hesitated for a split second, then took her hand and shook it. ‘Good to meet you at last. Come along in.’
OK, best behavior, don’t tell him a pigeon just nearly pooed on your head. Clutching her shoulder bag, Ellie followed him through to the office on the ground floor. He was wearing jeans and a pale gray T-shirt. Roo would approve of that bum too. She might be immune to other males herself, but she could still acknowledge their good points.
‘I’ve brought along my CV.’ She took it out of her bag and handed it to him. ‘There isn’t much I don’t know about running an office. My typing speeds and computer skills are good. You can test me on them. And I’m really hardworking.’
‘Glad to hear it.’ Zack smiled briefly. For the next twenty minutes he explained the nature of the work she would be expected to carry out. He dictated a letter and she transcribed it. He showed her the filing system, which was straightforward. He asked her about Brace House Business Centre and she told him she’d been perfectly happy there for six years but that now she was ready for a change, and it would be nice to work just a few minutes’ walk away from her flat.
‘Oh, and can I just say something else?’ Ellie knew he couldn’t ask her the question himself but she’d spotted him glancing at her ring-free left hand. ‘I’m not married.’ If it helped her get this job, she was happy to reassure him he needn’t worry that she might announce she was pregnant and start demanding maternity benefits. ‘And I’m not planning on having any babies either. That’s not going to happen.’
‘Right.’ He looked relieved to hear it but was still watching her carefully.
She hesitated, weighing up the options. No, don’t tell him about Jamie. The whole point of changing jobs was to make a fresh start and not be treated any differently than other people. Other normal people…
‘Anyway, so that’s it. I’m single.’ Having made her point, Ellie changed the subject. ‘Am I allowed to ask what happened to the last PA?’
That was when Zack explained about Christine. Concluding the story, he said good-naturedly, ‘So if you don’t have an invalid husband to look after, that’s a bonus.’
This was good practice at being normal. Ellie summoned up a bright smile and said, ‘Well, I definitely don’t have one of those!’
Then he offered her a coffee and showed her through to the kitchen, which was all sage green and sleek stainless steel, and opened out through French windows on to a small walled garden at the back of the house.
But since it wasn’t that warm outside, they headed up the stairs to the living room, decorated in shades of deep red and dove gray and showing reassuring signs of actually being lived in. There were newspapers stuffed untidily into a rack, an empty Coke can on the coffee table, and a jacket flung over one of the chairs.
‘Have a seat.’ Zack indicated the sofa and sat down on one of the chairs opposite. He was being polite, charming even, and he’d invited her up here for a coffee, but there was still a faint but discernible edge of reserve. Ellie wondered if she already had the job in the bag, or had he not made up his mind yet?
‘Thanks.’ She concentrated on not spilling her coffee.
‘So, you live in Nevis Street. Very nice.’
‘I know. And being so close would mean I could be flexible.’ Selling herself didn’t come naturally but she wanted this job.
‘Excellent.’ After a moment, Zack said, ‘Share with other girls, do you?’
‘Um, no.’
‘Oh.’ He shrugged. ‘Just wondering. I mean, there must be a pretty big mortgage on a place like that.’
‘I don’t have a mortgage.’ Ellie prevaricated, caught off guard by the direction this was heading in. She’d never been asked these kinds of questions at an interview before.
‘Rent, then. The rent would be high. That would still be manageable, would it, on the kind of salary I’m offering?’
‘Well, ye-es.’ She felt herself begin to flush beneath his scrutiny. Telling him about Tony would only make matters more complicated, but he was gazing at her so intently now, she had to say something. ‘The thing is, I’m not really renting the flat either. I’m just… you know, living there. Kind of… looking after it.’ She swallowed and made an audible gulping sound in her throat. ‘For a friend.’
There followed what felt like an awkward silence. She