Page 78 of What Happens in Dubai

Andy’s usually calm, laid-back manner had disappeared, and he seemed strangely excited.

Exchanging puzzled looks with Ashley, we all sat down.

‘When I left you and Tom last night, after you know, I was heading back to the Corinthian and found this lying on the street, so I grabbed it, and, I’m sorry, I don’t want you to think for one second I was being nosey, but I had to make sure it belonged to you. Zara, you are brilliant. Your plans are fucking spot on!’ He was gushing, holding my notepad in his hands.

I looked at Ashley, confused and speechless.

‘What do you mean? My plans?’ I laughed.

‘Your plans to turn this place around. The facial balancing technique, the media strategy, everything you have written here, it’s amazing. It’s honestly beyond anything I would have even thought of. I started reading it and couldn’t put it down.’

I blushed, realising he’d gone through my scribbles.

‘I wrote that a while back, but then you suggested Dubai, so I left it.’ I glanced at the notebook now sitting on the table and cringed at the thought of Andy reading my strawberry-scented gel pen notes.Shit,I hoped he hadn’t seen the entire page dedicated to ‘Zara loves Cameron’ menchies. Or the three-page spread trialling Cameron’s surname, just in case we tied the knot.

‘We need this, Zara! Yes, it’s a big fucking gamble, but it will work. It’s distinctive, not all the pompous bullshit vibes this place has or the hippy shit across the street. It’s individualised, person-centred treatments and that’s what this place should be.’

I smiled at how animated he was about my ideas. ‘Thanks. I mean, I’m flattered, but I mentioned it before to Raj, and he didn’t like the concept at all.’

Tom stood up, looking shocked. ‘This sounds astonishing, Zara! All of it, it really does. But if I may suggest one little thing?’ He paced the floor for a few moments, then turned around.

‘You’re in charge when Raj is in Dubai and he doesn’t do social media, right? He’ll never know anything. We could have a trial transformation in the time he’s away, Zara.’ Tom smiled to Andy and they both seemed unbelievably keen, while I was still in shock to find out they’d enjoyed my ideas.

Tom moved closer then crouched down beside me. His hair, usually neat and pushed back, flopped to the side.

‘I’ve actually attended a facial balancing course before for my plastic’s clinical module. I know the principles inside out. I could teach you the techniques. It’s not difficult; you’d be using less product than you do now. It’s all about perfecting the angles and edges of the face. What do you think?’

I sat there glued to my seat, flabbergasted and speechless.

Ashley looked excited, not comprehending the conversation completely but infected by his upbeat energy. ‘Zara, this sounds amazing!’

I wished I could share in her excitement, but somehow I couldn’t help question Tom’s motives. Did he really believe in my ideas that much? Or was he trying to get me fired so he could have his old job back? I rubbed my temples, trying hard to think, then turned to Andy.

‘So, you think this could work? You believe in it one hundred per cent?’

Andy’s smile shone towards me. ‘I believe in you one hundred per cent, darlin’, so aye, it’s gon’ to work.’

I blushed, still unable to break eye contact with the hot man across the room.

Tom let out a loud, echoing clap. ‘I agree! Let’s do this, Zara!’ Tom’s eyes were bright and alive with passion. I had never seen him so uncomposed before. He walked up to Andy and they started chatting and brainstorming ideas together like two kids in the playground. I watched their arms move around animatedly as they fed off one another’s ideas. The room was filled with laughter and excitement.

Ashley turned to me, twirling her hair in confusion.

‘Well, what was that all about?’

‘Nothing that big, honestly. More about social media approaches and a focus on clients rather than trends.’

Ashley tutted. ‘Jesus Christ, it was like you’d written the sequel to Harry Potter or something. That cunt had a semi with whatever was in that notebook, Zara! Nae joke!’

‘Shhh …’ I laughed as Andy’s eye caught mine again briefly.

He cleared his throat and turned back around to us all, ‘So, we all good here? I need to rush to work but I wanted to see you first.’

‘Yeah, I’m good, and so grateful you like my ideas, Andy. But at the same time, I’m like, where do I start? Like, if we were to trial this?’ I was still feeling overwhelmed by it all.

‘You’ve done the hard part, wee yin. Everything is in there …’ He walked by and tapped my head jokingly. ‘You guys should have a team meeting, do the training, arrange the décor, the social media approach and I’ll promote it on Juju’s platforms. You’ve got this.’

I suddenly felt motivated and out of my slump from all this encouragement.

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