Page 55 of Date with Destiny

I am trying not to cry. I’m trying really, really hard. ‘That is totally beautiful,’ I say in a quiet voice.

‘They don’t have to be expensive,’ she says, embarrassed by my too-pure reaction. ‘But maybe one of them will be. The final ring; the one she wears day to day.’

‘That’s perfect,’ I reply, blinking fast. ‘Because honestly turquoise stones are quite low on the density scale.’ I switch into professional mode, trying to pull myself from an emotional edge. ‘It means they’re a bit soft to be used as an everyday ring.’

‘Right,’ Myfanwy nods, amused. ‘I know you thinkeveryone should have diamonds, but I want to go through every option, OK? I’m going to work you hard.’ She smirks.

‘Fine by me!’ I grin.

See, this engagement concierge thing surely has legs? So many people want help with their big moment. Maybe I should bring it back up with Celeste. But she was so anti the idea, and so caught up with her big expansion plan. She’s had herLove Islandstars in the store twice now, talking through their genuinely hideous range. I assumed the whole thing would be an email swapped between agents, but I think the lure of working directly with Celeste – with a potential cameo spot up for grabs onEngage!– is too big a pull for a reality star. We’re also going to visit the new store in a couple of weeks. I’m dreading it.

‘And then once you’re married,’ I sing in a posh voice. ‘Of course, darling, you’ll have to start thinking of names for your children. Have you considered iPhone as a name? Or iPad? They’re very popular, I hear.’

Myfanwy nods. ‘Actually darling, I’ve been thinking about Hero Styles, what do you think?’

‘Oh darling, that’s captivating. Is that Harry Styles’ brother?’

‘No darling, it’s a headline on my new fashion blog.’

‘Of course!’

We fall about laughing, as Myfanwy rewinds the parts ofMarried at First Sightwe’ve talked over and then snuggles back into the bed to watch. But all we do is talk over it again.

I am just about to fall back to sleep, my hangover humming, when my phone beeps. I hope it’s not Celeste again.Sleepily I pick it up, registering the name and feeling adrenaline zig-zagging through my body.

It’s Daniel.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Sometimes my brain feels like it’s a washing machine. One of those fancy washing machines with like, fifteen settings that no one really understands or uses, like ‘Sports’ or ‘Denim’. I mean what does any of that mean, really? What does a ‘Sports’ cycle do? Whatever, I think it’s what’s happening in my brain right now. My head is on some kind of confusing spin cycle where I knowsomethingis going on, but I couldn’t tell you what. Someone has pushed the wrong button and every time I try to focus on my life and make some decisions, my brain starts a brand-new wash, with everything sloshing about in all directions. I don’t know how long it’ll go on for, how hot it’s going to get in there, and whether anything of use is going to come out at the end of it.

It’s been a week since Toni’s birthday, when I ‘reconnected’ with Mikey. A week since Daniel textedagainasking to meet up. A week since I pissed Celeste off more than ever before by staying out all night without telling her. She’s barely spoken to me since, aside from a daily aggressive,‘WHAT TIME WILL YOU BE COMING HOME TONIGHT?’ over our cereal. Followed by an even more aggressive threat to pick me up straight from the store when my shift ends. It means I’ve been too afraid to see Mikey again, never mind Daniel.

To be fair to Celeste, she is under a huge amount of pressure with the launch of this new range. The press release went out wide yesterday, and so far the few tweets about it have been vaguely positive. There is plenty of goodwill for my mother from fans and her celeb mates, but we await reaction from the media.

If I’m completely honest – and I feel awful saying it – I personally don’t like what they’ve come up with. I think Celeste has been blinded by the yes folk around her who keep saying how great everything she does is, over and over. She’s not doing what she’s literally famous for, which is judging the items themselves – on their own merit.

But then, what do I know really? Taste is all subjective, and my mother has been in this business for a hell of a lot longer than I have.

Either way, it’s not the best time to be dealing with a romantic crisis, coming at me from two sides. Daniel seems increasingly desperate to meet up, ignoring my requests for more time. Meanwhile, Mikey’s texts are becoming increasingly flirtatious. I’m dying to see both of them, for very different reasons.

Oh my god, am I in a love triangle?? I am both horrified and delighted.

A voice breaks me out of my washing machine daydream. ‘Let’s go!’ It’s Zach and Celeste by the front door, waiting expectantly.

‘Come on, darling!’ Celeste says impatiently.

‘Yep,’ I say, trying to keep from sighing.

We’re off to visit the new store across town, and I’m trying to stay positive. We’re opening the first week of January, which is now only five weeks away, and I’m really, really trying to be excited. After all, it’s a brand new adventure! Something totally new! A new commute, a new environment, new stock. And maybe it will be great; I’m getting to run the whole thing, after all. Maybe I’ll be able to make it amazing!

And at least Zach’s coming along today to metaphorically hold my hand if it’s awful.

His contract with us technically ends at Christmas, but I know we’re all hoping he’ll stay on, maybe even in a more permanent capacity. He’s got a meeting with Celeste about it next week and I know she’ll be throwing all kinds of money at him. Which he totally deserves.

As we head for his car, Celeste rabbiting on about filming the new advert and how it went with ourLove Islandambassador, I sneak a glance at Zach, taking in that strong movie star profile.

It feels like we’ve genuinely become friends in the last few weeks. For real, I mean. We laugh and joke, and gossip about Celeste. We’ve had a couple more spy missions, too, for our clients. It’s always genuinely fun being around him and I lookforward to the days he’s in store. It’s really nice having a male pal again. In my early to mid-twenties, I used to have loads of blokes as friends. But there is a thing that happens when they meet a partner, where they just… go. They disappear. And not in an initial love bubble way like everyone does. It’s just like they no longer haveneedof you. They have filled their quota of oestrogen in their life. It made me very sad when I realized all my male friends had gone and weren’t coming back. It made me feel a bit used.

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