Cherry Blossoms (4 page)

Chapter Six

“Mmm?” Oliver seemed distracted. She wondered if he’d even heard her. “Hold on, I need to check something.” And he was gone. Abandoning all the paperwork, Cherry hurried after him and waited for his attention at reception. Finally Oliver looked up from the guest book. “Something to tell me?”

Cherry
couldn’t believe she had to do this. Who in their right mind would cancel three days away with this gorgeous man? She gulped and wondered if he would be as bothered as she was to miss the opportunity of being together. Opening her mouth, she jerked out, “I can’t go on the conference, I’m sorry.”

Oliver seemed to sag visibly
, then bracing his shoulders walked over to a group of chairs and gestured at a chintz sofa. “Come and explain. I’m sure we can sort something out. If there’s one thing I’ve learnt it’s that problems are rarely insurmountable.” Cherry tried to settle herself on the sofa, but with Oliver’s unsettling presence, she couldn’t relax.

“
Jay’s father won’t have him now,” she blurted out.

“
Won’t have him? But that’s unforgivable. He’s the boy’s father and he promised.” Oliver stood looking down at her, his fists clenched.

“
His name’s Jay not ‘the boy’,” Cherry said crossly. She was disappointed about the conference, but felt that Oliver wasn’t thinking of Jay’s disappointment, more his own concerns about the hotel. Perhaps he wasn’t the man she’d thought he was, but then she realised she’d done exactly the same thing in putting her feelings before Jay’s.

“
Couldn’t someone else do it?” Oliver asked, his mood lightening. Cherry had already given a good deal of thought to this. She considered it again, but still came to the same conclusion that there was no one.

Deliberately misunderstanding Oliver, she said,
“Yes, someone could take my place. It’s a pity Pat can’t go. I’m sure she’d learn a lot and enjoy it. But she can’t leave her husband for long. You must know Maurice has been ill.”

“
I mean someone to look after the . . . Jay. There must be someone.”

Cherry tried to think if there was anyone she cou
ld ask. Hazel’s family were going away for the week and she didn’t want to leave Jay with anyone he didn’t know well.

“
I don’t believe there’s nobody else.” Oliver sounded exasperated. “Haven’t you any family?” He moved away ready to get on with the next task.

“
No, they’re all too far away, and I can’t think of anyone else. I’m sorry I’ve let you down, Oliver, but you must realise how difficult it is being a single parent. If you want to think again about whether or not I’m suitable for the job I’ll understand.” She stood up abruptly and turned to leave.

O
liver grabbed her arm. “No, don’t go. I mean . . . let’s sit down and talk this through. Sorry, I’ve been pre-occupied. Please.” He gestured for her to sit down, then sat opposite her. “I’d been looking forward to a few days away with you . . . I mean planning things for the hotel, having time to talk about the future. It’s always so busy here. I do realise how difficult it is for you, but please give this job a go. It’s not a big deal; I expect there’ll be another conference soon. I really think you can make a difference to the hotel. We’ll be a great team.”

Cherry imagined them as a team
, but her imagination took her beyond the hotel. She wasn’t sure she ever wanted to get married again, but to have someone to share things with would be wonderful. Cherry could think of nothing she’d like better than to spend time with Oliver. Her thoughts overtook her as she envisaged an evening wrapped in his arms. Suddenly Pat appeared bearing a tray of tea and cakes.

“
Thought you’d appreciate this,” she said, carefully placing the tray on the table.

“
I’ll pour,” Cherry said quickly, glad to be distracted from her steamy thoughts.

“
What do you fancy? Chocolate éclair, vanilla slice, or Eccles cake?” Oliver asked.

As soon as
she’d said chocolate éclair Cherry knew she’d made a mistake. Biting into the pastry, thick cream oozed out, but thankfully she managed to finish it without making too much mess. She was starving and the cake had hit the right spot. For a split second she didn’t care what Oliver thought of her, then she remembered her manners and swallowed hard. “That was good,” she acknowledged, wiping her mouth with a napkin.

“
I can see you enjoyed that.” Oliver laughed, then reached across and wiped her cheek gently. “It’s probably a good job I can’t take you to the conference.”

Cherry felt embarrassed
, but was happy to see that he was chuckling.

“
Maybe we should have dinner together, spaghetti followed by Mississippi Mud Pie,” Oliver joked. “Actually that’s not a bad idea. How about this evening? We could bounce a few ideas around. What do you say?”

Was that how Oliver viewed her?
Cherry wondered – like a kid who needed to be given sweets as a bribe to do her homework? Indignantly she opened her mouth to protest before realising that he was asking her to spend some time with him. This evening! Of course she realised it was only a work meeting.

What Cherry wanted to say was
“yes please”, but she had Jay to think of. “I’m sorry, there’s Jay.”

Oliver looked disappointed.
“Couldn’t he be left for a couple of hours?”

Cherry
wasn’t sure if he was joking and didn’t reply. They sat in silence.

“
You two look gloomy. What’s up?” Darius asked.

“
Cherry is absolutely adamant no one else can care for her son.”

“
What’s this all about?” Darius asked as he threw himself onto the sofa next to Cherry. “You’re looking stressed, Oliver, and you look as though you could strangle him.”

“
You’d be stressed if you had half my problems,” Oliver said sullenly.

Cherry fe
lt even more uncomfortable now. Darius was a guest at the hotel, but was on first name terms with Oliver, and the two men seemed very familiar with each other. Cherry explained the difficulty of not having anyone to babysit Jay. “I don’t think Oliver quite understands about looking after children.”

