She’s Too Shy, Shy

A sweet romance

As someone who blushed and broke out in a sweat whenever more than two people were looking at her, Elena couldn’t help admiring her colleague Dougal’s confidence.

Look at him, she thought wistfully as, from behind her desk, she watched him skilfully entertain a group of school kids who had come in for a careers day.

He was always the one chosen to give tours or talks about the company. The dozen young teenagers were eating out of his hand as he showed them around the open-plan workspace, and Elena could see the thrill he got from making them laugh.

How does someone get that kind of confidence? she wondered, trying to imagine what that would be like.

“And this is my colleague, Elena, who works on storyboarding the brilliant scripts I come up with,” Dougal said, arriving at Elena’s desk.

She stood up so they could see her over her drawing board and gave a shy wave. At the desk opposite hers Zach grimaced in sympathy. She knew that he hated these open days too.

“Elena’s one of our most talented artists,” Dougal explained while the kids looked with interest at the sketches pinned up around her desk. He shot a disarming smile at her.

Oh no, Dougal–don’t you dare! she thought, knowing what was coming and sending him warnings with her eyes. He totally ignored them. “Why don’t you tell our visitors a bit about what you’re working on, Elena? I’m sure they’d love to know what a storyboard artist does.” “Well… um…” She was suddenly hot. Thirteen pairs of eyes were on her, including Dougal’s – one of which winked. I’ m going to kill him for this! “So…” she began, “at the moment we’re working on a public information advert for a healthy eating campaign. Dougal came up with the concept and together we designed this character…”

“I’ve seen those ads!” one of the students said excitedly, pointing to her drawing of the character.

Elena picked the picture up and held it in front of her, mostly to deflect their attention from her burning face.

“Yes, this will be the third animation we’ve done in the series.”

Several of the kids murmured comments over her drawings.

“Cool… That’s so cute!”

Elena was GLAD her friend saw the same QUALITIES in him that SHE DID

Encouraged, she went on. “On the storyboard we lay out what all the shots are going to be – sort of like a director does when he makes a film the conventional way.”

They were a bright bunch, not at all the surly teens she’d been dreading, and bombarded her with questions.

By the time Dougal dragged them away from her desk – one of them taking with her a sketch she’d persuaded Elena to do for her – Elena was exhausted. But at least it seemed to have gone well.

“Come on, plenty more to see,” Dougal said, urging the students onwards. “Let my storyboarder get back to work. She’s got plenty to do.”

“Well, it takes me a long time to make you look good,” she said cheekily. She hadn’t forgiven him yet.

Dougal just grinned. “True. Elena’s the true talent in this relationship.”

Once he’d disappeared, exuberantly leading the students into the next department, Zach brought Elena some water from the cooler.

He had a plaster on the back of his hand where he’d spilled tea on it earlier, and he’d drawn her own character – who believed strongly in kitchen safety – on it, which made her smile.

His bright green eyes were full of understanding.

“I can’t believe he did that to you,” he said sympathetically. “But you handled it really well.”

“You know what else I just can’t believe?” Elena said. “Yesterday, he asked me out.”

Of course she’d said no. “But why?” her friend Kirsten wanted to know when they met at a café for lunch.

Kirsten worked in the company’s Human Resources department so she knew Dougal well.

“Because he keeps doing things like he did this morning,” Elena said, poking at her limp Caesar salad. “He knows I’m shy and it just encourages him. He thinks it’s funny to make me feel uncomfortable. Plus,” she added, “he’s such an extrovert, we’d never be suited.”

Kirsten shrugged. She was an extrovert too – the kind of girl who danced on tables at parties and talked barmen into giving her free drinks. She wouldn’t understand.

“And, um, anyway,” Elena said, “I’m

going out with Zach. Well, since he asked me if I wanted to go to Darren’s leaving party together.”

She didn’t tell Kirsten the relief she’d felt when she knew she wouldn’t have to walk into the restaurant for Darren’s party alone. Parties – like public speaking – were not something she was good at. Sometimes she was amazed that she and Kirsten were friends at all, they were so different.

“Zach’s adorable,” Kirsten said.

“Yes,” Elena said. She was excited about the date in a way she hadn’t been about anyone for ages. “I think so too.”

