‘Yes, just visiting Hartmouth and surrounding areas.’
Sabrina took a deep breath. She wasn’t quite ready to go into detail that she had just set off from the cottage and had called them to get a last-minute appointment before she headed out of Penrigan to her new estuary fronted home. She had learnt in the past that loose lips about anything, especially in a hairdresser’s that wasn’t familiar to her, could get her into trouble of some sort on social media.
‘Yes. It’s been lovely. Gorgeous area, you live in. Beaches are amazing.’
‘Yes, we are incredibly lucky. Ooh, your nails are beautiful. I take it you didn’t do those yourself, too?’ The woman laughed.
Sabrina grinned at her. ‘I treated myself at the Penrigan View Spa.’
‘Very fancy. Right, that’s your bleach on. Would you like a coffee? And do help yourself to a magazine. Helen will wash it off when it’s time.’
‘I’m fine with my water, and thanks again, Giselle, for fitting me in at such short notice.’
‘Like I said, we had a late cancellation. We close at six on a Monday, so you were lucky.’
The salon was small, just two workstations. Helen, a petite redhead, was washing up the bleach bowl in a small, private but open area to the back of the salon. Giselle joined her. Sabrina stuck her head in a magazine, then quickly shut it again as for there on theWho’s On, Who’s Offpage was a photo of her at last year’s soap awards, arm in arm with Dom, with the captionSabrina Swift flies away from her love rat fiancé.At least this editor was on her side and the photo of her was a good one.
Feeling slightly sick, she reached for her earbuds and pushed them in. She was just fiddling withSpotifyto put some tunes on when her ears pricked up as she began to overhear the conversation behind her.
‘Lowen’s changing jobs.’
Sabrina felt her back go rigid. Sitting back in her swivel chair, she pretending to jig along to music. She could see in the mirror Giselle reaching for a couple of mugs and switching the kettle on.
‘Oh, I thought he’d just started one at the council over in Hartmouth, this time.’
‘Yeah. He was mainly looking after Ferry Lane Market. But…umm. He didn’t really like it.’
Sabrina’s knuckles were white as she gripped the arms of her chair.
‘Has he got something else lined up?’ Helen reached for the milk from the tiny on counter fridge.
‘You know my man, he’s like a cat. Never fails to fall on his feet.’
Sabrina put her hand to her mouth. Her man? The man she had been shagging with no idea he had a girlfriend? Did she have the word “mug” printed on her forehead? How could she have been so stupid? Again!
‘Well, I guess that’s a good thing, at least.’ Helen added.
‘Yes, and he did an amazing deal before he left. Gave me three hundred quid towards my Ibiza trip, so it was a win-win for me.’
Sabrina held back the tears as she thought back to the tales of Lowen Kellow’s imaginary sister! Oh God, she had slept with him at the apartment the night that he had rushed off to pick his GIRLFRIEND up from the station. What a bastard! Yes, what they’d had had been mainly sexual, but they’d also had fun and a real connection– or so she’d thought. She had also felt that he was the safe reintroduction to sex, after Dominic cheating on her. More importantly, she had trusted him.
‘Nice one.’ Helen took a slurp of her tea.
Sabrina’s lip started to wobble.
‘He needs a little break before he starts his new job. So we’re going to his parent’s place in Marbella for a few days. Sammi fromCutting Edgeis taking holiday from there and covering here as she’s saving for a hot tub. Hope that’s alright.’
Helen shrugged. ‘I guess it’ll have to be.’
Sabrina took her earbuds out and gestured to the women. Helen came over immediately. ‘It’s got ten minutes to go on here.’
‘I’m so sorry, but I’m feeling quite unwell. Think it must be something I ate. I’ll pay the full amount for the colour and cut.’
Gisele came over. ‘Let us just wash the bleach off, at least.’
Sabrina’s, ‘NO!’ came out far louder than she had wanted it to.
Dragging her hairdresser robe off in her hurry to escape, she caught her t-shirt with it to reveal her left shoulder and the distinct tattoo of a Swift in flight with her mum’s birth date in roman numerals under it.
