‘Yeah, overgrown kid here. I’ve a pile of games in the cupboard.’
‘Me too, I still keep all my old stuffed toys. You can hardly get into my bedroom.’ This was better, more like their coffee date.
‘Do you eat chicken? I forgot to ask: are you vegan or—?’
‘Because I’m some weird-ass actor?’
‘Something like that.’
Mercifully, they both burst out laughing.
‘I eat fucking everything. I have no morals.’ The heaviness in the room wafted upwards like the scented sheet in a fabric conditioner ad, as he gestured towards the table with a smile.
‘Madam, your seat.’
‘Why, thank you.’
He vanished for a moment then reappeared with plates of aromatic Thai red curry served with wild rice and raita on the side. She realised that after all the getting-ready stress, she was actually starving.
‘I hope it’s OK,’ he said. ‘New recipe.’
She tentatively tried a forkful of food, which caused her to involuntarily close her eyes in bliss. ‘Oh my God, Finn, this is heavenly! Where did you learn to cook like this?’
‘Ah, I’ve always been interested in food, just a hobby,’ he said diffidently, though she could tell he was pleased.
‘You know, my dad was an amazing chef and he did most of the cooking. It was one of the biggest things I missed when I left for London. Whenever I taste really good cooking, it just feels like home.’
After a beat he nodded. ‘That’s lovely.’
‘So, what made you ask me out, then?’ she asked, aware she was fishing for a compliment.
He laughed awkwardly. ‘You’re very direct.’
‘Sorry.’
‘No, I like it. You just struck me as different. I mean .?.?. you’re not like most of the people I meet – in a good way.’
‘I’m quirky, is that what you mean?’
He hesitated, and she recognised he wasn’t that suggestible.
‘That makes you sound odd. No, more like unique.’
‘People say that. I always suspected being unique was a bad thing.’
‘Most people are, well .?.?.’
‘Trying not to stand out, whereas I can just land flat on my back in the mud and haul myself out without embarrassment? Yeah, that does come from being an actor. Day one, you learn to stop being afraid of making a fool of yourself.’
He suddenly looked serious and she recognised the intensity in his eyes under the easy-going facade.
‘I like that you’re real, you’re not afraid. Too many people are afraid of being themselves.’ She wondered who he was referring to.
‘Gavin, my ex, used to say that I was like one of those wobbly toys with the round bottom that you could bat in any direction.’
‘The ones that keep bobbing back up?’
She’d meant it to be funny, but as soon as the words were out in the room, Cassie felt exposed.
