“So, you’ve known him, like, forever?”
If she said ‘like’ again, I might have to beat her over the head with a book of English grammar. Or I might just do it anyway: the idea was undeniably attractive.
I smiled coolly at her and she looked a little confused. “Oh, sorry, Barb… Brenda. Was that a question?”
She nodded briskly.
“No, not really,” I replied shortly. I wasn’t going to give her any information I didn’t need to.
“You know his parents, right?”
“Slightly,” I repeated, knowing that would aggravate her more than anything.
“Seb and I have been dating since tenth grade,” she lied blandly.
“How nice,” I said, grinding my teeth. “Dear me! Shirley must have been mistaken when she told me you two had broken up.”
She flicked her honey blonde hair over her shoulder. “We were on a break, but he wants to get back with me.”
She spoke with such an air of conviction that I was rather in awe of her. How did she lie so easily and with such confidence? I should take lessons from her – especially as I had another three months of living with David to get through.
The reminder was a sharp one, and I’d had enough of her games.
“How nice for you. Well, it’s been lovely chatting, but if you’ll excuse me, I have deadlines.”
Now she looked mad. It turned out that I was much better at blowing her off than Sebastian was. What’s more, it had been fun.
She huffed angrily, grabbed her towel and headed indoors. I suspected she would be stalking Sebastian in the gym. I looked up at Ches. He shrugged and shook his head helplessly. Nope, he didn’t know what to do about Barbara… er… Brenda either.
I decided to wander in to get that mythical coffee after all. I left my laptop on the table and Ches cheerfully acknowledged that he’d keep an eye on it. Pulling on my T-shirt and shorts I headed for the bar area but before I got there I could hear a woman’s angry voice.
“It’s not appropriate for you to be chatting to your girlfriend while you’re working, Mr. Hunter.”
“She’s not my…”
A middle-aged Hispanic woman in a neat pant-suit was chewing a piece out of Sebastian. My immediate reaction was to rush in and defend him. Instead, I watched silently from the sidelines. Story of my life.
“We have rules here for very good reasons. We don’t want our members injuring themselves when they’re in the gym: that’s why we have staff on hand to instruct them in the correct use of the equipment. If you’re chatting to your girlfriend, Mr. Hunter, that’s when accidents will happen. I take a very dim view of that… a very dim view indeed.”
“She’s not my girlfriend, ma’am, she’s a member and…”
“Well… I’ve made my views clear, Mr. Hunter. And should any other of your friends decide to come and chat, I’m sure you’ll dissuade them from that. Am I making myself clear?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“And may I ask why you are working the gym right now and not Mr. Peters?”
Sebastian flushed and dropped his gaze to stare directly over his manager’s shoulder.
“I… I asked to swap, ma’am.”
“I arrange the rosters, Mr. Hunter, not you. Kindly go back to your lifeguarding duties and send Mr. Peters to see me, please.”
“But Ches…”
“Now, Mr. Hunter.”
“Yes, Miss Perez.”
Sebastian turned on his heel and strode back out to the pool area.
Luckily he was unaware that I’d overheard the humiliating little scene. I could cheerfully have smacked Brenda into the middle of next week for causing so much trouble.
I lingered to order a coffee and the young barista offered to carry it out to the pool for me when it was ready. Now Sebastian was back outside, it was the only place I wanted to be.