"Okay?" I bit my lip. "I'm sorry I took you away from Zak."
"Zak and I are dating. We aren't joined at the hip. Yes, we're a bit heady and wanting sex every five seconds, but I can make time to come help my bestie when she's having a drunken crisis."
"How did you know to come anyway?" I realised I didn't know when she'd got here or how she'd known I was drunk.
"You called Rex."
My face drained of all blood. "Oh no. Please no. Promise me I didn't tell him I wanted to be his mate after all."
Erica laughed. "No, apparently you told him he was a dipshit."
"Phew."
"Anyway, go and get showered and then I can help you get cleaned up in here. There's sugar everywhere."
And that's exactly what my best friend did. She helped me feel slightly more human, made me some toast and a hell of a lot of coffee, and then we cleaned up the living room and kitchen while I vowed to never drink so much again. I insisted she left at eleven pm and I took myself off to bed to read all the newspapers and magazines I'd bought. At around three am I finally fell back to sleep until my phone alarm bleeped at nine am reminding me that I was back at work.
The store opened at eleven on a Sunday but first we had to get the new stock unpacked and give the store a little clean and polish because it needed to be pristine. Customers expected quality and the utmost professionalism at Sparkles.
Thank goodness therefore for make-up which had stopped me looking like the undead. When I'd woken, I could have been an extra for The Walking Dead. I should have sent Rex a photo, that would have had him un-mated from me in the time it took for him to scream in shock. But instead, I looked well put together on the outside if the inside of me was still a little bit queasy. I was wearing some of the jewellery I'd bought from the store. We had to showcase the stores brands and for that we got a hefty discount.
"Well, well, well. The superstar returns." Joelle, one of the other assistants and a complete bitch sighed. "What's it like realising that despite your friend knowing the band, you're still so very, very, ordinary."
God, I hated her. I hated her dark, almost jet-black hair, her stupid botoxed face, and veneered teeth. She made out like she was loaded when all she had was a credit card and a number of 'sugar daddies' that she managed to keep hanging while they hoped to get in her pants. She did however have the gift of the gab to the extent that every single month she beat me to Salesperson of the Month. I had never won it despite my best efforts. Maybe this month I could do it and wipe the smug look off her face. It was still relatively early in the month.
"Hi, Joelle. I think you've got a pubic hair stuck between your teeth." I lied, but as she paled and hot-footed it to the bathroom, it looked like one of her 'daddies' had called in his debt after all.
As the morning passed and we got busy, my hangover finally began to abate and I started to relax. I'd made a few sales and Joelle's constant glaring at me did nothing but spur me on further.
I was feeling fragile but determined when into the store walked John, my ex.
I deflated like a leaking helium balloon and as I said hello to him in a squeaky voice, I sounded like I'd been inhaling it.
"Hey, Freya." He said, smiling at me. It disturbed me because ex-boyfriends you'd dumped just over a week ago were not supposed to smile at you. They were supposed to be really pissed off at you or deeply depressed.
"Hi, John. Is there something I can do for you?"
He nodded. "Yes, I'd like to buy an engagement ring please."
"P- pardon?" I'd only just dumped him. How could he be getting engaged? Ohhh, it hit me all at once. He was either back with the OG—the original girlfriend I'd stolen him from—or he was making shit up to make me jealous. I'd go for it being the latter. Well, while that was fine, I needed him out of here quickly, because while he was getting me to show him rings I doubted he had any intention of buying, Joelle had a genuine customer who was dripping with an expensive watch and ring already and looking at bracelets. Plus, he was around sixty, so her prime real estate.
"Okay, tell me, what kind are you looking for and what price range?" I looked around me. "Oh, and I'm forgetting my manners. Come take a seat at my table. Can I get you a coffee?" Because I fucking need one. My swearing to not drink looked like lasting the shortest ever time because if brandy had been to hand, I'd have poured it on an 80/20 ratio of alcohol to coffee into my mug and downed it so fast I'd have taken out my oesophagus.
"Oh you know me. I had no clue what I was looking for last time either. Could you show me a selection and help me choose?"
"Sure." I said politely. "Maybe if you could tell me a little about the lady you're buying it for, it might help me."
"Okay. Well, it's been a whirlwind romance, and she's just beautiful and everything I ever wanted. She's so pretty, so it needs to be pretty, and she's got a similar build to you, so I'll take a guess her being a similar ring size, but if it doesn't fit we can bring it back to be sized, right?"
Jesus, was he on something or manic?
"Of course. Well, let me just go choose a few. Give me a moment."
I went into the storeroom at the back where I banged my head into the nearest glass cabinet.
"Is everything okay, Freya?" My boss, Eddie asked.
"Well, if fine is your ex-boyfriend coming in to buy an engagement ring the week after you dumped him because he's had a whirlwind romance, then, yes, everything is fine."
Eddie fixed me with a look. "Well the last time he came in to buy a ring he left with no jewellery, but a new girlfriend. That's not going to happen this time is it, Freya? You are going to make a sale, aren't you? Because what is our private mantra?"
"Show the bling, make their finances sting." I found it very hard not to roll my eyes.
"Perfect. Now back out you go with a whole host of expensive engagement rings because his new fiancée deserves the very best, doesn't she?"
I nodded, made my selections and went back outside.
John dithered for the best part of an hour, making me put them on to show him. (I refused to put them on my engagement finger) and asking my advice, until in the end I snapped. But only inside. Outside I had to still be the perfect salesperson.
"This one, John. If it were me, I would be ecstatic to receive this ring here." I held it up and twinkled it into the light. "It’s completely perfect and you will own her heart. Okay?"
"Sold." He beamed. "Thank you, Freya. You're the best."
"Okay, so how will you be paying for it?"
"Oh, erm, I'll put it on my credit card. Hopefully, my limit will be high enough."
I paused at that. No matter what Eddie said, this was my ex and at one time we'd been happy.
"John. Any woman would be lucky to have you as their fiancé. You don't have to spend a stupid amount of money. Hold on a moment." I took away the tray of rings I'd shown him so far and found him another lovely and popular one in a more affordable price range.
I walked back out and sat near him. "This one. It's beautiful and affordable, and if she loves you, she'll love whatever ring you buy her."