seemed. And the more attractive Joe Kerrigan was becoming. The indefinable spark that had so resolutely failed to appear between her and Todd was actually showing discernible signs of life.
Best of all, Joe wasn’t her boss. And if there was one thing she knew she needed badly right now, it was an opportunity to get over her embarrassing crush on Zack.
What better way of diverting her attention?
‘OK,’ said Ellie.
Joe looked cautious. ‘OK what? You’re agreeing I should back out now? Or that you’ll come out with me?’
‘That one. The second one.’
‘Seriously? Wow, fantastic.’ His whole face lit up. ‘When would suit you?’
‘Any time.’ Recklessly, Ellie said, ‘I’m free. How about tonight?’
He shook his head in admiration. ‘You are my kind of girl. I knew I liked you. Ha, come on, it’s my turn to gloat. Wait until I tell Kaye.’
Out in the hallway, Zack and Kaye were talking about dogs. Kaye turned to look at them. ‘Well?’
Joe looked proud. ‘She said yes.’
‘Did she?’ Kaye beamed at Ellie. ‘Did you? Damn, I said you’d say no!’
‘Sorry.’ Ellie was aware of Zack’s gaze upon her.
‘Sorry about what?’ said Zack.
‘I asked Ellie out on a date,’ Joe explained cheerfully. ‘Kaye didn’t think I stood a chance. Ha, we’re going out tonight.’
Zack looked as if he’d been secretly electrocuted. A muscle twitched in his jaw. ‘Oh.’
And Ellie realized she’d been so distracted, she’d completely forgotten about Todd.
***
Kaye and Joe left. Zack disappeared into the kitchen to make coffee. When he entered the office minutes later, he said evenly, ‘So am I allowed to ask what’s going on? Are you building up a collection?’
Ellie stopped typing and felt a prickle of perspiration on the back of her neck. She’d lied to him; no wonder he didn’t sound amused. Worse, she’d lied in order to not look like an idiot…
‘Will you be telling Todd, or weren’t you planning on him finding out? Not that it’s any of my business,’ Zack went on. ‘I’m just surprised.’
‘Look, Todd and I aren’t seeing each other anymore. It didn’t work out. We broke up, but we’re still friends. Sorry I didn’t mention it.’ She didn’t need a mirror to know she’d gone bright red. ‘I didn’t want to bore you, banging on about my personal life.’
‘Right. Well.’ He clearly wasn’t pleased that she’d neglected to tell him; maybe he was wondering if he could trust her after all. ‘So now you’re going out with Joe Kerrigan. Tonight. Are you sure about this?’ He frowned. ‘I mean, isn’t it all a bit sudden?’
OK, he was telling her she was desperate. And maybe she was, but not for the reason he thought. Ellie sat up straight. ‘Why can’t it be sudden? Haven’t you ever met someone and felt an instant connection? Because that’s what happened today. I really like Joe. I think he really likes me. Who knows, maybe it was fate that brought him here with that screenplay.’
‘I’m just—’
‘No,’ she broke in, ‘let me say this. I didn’t agree to meet him because I’m desperate for any old date; I did it because I think this could be special. I’m looking forward to it. In fact,’ Ellie said with emphasis, ‘I can’t wait.’
***
Zack headed upstairs, ostensibly to work on a business proposal ahead of tomorrow’s meeting in Milan.
In reality, one word was going round in his head. Fuck, fuck, fuck…
How had this happened? How could it be happening? Why couldn’t Ellie have told him before that the thing with Todd was all over? And now it was too late, because she was in the grip of an instant connection and there was nothing he could do about it.
Fuck.
Chapter 41
Ellie pressed her hands against the washbasin and leaned forward, gazing at her reflection in the bathroom mirror.
This was it then. She wanted it to happen and it was going to happen. Her mind was made up.
Who’d have thought it? Looking back, it seemed inconceivable that life could alter so drastically. The last seven days had passed in a whirlwind of activity. It was like being inside a snow globe that had suddenly been picked up and shaken. This time last week she had been just another boyfriendless PA with a hopeless, humiliating crush on her boss. Then Joe Kerrigan had turned up and changed everything. On their first date he’d taken her out on a boat on the Thames. On their second date they’d gone Rollerblading in Hyde Park. The third date had been a picnic in Kensington Gardens, the fourth a