Page 86 of Lessons in Love at the Seaside Salon
‘Are you okay?’ Evie hops off her stool and comes round to put a hand on Anna’s shoulder. ‘I suppose water won’t help – you inhaled, didn’t you?’
Anna nods, still coughing, looking in the direction of the cause of her startling: Gary, in the company of some blonde woman, heading for a table in the corner.
So much for him wanting to spend more time with his kids. Not that he’s been seeing them on Friday nights but isthiswhat he’s been doing with his time? Seeing someone? All while trying to get back together with her?
‘That bastard,’ she murmurs, the coughing abating as her lungs settle down.
‘What?’
‘My husband. Ex. Sort of. Husband.’ She nods in the direction of the table, where Gary half has his back to her – thank goodness – and where she can also get a good look at the woman he’s with. Anna hasn’t seen her before, so she wouldn’t be a school mum. That’s something. Is she the paralegal? That’s it, isn’t it? He’s getting it on with the new staff member. What a bloody cliché. She’s married to a cliché! Was married to a cliché! Is still! Doesn’t want to be!
Evie is looking at Gary’s table and Anna is now worried they’ll be spotted.
‘That guy over there?’ Evie asks.
‘Yes. With theblonde.’ Anna can hear something in her voice. Feel it, too. It couldn’t be … could it? No. It can’t be. Not … jealousy.
No way. She’s not jealous of the blonde.She doesn’t want Gary back. That’s been her line for weeks now.
‘Is he seeing someone?’
‘Not that I knew of. In fact, he’s been saying he wants to get back together.’
They both glance his way. He’s definitely going to notice shortly.
‘Would you like to leave? Go somewhere else?’ Evie says.
‘I would but … our fish and chips.’ They put in an order when they got their drinks.
‘Oh, stuff that. We can tell them to not make them. They probably haven’t started.’
They both look to the kitchen, where there’s not a lot of activity.
‘No,’ Anna says. ‘No. Why should you have to change your night just because of my stupid marriage?’
‘It’s –’
‘No, Evie, really. I need to get used to it.’ She swallows. Does she, though? This jealousy – there’s been nothing else to provoke it the whole time they’ve known each other, because he’s never even looked at another woman sideways. ‘But maybe we could move over there.’ Anna jerks her chin toward a corner that’s as far away from Gary as they can get, as well as being fairly dark.
‘Good idea.’
Evie picks up their drinks and Anna their cutlery and tries not to be noticeable as she goes.
Once they’re resettled, Evie has a quick glance in Gary’s direction.
‘So how long have you been split up?’ she says.
‘Not long. He was working so much. Never coming home while the kids were awake. So I thought he may as well leave. He didn’t take it well. He’s been …’
She was going to say,He’s been trying to come back, but is that true any more?
Evie smiles at her – it’s unguarded and warm, which is not how Evie smiles in the salon. ‘Do you still love him?’ she says.
‘He’s the father of my children, so …’
‘Anna, you saw me blubbering on the beach.’ Evie looks amused. ‘I think we’ve kind of moved past the pretending stage.’
Anna is so taken aback she almost rocks off her stool. What is Evie seeing in her?
