Page 48 of What Happens in Dubai

Between balancing my own duties and covering Ashley’s, the morning passed quickly, and I was grateful not to have a fully booked schedule for the day. I helped with bookings, telephone enquiries,andstill managed to message Cameron in between. Raj finished his last client of the morning and popped back onto the shop floor.

‘How’re tomorrow’s appointments looking?’ He looked concerned.

‘Pretty blah, to be honest. Botox, Botox, lips, more Botox,’ I replied, scrolling down the computer screen.

‘And are we full?’

‘Nope, not even half full. But hey, it is mid-week.’

‘I bet them across the road is full.’ He tilted his head towards Botox Boxx, sighed and walked back towards the staff room. ‘Go for lunch, Zara. Take ten minutes extra if you’re going home.’

‘Awww, thanks, boss,’ I yelled.

I grabbed my jacket from underneath the desk and made the short journey home. Heading up the stairwell, I started to feel apprehensive about what I was walking into. I had never seen Ashley like this before. She was always the strong friend who had her shit together. She was the one who picked me up from the gutter and I wasn’t sure what I could do to make her feel better. I opened the door quietly and immediately spotted Ashley’s feet sticking out the end of the sofa.

‘Hey, babe, how are you feeling?’ I said, trying my hardest to sound as compassionate as I could.

‘Shite,’ she answered sharply.

I went over to join her on the sofa. Her face was still red from tears and she looked miserable.

‘Do you know he’s not even texted me? He said this morning that I should come to stay here with you. Like, that’s it done. His decision was so final.’

I squeezed my hips onto the couch and sat beside her, gazing into her distracted, troubled green eyes. ‘You know you can stay here for however long you need too, right?’

Ashley nodded.

‘He’s blaming you, Zara.’

‘WHAT!!!’ I jumped up, feeling outraged.

‘I know. Fucking bullshit,’ Ashley said.

‘Did you tell him I was the one who prised you off the cunt’s dick?’

‘No, I didn’t.BecauseI only told him I kissed someone.’ Ashley began sobbing again. ‘I saw how he reacted with a kiss. A blow job admission was out of the question. What am I going to do?’ She roared with tears, and my heart dropped for her. There was nothing I could do or say to fix this, so I just wrapped my arms around her and allowed her to sob into my shoulder.

‘You know, we covered that in Dubai. It was a kiss of his dick – end of. All he needs to know.’

She started to giggle and broke free, shaking her head, sniffing the wandering snot back up her nose.

‘Why the fuck does he think it’s my fault, though, Ash?’ I muttered.

‘He said the way you’ve been acting recently, all the different men, it’s putting ideas in my head.’

‘I mean, wow.’ I was speechless. I felt like I had been hit in the face with a judgemental frying pan. ‘For fuck’s sake. The grass isn’t greener over this side of the dating game, Ash, and I’ll tell anyone that.’

‘I know. He just looked so angry. He was screaming that I’m a slut and a skank. I’ve honestly never seen him like that before.’ She looked traumatised, reliving her worst nightmare.

‘Then he simmered down for a bit, and I thought I was getting through to him. I swore it was just a kiss. He begged me to tell him who the guy was and when I said he played for Celtic, then honestly, holy fuck! I thought he was going to fucking chemically combust or something. That was all he had to hear. As soon as I dropped the green and white bomb, my bags were packed.’

I couldn’t believe Ashley had gone through this while I was happily texting Cameron. I felt sick for her.

‘You’re braver than me. I can’t believe you told him about the Celtic player. His pride must be dented.’

‘Aye, with a sledgehammer.’

I thought hard. ‘You know, I think I would have rather told him about the blow job than the Celtic thing, no joke!’

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