Chapter Five

Nicole walked dejectedly from the boutique. The owner had made her feel foolish during the interview and she knew she didn't have a chance of getting the job. It was a shame as the boutique was very interested in pursuing talented designers with its own in house scheme. She hadn't known it at the time unfortunately, even though she had researched the stores history after getting notification of the interview date.
"Oh well." she said, continuing to walk down the street and looking in the shop windows. She was struck by a dress in a charity shop window. It was long and white and styled in a Grecian manner with long fitted sleeves and a criss-cross of ribbon across the bodice. She pulled out her mobile phone and took a quick picture of it, just moments before the store dummy was lifted out of the window. It looked a stunning dress she suddenly thought. She wondered if she could find a designer version.
She sent the picture to Ella, with the message 'Did we see any like this? Nic'
She started walking toward her car and her phone beeped again.
'Bridezilla' she read.
She stopped in the street and swore, startling a passer by.
"Sorry" she muttered a quick apology. She was going to have to have words with Geoff, every hour he had sent her the 'Bridezilla' text and she had kept to her word and not discussed the wedding.
Did he not realise how it would look in an interview when she'd said that although she liked the store she needed the job because she was saving up for a thingy?
"Talk about it!" she muttered. "It doesn't count if I think about it, that's not talking about it is it?"
"Talking about what dearie?" a passing stranger, asked curiously.
"My wed….." she trailed off. "Ah ha… you nearly got me there but I didn't say it… I did not say wedding!" She looked up startled. "Dammit you made me say wedding!" she accused the passer by.
She tossed her hair over her shoulder and stomped to her car. She drove home in a foul mood. She was at her front door less than an hour later; pushing the speeding ticket into the bottom of her bag she pulled out her keys and opened the door. She decided to take a long soak and get rid of her bad mood before heading over to Geoff's for dinner.

Roman came back from the beach alone, he'd had a game of footie with Ollie and Mike. The two boys were now at the Caravan Park catching up. He could see it was only a matter of time before Mike no longer wanted to attend boarding school and live in the bay full time now he had Ollie as a best friend.
He'd also taken a long run along the beach to get rid of some of the negative feelings he'd been having lately and now he needed a long drink of water and a quick shower before he had to head to the diner to do his shift.
He grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and headed upstairs drinking from the bottle in frantic gulps. He placed his hand on the handle of the bathroom door and turned it. Seconds before he was going to push it open he heard Nicole say.
"Its busy! I'm taking a bath!"
"Well how long are you going to be?" he asked, taking another drink.
"I don't know I've only just got in!" she told him.
Roman sighed and turned round went into his bedroom pulling off his sweaty running gear and grabbing a bathrobe. He headed back downstairs with a sardonic grin on his face.
"How hard can it be?" he thought, "I used to wash in cold water."
He headed outside to the back garden and hooked up the hosepipe, turning it on. Stripping off the bathrobe he stepped underneath the cold water and gasped in shock.
"Ok, I really need …" he said his teeth chattering. "To get another bathroom installed." He continued washing under the cold water until he heard a scream. He looked up to see Colleen standing there with a cake box.
"For Gawds sake woman!" he muttered, grabbing his bathrobe and dropping the pipe. "Can't you knock?"
She stood with her eyes closed and said. "I had no idea you would be washing your bicepticles and other bits in the open."
"I'm in my garden Colleen and Nicole is hogging the bathroom again!" he explained. "You can open your eyes now. I've put on my bathrobe."
She looked at him and said. "Don't worry I won't tell Ella that I saw your pecticles and other things."
Roman sighed and then he reached for the belt of his robe he opened it and flashed her.
"Oh my word!" Colleen exclaimed, looking like she was going to faint.
"See I'm wearing swim shorts!" he said. "What did you come round for anyway?" He turned off the hose and led her into the house.
"I made young Mike a cake and Ella said it was ok to bring it round. She said that if no one answered the door to leave it round the back. I didn't mean to interrupt you with your absolutions." Colleen paused in the ramble. "Is this what they teach you in the army?" she asked.
"Yeah something like that." He said. "Are you heading back to the diner?" he asked changing the subject.
"Yes," she said. "Yes I am. " She confirmed.
"Well I'll get dressed and walk you there. I have a shift starting in twenty minutes." Roman said heading for the stairs and began climbing them.
"Ok." Colleen said following him, distracted.
"Colleen are you planning on following me all the way to my bedroom?" he turned and asked the other woman.
She flushed.
"No." she said stopping and walking back downstairs flustered.
"I'll be down in a bit." He promised.

Roman said goodbye to the last customer and began closing up the diner. He was going to head over to Noah's and have a drink as soon as the place was locked up, he decided. Finally turning out the lights and turning the key in the door he headed over to the bar, fleetingly wondering if Miles would be there.
He walked over to the surf club and paused to look out at the ocean before walking into the bar. He really loved living in the bay.
"He's here!" Tony called to Alf, who pressed the button on the CD player. Strains of Bobby Darin's song Splish splash, I was taking a bath filled the bar.
Roman stopped dead and glared at Alf, Tony and Miles in turn.
"I see you've been talking Colleen." He said in his best army tough guy voice to them.
"Don't take it to heart." Alf said.
"Yeah," Miles agreed. "Just have a drink." He sniggered.
Alf picked up a bottle and placed it in front of Roman. It had a tape measure tied round it. He turned round to Miles and looked at him.
"You promised you wouldn't say anything?" he sneered.
"Yes, but you forgot to tell Nicole not to tell Geoff who told Irene who…" Miles began.
"That's enough." Roman said burying his head in his hands.
Tony patted Roman on the back.
"It's alright." He told him. "You're amongst friends. I got you this" Tony handed him an envelope.
Roman looked at him with narrowed eyes as he opened it.
"A years membership to the gym? But I'm already a member!" he said slightly puzzled.
"Well according to Colleen you could use some toning up." Alf said, unable to keep a straight face.
The three men couldn't resist laughing at the look on Roman's face.
"And you are supposed to be my friends?" He muttered, before he too burst out laughing.