Sarah shivered as he looked her up and down with hungry eyes. She’d chosen a loose- fitting black dress to wear, which she hoped hid her lumps and bumps. It seemed she’d been wrong.
‘Yes, I like a girl with meat on her bones. Can’t stand these awful stick insects you see on TV. Give me a woman with plenty to grab hold of any time.’ Adam took a large bite of lobster, his eyes glued to Sarah’s chest.
‘I need to visit the ladies,’ said Sarah, pushing her chair back.
‘Sure thing,’ said Adam, putting the lobster down and sucking a mussel from its shell, a thin trickle of sauce dribbling down his chin.
Sarah grabbed her coat and bag and ran. She didn’t stop running till she reached the corner shop and was certain Awful Adam hadn’t followed her.
‘You look lovely this evening,’ said the shopkeeper as Sarah lay a frozen pizza and a bottle of wine on the counter. ‘Off out somewhere nice?’
‘What do you think?’ said Sarah, grabbing her meal for one and heading home.
Chapter 11
Sarahlookeddownather crumpled dress, thrown into a pile on the floor the night before. She groaned and sat on top of it, leaning against her bed frame and planting her face in her hands. She couldn’t get anything right; dating, house-hunting, employment. Perhaps Colin was right and she should set the bar higher, seek adventure? Perhaps her hometown had given up all it offered? It seemed to have left her the dregs.
Her alarm clock showed six a.m. How Sarah longed for a good night’s sleep. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d fallen asleep before midnight, or woken after six. Sarah’s bedroom floor felt like shifting sand, everything around her unstable, threatening to collapse and drag her further down at the first opportunity.
Sarah flicked on her phone, desperate to fill the few hours before the rest of the world was awake. She’d blocked Awful Adam and deleted the dating app after a stream of curse-filled insults disrupted her movie-watching-pizza-eating marathon the evening before. Flicking on to social media, Sarah’s thumb swiped away inane posts about pets, boasting parents showing off their children, beautiful people flaunting fun nights out.
Just as Sarah was ready to throw her phone against the wall, a post came up that made her heart jolt. She went on social media so rarely, it surprised Sarah to find she followed the B&B she had stayed in on her final fateful holiday with Mark.
This looks like a great opportunity for anyone wanting a summer job!
Below the caption was a photograph of an old stone cottage in the woods. A sign above the front door informed her it was now a café. Outside it were picnic tables, a children’s play area and a tree-lined stream. A friendly-looking waitress stood in the doorway holding a tray of tea and cakes.
Waitress wanted. Basic accommodation provided. Immediate start.
Sarah scrolled past the post, then back up to it. Waitressing wasn’t so different from what she did at the burger bar, and the café looked an improvement on her current working environment. Could she quit the burger bar so soon into her new job? It wouldn’t look good on her CV, holding down one job for four years but leaving without a reference, then leaving another job after two weeks. But she didn’t owe them anything, and they’d find someone new. A monkey could flip burgers. God, if Nuts could do it, anyone could.
Sarah frowned at her phone screen. She was supposed to be moving up in the world, not sideways. A summer job in a café wasn’t a step up. And yet… And yet… Was she desperate enough to be a skivvy for rich holiday makers and chirpy hikers? Sarah looked at the empty food containers and wine bottles scattered around her bedroom floor. They didn’t scream success, or happiness, or a lifestyle worth clinging on to. She pictured the posts she could share on social media if she got the job.Forest bathing after work. Quick hike before breakfast.
Her disastrous CV was a concern, but theimmediate startsuggested the café manager was desperate for staff, and it wasn’t like she was incapable of making a pot of tea. God knows she’d had plenty of practice making thousands of cups of tea for Cynthia over the years.
Before she could change her mind, Sarah clicked thelikebutton on the café’s page and fired off a message.I saw your advert and wondered if you’re still looking for staff? I’ve just left my previous job and I’m looking for a fresh start as my parents have moved to Spain.
It wasn’t all lies. One parent had moved to Spain, and she was looking for a fresh start, regardless of whether she wanted to. There was the small matter of handing in her notice at the burger bar, but it wasn’t as though it would come as a surprise given their high staff turnover.
The ping of her phone made Sarah jump. Had they replied already? It was only twenty past six in the morning.
Hi, good to hear from you. Yes, we are still looking for staff. Would you be able to pop in on Saturday for an interview? X
P.S. Us early risers need to stick together! ;-)
Saturday. That was only a few days away. Sarah thought of the long to-do list Cynthia had left on the fridge. She couldn’t abandon her duties, could she? A wave of anger caught Sarah by surprise. Why should she clear up her parents’ mess? It wasn’t like Cynthia was trekking through the jungle. They had internet and phone signal in Spain. For the second time that day, Sarah typed a rushed, rash message on her phone.
Hi Mum. Hope all’s going well over there. Something’s come up and I need to go away for a few days. I’ll give Greg your number and tell him to call you if there are any issues with the sale. Likewise, I’ll pass your number onto the removal company. I’ll leave a key with Mr Merryman next door so they can get in. I leave on Friday, so I’ll pack any valuables up before I go. Sarah x
Sarah turned her phone off even though she knew Cynthia wouldn’t be up for hours yet. The last thing she needed was her mother tearing down her newfound sense of purpose. Her shift at the burger bar started at ten, and she’d hand in her notice straight away. It shouldn’t cause too many ripples, given she was still just within her trial period. There was a call Sarah needed to make, but it was too early, so she made herself a coffee and began packing up belongings in her room.
Sarah waded through her wardrobe, throwing all her ill-fitting clothes into a pile destined for the charity shop. When she had finished, there were only enough clothes left to fill one small suitcase. Sarah pinched at her expanding waistline, hating herself for binging the night before. If she got the job, perhaps she could do a bit more exercise, get a bit more healthy? Anything was worth a try.
Next, Sarah tackled her bookshelf. It had been years since she’d read anything and the piles of Nancy Drew and Jacqueline Wilson books felt too immature to keep. By the time Sarah had sifted through her soft toys and knickknacks, items headed for the charity shop covered the bed.
Sarah glanced at the clock. Almost nine. She turned her phone on, her pulse quickening as she waited for messages to come through. Her phone remained silent. Perhaps Cynthia had been on the sangria the night before and hadn’t yet woken to Sarah’s message? Sarah scrolled through her list of contacts until she found the number she was looking for.
The dial tone went on for so long Sarah was ready to give up. Just as she was about to hang up, a woman’s voice came on the line.
