Page 46 of Lessons in Love at the Seaside Salon
‘Of course not. You’d hang, draw and quarter me if I did.’
‘Too right.’ Gina nods and turns the page, her face softening. ‘Paul Hogan. I like him.’
Trudy smiles and shakes her head. Of course Gina likes Hoges – he looks like her husband, right down to the big grin.
The door opens and Trudy glances up to see Josie scurrying to greet the older gent who’s just walked in. It’s Josie’s job to greet all the clients and check their appointments in the book.
‘Hi!’ she says brightly.
‘Hello, miss,’ the man says. He has good, thick white hair – a little shaggy, which is why he must be here. Trudy presumes he has an appointment with Sam, who’s putting a client under the dryer so he’ll be free any tick of the clock. Evie, meanwhile, is fussing over a first-time client who wanted streaks and is currently getting them.
‘Do you have an appointment?’ Josie asks.
The man looks around and catches Trudy’s eye. He smiles and Trudy has a feeling – that feeling you get when you recognise someone but can’t remember where you met them or what their name is. It’s a feeling of mild social panic and normally she doesn’t have it, because over the years she’s become very good with names and faces.
‘Trudy,’ the man says.
In lieu of saying a name she doesn’t know, Trudy smiles. ‘Hello,’ she says.
‘You won’t remember me,’ the man says.
She feels the release of relief. ‘Oh, right.’
‘Solomon,’ he says. ‘Or Sol. That’s what everyone calls me.’
‘Right.’
‘Laurie and I played bowls together.’
Nowshe remembers, thankfully. Laurie – who never lost the competitive streak he’d had as a younger man playing tennis – had taken up bowls when one of his golfing mates suggested it.She used to accompany him to the club Christmas parties, which is – she is now sure – when she met Sol.
‘Ah,’ she says. ‘I knew I recognised you.’
‘Did you?’ He looks delighted.
Perhaps she shouldn’t be surprised – he clearly remembered her, after all.
‘Just didn’t remember your name.’ No harm in admitting it now.
‘It’s not a name people have top of mind,’ he says, and it’s kind of him. ‘Not that common round these parts.’
Gina makes a noise and Trudy realises she’s stalled on the tiny-snipping.
‘Well, I …’ she says and points the scissors in the direction of Gina’s head.
‘Oh, certainly,’ he says.
Now it’s Josie’s turn to make a noise and Sol turns back to her.
‘I don’t have an appointment,’ he confesses, then looks in Trudy’s direction again. ‘I hoped Trudy may be able to fit me in. Laurie spoke so highly of your skills.’
‘Did he?’ Trudy says, feeling a little emotional, almost as if Laurie left her one last message, two years later. She doesn’t know why it’s taken Sol so long to come in for a cut but she’s glad of it now. Except she’s solidly booked all day.
‘Trudy doesn’t have anything free today,’ Josie says brightly. ‘Maybe Sam could help you?’
In the mirror Trudy can see Sam turning and smiling with his usual neon brightness. That lad could power the lights at the Sydney Cricket Ground with that smile. And where Sam turns, Evie follows. There she is now, looking in his direction. Honestly, that girl needs to find a different target. Sam likes her but Trudy is quite sure he doesn’t like her likethat.
‘Be happy to,’ Sam says. ‘I have some time now while Mrs Kim is under the dryer.’