“
Well, let’s just say he has a somewhat distorted view.” Darius sat with his legs crossed insouciantly, a smile on his face. “Any tea left in the pot? I’ll use Oliver’s dirty cup. Ah, cream cakes.” He helped himself to a large vanilla slice, licked at the icing, then took a big bite, spraying crumbs everywhere.

Cherry was pleased to see that Darius was makin
g even more mess than she had. “Here let me,” she said wiping cream from his shirt.

“
Oh, for goodness sake,” Oliver said crossly, glaring at them.

Cherry felt embarrassed
, but Darius didn’t seem to take any notice, he just carried on eating after giving Cherry a big wink which made her giggle.

“
We’re like brothers, Jay and me. Well, maybe not brothers, because we do get on well. I’ve taught him twenty-one and he’s promised to show me his latest playstation game.” Darius slumped down and put his feet on the opposite sofa, next to Oliver. Cherry thought Oliver was about to explode. “How about me?” Darius asked Cherry.

“
How about you what?” she asked, totally bemused.

“
How about me looking after Jay, then you two can go off on your little jaunt . . .”

“
It is not a little jaunt, it’s business,” Oliver said interrupting. “And anyway, there’s no way you can look after the hotel and Jay.”

Cherry was astonished.
Why would one of the guests be looking after the hotel? She glanced first at Oliver and then Darius.

Darius, looking
puzzled, said, “Oliver is my big brother. Didn’t he tell you?”

Chapter Seven

“Just sit down and tell me, will you?” pleaded Pat.

“
I can’t,” replied Cherry, pacing up and down the small room set aside for employees. More than anything she wanted to confide in her friend, but she knew that as soon she’d said the words they’d become a reality. The truth was that she would have to move out of the chalet, and then not only would she be homeless again, but Mrs Talbot would make sure Jay was taken away from her. As she tried to smile, Cherry felt tears forming. She burst out, “Oh Pat, what will I do? Now I’ll have to admit to living in the chalet.”

“
I don’t see why,” shrugged Pat, her hand hovering as ever over the biscuit tin. Cherry brushed at her face quickly, hoping Pat didn’t notice. “I told Darius I was living there – even told him to keep it quiet because the management didn’t know. How embarrassing is that?”

“
But Darius won’t say anything,” declared Pat through a mouthful of chocolate biscuit. “He likes you and Jay and wouldn’t do anything to make you unhappy. In fact,” she smiled, her eyes dancing, “I think he may have the hots for you.”

“
Rubbish – he’s just a boy,” declared Cherry, momentarily side-tracked. She’d never thought of Darius like that. He was fun, he was good company, but nothing more. In some ways it would be an advantage if she could have those sorts of feelings for him. Now Cherry owned up to the fact that since she’d met Oliver she hadn’t been able to think romantically about any other men. He’d stolen her heart and was holding it to ransom. If only he felt the same way about her everything would be perfect. If anything she seemed to irritate him.

Pat smiled b
efore continuing, “Anyway, let’s get back to the question in hand. Why don’t you have a word with Darius and put your mind at rest? I’m sorry, Cherry, of course I can see how worrying it is. After all, there’s Jay to think about as well. It is pretty serious, isn’t it?”

Cherry nodded a
s Pat put her hand on her arm. “You do understand why I have to tell Oliver, don’t you?”

“
Not really,” confessed Pat, “but if you think it’s for the best . . .”

“
It’s not fair for Darius to have to keep a secret like that. He’d be torn in his loyalties.” As ever, when flummoxed Cherry flapped a duster around. Now she spotted a cobweb with glee and attacked it with vigour.

“
Do put that duster down. I can see through you, you know. You always start cleaning things when you’re worried. I suppose you’ll be starting on the windows next.”

“
Yes,” confirmed Cherry, ducking to avoid the tea towel coming her way from her amused friend.

Pat glanced at Cherry
before saying, “You could always come and stay with us. Maurice loves seeing Jay, and you know I think the world of you both.”

To Cherry it wo
uld be the answer to her prayers. Pat and Maurice were a lovely couple, and she and Jay had been to their house for meals a couple of times. Maurice loved fishing and kept Jay enthralled with his tales of the riverbank. A grin escaped her as she remembered Jay’s look of awe when Maurice was telling him about the latest big fish he’d caught. But it wouldn’t be fair, Cherry decided firmly. Maurice hadn’t been well which gave Pat extra work to do when she got home from the hotel.

“
It’s so kind of you, Pat, but it isn’t a long term solution and you’ve got a lot on your plate. No, I’ll just have to face it out with Oliver. You’re a good friend.” She gave Pat a hug.

“
Why not have a word with Darius? See what he has to say?” Pat pursed her lips and lifted an eyebrow. “You’ve got Jay to think of as well, you know.”

Cherry’s
instincts were to be upfront and honest, but she knew what the outcome would be. Perhaps she should speak to Darius and ask him if he could keep a secret. She dusted Pat’s biscuit crumbs into her hand as she thought of the possibility of being allowed to stay at the chalet. Of course Oliver wouldn’t let her stay, but if he and Darius were brothers, wouldn’t fifty per cent of the permission be enough? That is, if Darius agreed to it.

What choice did she have?
She couldn’t stay with Pat and there was nowhere else. Then again, she felt uneasy at the thought of involving Darius. She liked him too much to encourage him to be less than truthful to his brother. It wasn’t right.

“
Day dreaming again? Not sweet on them both, are you?” Pat laughed.

“
No, of course not,” retorted Cherry, tossing her curls.

“
Just the one, then?” pushed Pat.

Changing the subject Cherry said,
“You’ve had enough biscuits, