Page 49 of What Happens in Dubai

‘Mate, I know that now. I just felt awful. I didn’t want to lie to him.’ She started to bubble again but took a long, deep breath, stopping herself from getting out of control.

‘Will I ever feel normal again, Zara? I don’t think I can be happy without him.’ Her voice shook.

‘Ash, you don’t need a man to make you feel normal. Look at you.’ I held my hands up in bewilderment. ‘You’re the fiercest person I know, literally. You’re the sassiest bitch all on your own.’ I squeezed her tightly.

‘I know I am. But it’s going to take me a while to remember how to be just me again. I live with him, eat, sleep and shag him. He’s all I know. I hate just having me already.’

‘And that’s fine. We all lose ourselves from time to time. But you will never just have you as long as I’m here. Cheesy but true!’ I leaned over and lightly kissed her forehead. ‘Fuck, last year I couldn’t wash or anything with everything that happened with Tom. Now look at me, young, free and happy!’

We were suddenly interrupted as my phone began to ring in my jacket pocket. I rolled my eyes, expecting an impatient Raj, but was pleasantly surprised to see Cameron’s name appear. A smile radiated across my cheeks.

‘Who is it?’ Ashley questioned.

‘Cameron!’ I boasted.

‘Eh, get it answered! Go! Go!’ She wafted her hands up at me, and I answered the call, stepping through to my bedroom.

Cameron had just finished a stroll through the Turkish markets. He’d met up with one of his old workmates and they were planning a trip the following day to Istanbul to explore the capital and its culture. We chatted for around ten minutes before I reluctantly called an end to our chat, knowing I’d better check on Ashley. As I wandered back into the living room, I found her engrossed inKeeping Up with the Kardashians.

She sat up and looked at me. ‘Well? What happened yesterday?’

‘It was nice. We spoke for ages, laughed, drank hot chocolate and got on really well. He seems pretty amazing, to be honest.’ I didn’t want to praise my date too much when Ashley felt so low, but I couldn’t help but break out in a huge grin, thinking of the stranger on the plane.

‘The catch? There must be a catch?’ she said, knowing my attention span for men rarely reached the forty-eight-hour mark.

‘I suppose it’s that he lives in Dubai …’

‘So it’s the “not being able to have him” element. There’s always something with you, Zara,’ she chuckled. ‘Wait, where is he now, again?’

‘Turkey – he’s on leave from work and likes to travel. He’s into sightseeing and exploring.’

Ashley cackled.

‘To Turkey? Have you been to Turkey? Like, what’s he exploring? The fake goods? Coz it’s hardly the sightseeing holiday, is it?’

‘He’s not going to sit on a lounger in Marmaris, mate. He’s travelling to Istanbul. The city is full of history.’ I shot her a smug look, and she burst out laughing. ‘What? Stop! What’s so funny?’

‘Istanbul? You know he’ll be getting his gnashers done? No one has ever gone to Istanbul for a holiday, Zara, period. Like ever ever ever.’

‘Well, Cameron is cultured and well-travelled with a respectable set of teeth already. Trust me, he’s there for the city.’

‘If you say so.’ But Ashley laughed cynically, and I threw her a dirty look from across the room.

‘Right, lunch, arsehole. What would you like?’ I glanced down at my phone for the time. ‘I have about twelve minutes before Raj has a flaky!’

I went into the kitchen and opened the fridge.Shit.Empty.

‘I know what you’re going to say. I’ve checked the cupboards already. It looks like it’s a Monster Munch sandwich for us, eh?’ Ashley said from the sofa.

My face twisted as I peeked inside the bread packaging, full of blue mould.

‘Nope, you’re wrong, babe. It looks like it’s just a packet of Monster Munch – the bread’s off.’ I threw the crisp pack over to Ashley and headed for the door. ‘See you tonight. I’ll bring the shopping in!’

I rocketed back to the clinic, hoping to squeeze in a flirty text to Cameron, but found Raj swivelling restlessly on the stool behind the desk as I arrived.

‘Hey, everything OK?’ I asked.

‘Hmm.’ He was buried in thought.

---