She was glad Kirsten saw the same things in Zach that she did – his gentleness and sensitivity and dry sense of humour. She’d been afraid Kirsten might not even remember who he was, he was so unassuming.

“You know what?” she said thoughtfully. “I think you should go out with Dougal.” “Me?” Kirsten laughed happily. “You two together, you’d have the whole world at your feet.”

“We’d probably drive each other crazy,” Kirsten said.

The night of Darren’s leaving party Zach arrived on Elena’s doorstep, smart and handsome, and Elena stepped out full of anticipation.

Darren had been one of the directors of the company and so was bound to have an impressive do – but more, Elena was excited about spending the evening with Zach.

In the car they started chatting about their work and current projects. When Zach pulled up at the venue they were in the middle of talking about their favourite films and the animators who inspired them. Twenty minutes later they were still in the car, so engrossed in conversation that it wasn’t until someone they knew tapped on the window as they went past that Elena was jolted out of it. “Maybe we should go in.” “I’m having a great time already,” Zach said. “Usually first dates are full of awkward pauses.” “But we’re friends already, aren’t we?” “I could tell from my first day we were on the same wavelength. You made things so much easier for me. Did I ever thank you for that?”

Elena felt the same. She was so comfortable with Zach she could chat away completely un-selfconsciously – something very rare for her.

“We both drink tea, not coffee, we both prefer TheJungleBook to Finding Nemo, and we both prefer a good book than a party – what more can you ask for in a relationship?” Elena joked.

“You know… if you mean that about parties, we could always ditch this one and go somewhere quieter where we

can keep talking,” Zach offered. “Do you really think so?” The thought of avoiding the pressure of a work-based social situation was very tempting.

“I doubt anyone would even notice,” he said enticingly. She considered it. “There’s a nice café a few streets from here,” she suggested. The decision was made. They pulled away from the kerb like two kids let off school. Zach grinned at her wickedly. “You’re a bad influence on me,” she teased back.

They were the best-dressed pair in the café. They picked up their conversation and talked for hours, eating cheese toasties and lemon squares and ice cream – and then more ice cream – and agreeing on everything they talked about.

When they eventually left they saw the pub next door had a karaoke night on. The music sounded terrible, but the whole place was vibrating with laughter.

“Would you ever even consider doing that?” Elena asked, gesturing to the karaoke advert outside.

“No way!” Zach laughed. “That’s my idea of torture.” He paused, then added incredulously. “Why… would you?”

“No chance,” Elena said, shaking her head firmly.

She thought of Kirsten and Dougal, knowing that if they’d been on this date they would immediately have gone inside and signed up for some cheesy Eighties duet.

She and Zach were different. It was as if they were soulmates.

Where were you on Saturday, then?” Kirsten asked Elena on Monday at work.

Elena shifted her unwieldy portfolio in her arms, trying to find a less awkward way to carry it. She’d come to the lobby to meet Dougal so they could go up to the next floor together for a presentation.

When she’d got there, she’d been surprised to find him chatting with Kirsten. They were both animated, filling up the entire lobby with their sparky presence and enthusiastic chatter. Elena stopped for a moment to watch them. She couldn’t help thinking they really would make a good couple.

Strangely, that thought left her feeling a little unsettled.

When she finally approached them, Dougal reached to lighten her load. “Here. Let me take that.” “You missed a great party,” Kirsten went on. “Dougal and I got everyone dancing the Macarena.”

“It’s a shame you weren’t there,” Dougal agreed.

“See what happens when I’m not around to talk you into things?” Kirsten said jokingly.

Not for the first time that day, Elena wondered if she’d made a mistake in skipping the party.

Even Zach had looked slightly regretful that morning during a tea break as he whispered, “Everyone’s talking about how good the party was.”

“I know,” Elena said. “But I had a great time on Saturday too.”

“So did I,” he said, smiling broadly.

Now she repeated those words to Kirsten and Dougal.

“I had a great time on Saturday too – with Zach.”

Kirsten just tweaked a bit of Elena’s hair straight, like a fond older sister. “I’ll see you later,” she said.

Dougal didn’t say anything as he and Elena travelled in the lift to the next floor.

They found the conference room where they’d be having the meeting. Elena set up her designs and Dougal set up his laptop. Then they waited for their clients to arrive.

