Page 10 of The One That I Want

‘Is anyone else here that old?’ I ask, casting my eyes about the coffee shop, and he laughs.

‘Ouch. I’ll have you know I was only two when that movie came out.’

Note to self: find out whenRocky IVcame out. Second note to self: Owen/Ewan has a lovely laugh – see if you can make him laugh again.

‘Though my friends and I watched it about a dozen times when we were twelve,’ he continues.

‘Well, this is a coincidence – that’s Ru’s age. He was a surprise – for all of us. I had just started working atNouveauwhen he was born. I’m old enough to be his mum!’

‘That was going to be my next question.’

‘The age gap between me and my brother?’ I quip.

‘Where you work. I figured it was close by.’

‘Three doors down, to be precise.’

I really want to steer the conversation back to names, as I’m now even keener to know if he’s Owen or Ewan. I opt for a clumsy segue.

‘Anyway, my guess is that once Ru starts drinking coffee and has to give his name to a barista, they’ll spell it R-O-O, like inWinnie the Pooh.’

‘You’ve given this some thought.’

‘More than I realised until this precise moment.’

His mouth quirks and that lopsided smile returns.

‘Well, sorry for interrupting your work. I just wanted to say hello.’

‘Hello,’ I say, with a winsome smile.

‘Hello,’ he replies, his sky-blue eyes creasing at the corners.

He holds my gaze for a moment, then looks away. I can tell he’s about to leave me be, but I don’t want to be left be. I quite like chatting with Owen/Ewan. Bollocks, is this one of those situations where it’s now too late to ask his name?

‘Greta, you’re not replying to your messages.’ In a feat of not-so-perfect timing, Luca has just shown up.

‘Er, sorry?’ I ask.

He points to my laptop. ‘Anjali’s been trying to get hold of you. She said if I saw you on my coffee run to ask you to pop back to the office –pronto.’

I look at my laptop, which is displaying the lock screen. ‘Oh, bollocks.’

I’ve taken to working in the coffee shop for an hour most mornings, a change of scene that’s helped me free up some brain space amid the busiest time of my career. But I’ve promised my team – and Anjali – that I’ll always be reachable.

‘I’ve kept you from your work,’ says Owen/Ewan. ‘Sorry ’bout that.’

‘No, no,’ I say as I stand and start gathering my things. ‘Not your fault.’

As I’m about to leave, I catch Luca glancing at Owen/Ewan. It’s obvious he’s going to introduce himself, which is perfect – I’ll learn Owen/Ewan’s actual name. Intrigued, I watch my formerwork crush hold out his hand to my… my… what? My nice-man-at-the-coffee-shop-with-the-kind-eyes-and-lopsided-smile?

‘I’m Luca,’ he says with his most charming smile.

They shake hands.

‘Ewan.’

Ewan – right.Ewan, Ewan, Ewan, I chant in my head, committing his name to memory.

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