‘What’s that?’ Dee said quietly.
‘There ain’t no going back from this.’
‘I’m here twenty-four-seven if you need me, you know that, darling.’
‘Thank you. Catch up soon.’
‘And Rini. Everything will work out OK. I promise.’
Sabrina blew out a huge breath and logged into her email. Thankfully, this would be old news soon but bless Caroline, for all her faults, she was a loyal lion. Pretending that none of this was happening, and with tears slowing flowing down her cheeks, Sabrina turned off her phone and began to undo the boxes that had arrived at the back entrance. Instead of Christmas trees, she would see if she could get hold of some real mistletoe nearer the date, and of course she had to have some holly– again, ideally real. She had found some really classy-looking faux holly garlands with lights to either hang down doors or put over a fireplace. And also some cashmere socks in all sorts of Christmas designs. She would have to get some tinsel in, of course, in honour of the name she had chosen for her shop. Plus some paper chain kits for the kids and some delicate, more expensive baubles than the traditional metal effect ones– all with Monique in mind, of course. Remembering what Lowen had told that her about the stallholders liking to decorate their stalls, she put outdoor lights on the list as well. She found some crackers, too– high end with recycled gifts, plus some cheaper ones with the ridiculous cracker prizes that actually she preferred. Give her a Fortune Teller Miracle Fish a.k.a, aFickle Fish, that moved around with the heat of your hand and told you what love mood you were in, and she would be happy for hours.
She thought back to Christmases in the Swift household, where such crackers had been a family tradition. They had been such happy affairs before the accident. Then, after her mum’s death, more often than not, it was just her and her dad and whichever girlfriend at the time he was seeing, sitting in a restaurant as her brother generally wanted to stay at his care home with the friends who didn’t have families to go to. Sabrina felt a terrible guilt that this was a lot easier for everyone as her brother’s swearing was usually off the scale and if they made it to the Christmas pudding without a distressing and sometimes violent tantrum, they were lucky. Poor Simon. He had been such a vibrant and ambitious lad. The whole scenario was just so sad. But he seemed mostly content in his new world and they couldn’t go back, not ever. So, it just had to be how it was.
After a couple of hours of Sabrina ordering more stock from the wholesaler that her dad had recommended, she was happy with her choices. Knowing that being left with too much stock would be a waste, but too order too little would also be to her detriment, she had created a spreadsheet of the items, with expected delivery times and costs against each. One of her concerns was how did she know what would be popular or not? Just because she liked certain things, it didn’t mean other people would. Maybe this shop lark wasn’t as easy as she thought it might be…
‘Right,’ she said aloud, refusing to allow her mood to dip and her to wallow in misery at the pregnancy news. ‘Come on, Swifty.’ She started to look online for the wireless payment device that Lowen had suggested she buy.
With a new payment account set up and a wireless card reader machine on order, she made a contented noise of achievement and shut her laptop. She was just locking up the unit when Lowen messaged. She felt a surge of weird excitement go through her. Yes, he had used her as a mistress– but just knowing that she’d busted him, she felt that it allowed her to hold the power over him and boy would he feel that power when their paths crossed next. Her face fell slightly as she read,Try before I buy will have to wait, foxy ladySorry I didn’t tell you but I didn’t get fired, I was made redundant with immediate effect. I’ve got a new job lined up, though, and I’m going to be away on a training course for the rest of this week. My phone and laptop go back tonight, so I will let you know my new number when I get it.
Sabrina shook her head in disbelief. If you could get a PhD for deception, this man would surely get the top grade. She felt like replying. “Have a great time in Marbella with your girlfriend”. Instead, she replied with the universal, most powerful retort: SILENCE.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Days began to fly past, mainly spent by Sabrina in a whirlwind of cleaning, taking stock in and generally getting the unit and window as shipshape as possible ready for her planned grand opening day of October the first.
She had managed to fit in a couple of beautiful walks with Belle, Isaac and Beethoven over at Penrigan Head and most evenings, completely knackered, her nights had consisted of staying in with beers, wine, tasty food and general chit-chat with Conor before going to their separate rooms and snoring until the seagulls broke their deep slumber. She had surprisingly had no word from Dominic. She was so hurt by him not telling her the pregnancy news that her pride and respect for herself would no way let her contact him. And of course, there was no word from Lowen either. But no contact from either of the shallow bastards meant no drama for her, and with no social media of her own to scroll or update, her quiet life on the estuary front with a man who asked nothing from her except company, who made her laugh and cooked her dinner, was such a calming and pleasant change from everyone wanting a piece of her.
The first day of October fortuitously fell on a Friday, and with it being outdoor market day, she figured she would open Tinsel Town with a bang. She had decided that as it was just a short-term pop up, she wouldn’t have a grand opening as such, but had put a small advert in theHartmouth Echomain paper and on their online page with a ten percent off voucher for any purchase made on opening day. At Conor’s request, Billy had also agreed to give out vouchers offering the same discount to every customer who drove on to the car ferry.
On the morning of that day, a bleary-eyed Conor walked into the kitchen in just his underpants to find her making scrambled eggs. ‘What’s happened to you? You’re putting food in a pot yourself and it’s not even my birthday?’
She laughed. ‘Cheeky bastard. Need to get my strength up– big day, today. How many slices of toast do you want?’
‘Two is grand. And of course.’ He opened his long arms wide and stretching noisily, declared, ‘Tinsel Town is open for business! Hartmouth’s very own answer to Hollywood.’
‘I really do think you’re going mad.’ Sabrina laughed.
‘Just going?’
They both laughed out loud.
They sat in comfortable silence with their breakfasts on their laps on the small sofa.
‘Shit, it’s freezing in here.’ Conor shivered and in doing so his bare arm touched Sabrina’s. She didn’t flinch.
‘Well, if you put some clothes on…’
‘Not a statement many young ladies in my company make.’ He stood up and without thought kissed her on the top of her head. ‘Good Luck today, Dickens. I’ll try and run up between crossings, but it may be too busy. I tell ya, though, I’ll be pushing those vouchers hard, girl. Saying that, I don’t think we discussed my commission.’ He winked as he went through to his bedroom to get dressed.
‘I’ll walk downstairs with you.’ Sabrina held the front door open. She was wearing what she called one of her ‘classy’ Christmas jumpers– plain black with a tiny brown reindeer with a sparkly red nose on it– under her black silky bomber jacket. It was one of the five designs that she was going to be selling at the market.
Reaching the bottom of the stairs, Conor stopped in the lobby. He looked right at her.
‘Thanks a million, Jilly Dickens.’ He ruffled her hair causing her spectacles to slip.
‘For what?’
Serious for once, he sighed. ‘Bringing back my faith in women.’
