niece at the zoo …’
‘OK, OK. I get it. He’s hot and smart and good with kids. Well I hope you have a lovely time … Ooh, and you’ve got what’s-his-face, Hawksmoor barman too, haven’t you?’
‘We’re going for drinks next week! He still thinks I’m called Susie …’
‘You do realise you can’t ever tell him your real name?’ I say, smiling. ‘But that’s exactly my point, see? You walk into a bar or an office and you meet someone. It should be simple.’
‘At least tell me you’ll think about it.’
‘No, because I have thought about it.’
‘How about I buy you a three-month subscription to Lovematch.com?’
‘How about you never mention it again and I’ll buy you a cappuccino?’
‘Just say you’ll think about it.’
Wednesday
Such a phenomenal start to a Wednesday! An email sitting in my inbox with Jeff Nichols as sender. Sent at 8 p.m. last night, which is hugely encouraging. He could have just gone home at that time of night, sent this first thing today. But no, he stayed at his desk after hours to send it, which tells me two things. Firstly, I am not a task on his ‘to do’ list that he cares to procrastinate, so I am not entirely without significance. And secondly, if he had Miss Venezuela waiting for him at home I bet he wouldn’t be working late.
Still no word from Robbie in New York though, which is a pain; this brief is getting later and later. In the meantime let’s just see what Jeff has to say for himself. I click on the email with a tiny flutter of hope.
Hey Suzy Q,
Truly great to meet you last week. Hope you survived Tom’s PowerPoint charts, sorry I had to dash, I wanted to stay. Let’s meet up and I can show you my wares. How does next Monday sound, end of the day? Don’t worry about that half piece of cake I know you’re saving for me, I’ll cook something nice for us on the day.
Have a great week and look forward to seeing you soon.
Jeff
Yes! So many excellent signs in this email, I don’t know where to start. And an end of the day meeting – well, am I reading too much into it or does that clearly leave the door open for a drink after work? I spend a good half hour crafting a response and then panic that it’s far too flirtatious, at which point I call Rebecca over, tell her all about Jeff and ask her to help me edit it.
‘So exciting,’ she says. ‘A Fletchers client who isn’t hideous!’
‘I’ve earned it. Six years of Devron, I deserve a work crush, finally.’
‘Sam will be heartbroken when he goes through your inbox.’
‘Sam doesn’t read my emails,’ I say. ‘I know he used to, but he’s promised he’ll never do it again. And stop with this whole Sam crush thing, it’s nonsense, he’s my friend.’
‘OK … so I think maybe change that bit where you talk about the cake. He’s not actually interested in the cake, he’s interested in you.’
‘Yeah, but I’m trying to flirt with him.’
‘Be more obvious.’
‘More obvious? Don’t you think “Can’t wait to see what’s on the table” is pretty obvious? Actually I’m taking that out, it’s too full on.’
‘Ask him what he’s up to at the weekend. That’ll flush out whether he’s got a girlfriend. Do it. Then you know whether to waste time fancying him or not.’
‘Rebecca, it’s a work email, I’m not going to ask him that. And besides, I don’t think he has got a girlfriend. Honestly, there was just that chemistry there, you know, that instant rapport. I don’t think you ever feel that unless the other person is giving off a major vibe too. It was way beyond politeness.’
‘Oooh, this is so cool!’ she says, clapping her hands with delight. ‘What are you going to wear?’
‘I haven’t got that far.’
‘Wear that black dress with the low V at the front that you wore for your birthday, you look gorgeous in that.’
‘Meeting’s in a kitchen, not a brothel.’
‘With a white cami top underneath it’s perfect. Great cleavage,
‘OK, OK. I get it. He’s hot and smart and good with kids. Well I hope you have a lovely time … Ooh, and you’ve got what’s-his-face, Hawksmoor barman too, haven’t you?’
‘We’re going for drinks next week! He still thinks I’m called Susie …’
‘You do realise you can’t ever tell him your real name?’ I say, smiling. ‘But that’s exactly my point, see? You walk into a bar or an office and you meet someone. It should be simple.’
‘At least tell me you’ll think about it.’
‘No, because I have thought about it.’
‘How about I buy you a three-month subscription to Lovematch.com?’
‘How about you never mention it again and I’ll buy you a cappuccino?’
‘Just say you’ll think about it.’
Wednesday
Such a phenomenal start to a Wednesday! An email sitting in my inbox with Jeff Nichols as sender. Sent at 8 p.m. last night, which is hugely encouraging. He could have just gone home at that time of night, sent this first thing today. But no, he stayed at his desk after hours to send it, which tells me two things. Firstly, I am not a task on his ‘to do’ list that he cares to procrastinate, so I am not entirely without significance. And secondly, if he had Miss Venezuela waiting for him at home I bet he wouldn’t be working late.
Still no word from Robbie in New York though, which is a pain; this brief is getting later and later. In the meantime let’s just see what Jeff has to say for himself. I click on the email with a tiny flutter of hope.
Hey Suzy Q,
Truly great to meet you last week. Hope you survived Tom’s PowerPoint charts, sorry I had to dash, I wanted to stay. Let’s meet up and I can show you my wares. How does next Monday sound, end of the day? Don’t worry about that half piece of cake I know you’re saving for me, I’ll cook something nice for us on the day.
Have a great week and look forward to seeing you soon.
Jeff
Yes! So many excellent signs in this email, I don’t know where to start. And an end of the day meeting – well, am I reading too much into it or does that clearly leave the door open for a drink after work? I spend a good half hour crafting a response and then panic that it’s far too flirtatious, at which point I call Rebecca over, tell her all about Jeff and ask her to help me edit it.
‘So exciting,’ she says. ‘A Fletchers client who isn’t hideous!’
‘I’ve earned it. Six years of Devron, I deserve a work crush, finally.’
‘Sam will be heartbroken when he goes through your inbox.’
‘Sam doesn’t read my emails,’ I say. ‘I know he used to, but he’s promised he’ll never do it again. And stop with this whole Sam crush thing, it’s nonsense, he’s my friend.’
‘OK … so I think maybe change that bit where you talk about the cake. He’s not actually interested in the cake, he’s interested in you.’
‘Yeah, but I’m trying to flirt with him.’
‘Be more obvious.’
‘More obvious? Don’t you think “Can’t wait to see what’s on the table” is pretty obvious? Actually I’m taking that out, it’s too full on.’
‘Ask him what he’s up to at the weekend. That’ll flush out whether he’s got a girlfriend. Do it. Then you know whether to waste time fancying him or not.’
‘Rebecca, it’s a work email, I’m not going to ask him that. And besides, I don’t think he has got a girlfriend. Honestly, there was just that chemistry there, you know, that instant rapport. I don’t think you ever feel that unless the other person is giving off a major vibe too. It was way beyond politeness.’
‘Oooh, this is so cool!’ she says, clapping her hands with delight. ‘What are you going to wear?’
‘I haven’t got that far.’
‘Wear that black dress with the low V at the front that you wore for your birthday, you look gorgeous in that.’
‘Meeting’s in a kitchen, not a brothel.’
‘With a white cami top underneath it’s perfect. Great cleavage,
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