bobs lightly, ‘I set up the brand about eighteen months ago. Before then, I worked as a designer for a few years, making logos and marketing stuff for a very boring ad agency.’ He smiles and I try to meet his eyes.

I know I have to be professional, but something about him is throwing me off. He’s giving off distinctlyunprofessional signals.

He continues, ‘I started designing and creating jewellery on the side because I needed a creative outlet.’ He pauses and I force myself to look up into his eyes. He is watching my mouth. ‘Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed my job. I loved the creative side of it, but it was quite frustrating working for a bunch of sixty-something men who kept telling me to add more stars to everything.’

I laugh, feeling him studying me. ‘I’ve never worked in a proper office – it sounds so grown up.’

He smiles, his big eyes blacker than before. ‘You’ve always worked here?’

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