Page 83 of Date with Destiny

He’s just some guy, I remind myself. Just some random dude I worked with for a few months. He’s just a hot man who I stupidly convinced myself – briefly! – was my soulmate. I force myself to laugh at my own ludicrous vulnerability back then. I only decided he was my soulmate because I was sad and lonely after my break-up with Daniel. I was looking for an instant soulmate jigsaw piece to fill the hole, so everything could just go back to how it was.

But I’m really glad now that I didn’t fill that hole right away. Being single for all these months has forced me to spend some time with myself. And I’ve decided I mostly like what’s going on here, inside me. Sure, I have many things I need to work on, but that’s good, too. Sometimes you need to be on your own to figure all that out.

Zach smiles as he closes the gap between us and we reach in wrong directions for an awkward hug.

‘Whoops!’ I cackle horribly as we crash into one another.

‘Ginny!’ he says with apparently genuine happiness. ‘It’s so nice to see you.’ He turns to Myfanwy, greeting her with warmth. ‘Myfe!’ he says, hugging her in a normal way. I feel a pang of jealousy that they have connected in the last few months without me around.

‘Great!’ I shout. ‘Yes! I mean great seeing, erm, you,’ the nerves are crushing my windpipe. I step back, taking him in. He’s as absurdly handsome as ever. He’s wearing a shirt that hasn’t been ironed very well – a part of the collar is crumpled and bending the wrong way. I fight the urge to reach over and straighten it.

‘I’m going to go practice my speech,’ Myfanwy says after a moment, looking between us carefully. ‘I need to settle my nerves! Do you guys want a drink or anything?’ I shake my head dumbly, nodding at the huge double gin in my hand, as Zach requests a lager. With Myfanwy gone, he steps closer, an urgency to his tone. ‘It really is nice to see you, Gin,’ he clears his throat. ‘I’m sorry I haven’t been in touch since Christmas. I—’

‘No, no!’ I cut off his apologies. Please god, I don’t want another rejection speech. ‘I totally understand! How’s work been?’

He is silent for a moment, and I can tell he is mulling over what to say next.

‘It’s really good,’ he says at last. ‘Of course, I miss working for Celeste’s Stones, but I made a lot of new connections and the clients I met there have been very kind. I’ve had a lot of recommendations come through and I’m keeping very busy.’

‘I’m so glad!’ I say with genuine feeling. I’ve been carrying a lot of guilt over what happened.

‘Look, I have to explain something,’ he begins and I turn quickly towards the bar.

‘I better help Myfanwy!’ I get out in a strangled voice, making a run for it. I find her in a corner with Toni, both giggling.

‘Ooh, saw you with Zach over there,’ Toni says, wiggling her eyebrows at me suggestively.

I groan. ‘Don’t!’ I warn.

She cocks her head. ‘You’re not interested? I can’t believe that. He’s so gorgeous and sweet!’

‘Er, I’m not interested in gettingrejectedagain,’ I roll my eyes.

‘What?’ She looks utterly baffled. I guess I never told her about how I came on to Zach –twice. ‘But,’ she frowns, ‘he totally fancies you.’

I laugh. ‘I promise you, hedoesn’t, Tone. Believe me, I’ve double checked. He just wants to be friends.’ I sigh. ‘And not even that really anymore, I don’t think.’

‘You’re wrong,’ Toni tells me stridently. ‘Have you forgotten about the note?’

It’s my turn to be confused. ‘What?’ I glance at Myfanwy who looks as befuddled as me.

‘Toni,’ she shakes her head. ‘What are you talking about?’

My sister tuts. ‘I’ve told you this, I’vedefinitelytold you this.’

‘What note?’ Myfanwy shrieks.

‘You know…’ Toni laughs and then she pales as a thought strikes her. She looks at me, ‘Youdoknow, right? I definitely… I did… oh my god, didn’t I?’ I shake my head slowly and she covers her mouth. ‘I was so sure we’d talked about it, Gin, I’m really sorry—’

Myfanwy screams it this time. ‘WHAT NOTE, TONI?’

‘Right…’ She wets her lips, looking a bit frightened. ‘The first time we met Zach was in the store, remember?’ She looks to me for confirmation and I nod impatiently. ‘And I thought he was that actor guy, you know the one from thatAmazon Prime show?’ She giggles now. ‘I was so sure he was! He’s got that kind of look, you know? That bone structure and that—’ Myfanwy looks like she will strangle her and Toni gets the hint. ‘Um, anyway, I asked for his autograph and he handed the bit of paper back to me as he was leaving.’ She swallows as we both stare at her, utterly hooked. We’ve never been this interested in one of Toni’s stories before. ‘He wrote his name, but also a message,’ Toni pauses. ‘He wrote,Hi Toni, sorry I’m not your TV star, but can you please tell your sister that I think she’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen and I’d like to take her on a date. Love Zach x.’

My mouth drops open and I look at Myfanwy. Her mouth is also wide open.

I remember the piece of paper now. The way Toni took it from Zach, squealed and ran off with such delight. I thought he’d just signed it with some A-lister’s name to give her a kick. ‘But…’ I don’t think I’ve ever been this flummoxed, ‘Why didn’t you give it to me right away?’

Toni looks down at her hands. ‘Well, we got the call about Diane being in hospital literally, like, two minutes later and it completely went out of my head.’ She shrugs. ‘I’m really sorry, it was such a horrible time, I forgot all about it. But if you’d ever mentioned liking him…’ she trails off. ‘You always seemed so keen to emphasize that you were just mates. Then there was Mikey, and Daniel was back… I figured you just didn’t like Zach and I didn’t want to embarrass him.’

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