‘I don’t know how to tell you this, but just after you left to come down here, Stu and I had the hugest row, because he doesn’t think you should know about something.’
Sabrina felt a wave of dread course through her. ‘What are you on about?’
A waiter came over to take their order. ‘Five more minutes.’ They said in unison.
‘Oh my god, Dee, what’s happened?’
Dee took a deep breath and ran her hand through her messy brown bob. ‘Rini, you know you have been my friend for years and years and I love you very much.’
‘You’re scaring me now.’ Sabrina felt her stomach lurch. ‘You’re not splitting up, are you?’
‘Worse than that.’
‘What? Just tell me.’
Dee rushed her words out at one hundred miles an hour. ‘Dom did something inappropriate at my birthday drinks this year.’
Sabrina swallowed loudly. ‘Go on.’
‘He was drunk, Rini.’
‘I see the pattern, here.’ Sabrina tried to mask her disappointment with sarcasm but knew her friend saw through it.
‘It was discreet. He brushed passed me gently, touched my arse, then gave me a wink and that was it. But it was enough, Rini.’
Sabrina’s face contorted. ‘He was joking though, right.’
‘No. He wasn’t.’ Dee was quietly adamant. ‘It was creepy, not friendly.
I felt physically sick for you, not me. It reminded me of when someone at the Houses of Parliament did similar to me once. Stu had a drinks thing going on with work with proper posed photos, and I was his plus one. One of the ministers of sleaze there jostled next to me for the photo and put his hand on my muffin top and squeezed it, saying, “I guess you’re OK with that?” If it hadn’t been a work do, I’d have twisted his gnarly old todger right off.’ Proper #MeToo stuff. Discreet, but seedy as hell.’
‘You could have told me, Dee.’
‘No, I couldn’t. You were so excited with the wedding coming up and seemed so happy. If he’d offered sex, then yes, of course I’d have told you, but he just brushed passed me. But the fact that he did that is enough to prove he’s not for you, Rini, and then when he shagged the French stick, I was kind of relieved as being honest, you deserve better than him. And a man in a relationship just shouldn’t behave like that. Imagine Stu doing that to you.’
Sabrina shook her head. ‘He just wouldn’t.’
‘Exactly. He loves you and we both know that, but he will kiss you on the cheek openly goodbye or hello. And basically, he said if I did tell you about what Dom had done, it would open an unnecessary can of worms and pain for you that you didn’t need. Would you have stopped the wedding if I had told you?’
‘He’s such a sleazeball!’ Sabrina said far too loudly, the champagne now taking effect. ‘And it looks like Little Miss Frenchie did me a favour as it left no doubt that I should leave him. No wonder you were relieved.’
‘I love you so much, Rini, and I’m so sorry if I handled this wrongly, but you know me and you, we have never had a secret between us.’
‘I can see both your and Stu’s sides. And I’m so sorry this has caused you such anguish and that you fell out with him over it. And now, I am genuinely so happy you told me.’ Sabrina squeezed her friend’s hand.
‘Really?’
‘Really. How mad is Stu with Dom on a scale of one to ten.’
‘Let’s just say it’s a good job he hasn’t seen him since the wedding that never was. I’m surprised he didn’t lump him one then, to be honest.’
Sabrina’s brow furrowed. ‘Now I think back, there were so many times that Dom was over-flirty and just a little too edgy with women. You’ve cemented my decision. My head was clear, but my heart wasn’t and yes, as I say, it’s only been six weeks, but I don’t want to be with him. I really don’t.’
‘Hurrah to that! And as for me and Stu, we’re fine, now. I mean, Colin the Koala is back leaving me messages, so the Dickinson household is clearly business as usual.’
They both laughed.
‘And Dominic Best is clearly a cock.’ Sabrina announced.