“So,” Dougal said as they twiddled their thumbs. “Zach…”

Elena looked at him sideways, puzzled. “Yes?” “Nice guy?” “Yes.” Casually slumped in his chair, he was so attractively cool. His slightly cheeky smile as he looked at her was irresistible. She had to smile back – almost against her will, rolling her eyes as she did so.

The silence was broken by Dougal’s phone vibrating.

“They’re going to be ten minutes late,” he said after he’d read the message. “OK,” she said, chewing a nail. “Nervous?” “Aren’t you? You’re the one actually doing the presentation.” “You can do it if you like.” “No thanks!” She laughed. “I’m just here to take feedback.” She looked at him sharply. “And please, no dropping me in it just for fun, OK?”

“I don’t do it just for fun,” he said, grinning at her.

“No? It feels like it. I saw you smiling last week when you brought those kids around to my desk.”

“And I saw you smiling,” he said. “Come on – admit it. You enjoyed it.” She looked at him incredulously. “You’re wonderful when you talk about your work,” he went on. “So interesting and passionate. I wanted those kids to see it. I wanted to see it.”

She felt her face burning and couldn’t find any words to respond.

He met her eyes and suddenly said, very seriously, “You should have come to the party.”

“Everyone’s TALKING about how good the PARTY was last Saturday”

Her HEART was beating fast – but from NERVES or something ELSE?

“I can’t say I’m sorry to have missed the Macarena.”

“Are you saying you’d never get up and dance?” He leaned forward. “Elena, you’re really missing out.”

She smiled wistfully, still blushing. “You probably would have made me.”

“I would.” His hands were close to hers on the table. “At the very least, a decent slow-dance.”

She pictured it: slow dancing with Dougal.

Flustered, she quickly drew her hands back into her lap.

“I bet you and Kirsten lit up the place,” she said.

“Kirsten and I have a lot in common.” He laughed. “We both like being the centre of attention too much. You’re the one who gives us a bit of equilibrium.”

She’d never thought about it like that. It made her feel oddly proud. It was nice to think Kirsten benefited from Elena’s quietness as much as Elena did from Kirsten’s exuberance. Being friends with Kirsten had always meant Elena was pushed out of her comfort zone once in a while and found herself doing unexpected things – and, usually, having lots of fun.

Maybe that was what she found appealing in Dougal, too.

The door to the conference room opened and she and Dougal stood up to greet their clients. Her heart was beating fast – whether from nerves or something else, she couldn’t tell.

“Go on,” he whispered, while their clients took their seats. “You do the introduction. I dare you.” His hand gently touched hers.

She loved this project. She had loads to say about it.

“All right,” she said.

It was such a small thing, really, but such a big triumph when it was over. Elena was buzzing. Dougal laughed at the bounce in her step.

“How about a drink to celebrate?” he offered.

She deflated slightly. “Oh no, I can’t. I’m meeting Kirsten and Zach.” The meeting had overrun and they’d be waiting for her already. “You’re welcome to come along…”

“Another time.” He gave a playful bow, and they took their different paths. Elena watched him go.

Kirsten and Zach were waiting at her desk, so busy laughing over something that they barely noticed her arrive.

“Kirsten’s trying to talk me into signing up for a karaoke night,” Zach told Elena. Rather than being horrified, he seemed quite thrilled.

Elena saw his flushed face and knew just how he felt. Soulmates, she and Zach. Even to the point of knowing too much safety wasn’t good for them.

Kirsten, too, was bright-eyed. Hadn’t she always said she thought Zach was lovely? He wouldn’t compete with her, she’d feel secure with him. They’d make a really nice couple. Testingly, Elena said, “Why don’t you two go on ahead? I’ve still got a few things to finish up.”

Neither Zach nor Kirsten seemed at all disappointed. They went off together quite happily. Elena almost took offence, but then laughed, reminding herself it was a good thing that her two best friends were getting together.

She left her things and made her way across the office to Dougal. He looked up from his desk when she came in. She hesitated in the doorway. “I’ve a free evening after all,” she said shyly.

He grabbed his jacket, so clearly delighted at the prospect of her company that she felt a million feet tall. “What do you want to do?” he asked. “I don’t mind.” She could feel excitement and possibility stirring.

“You choose.”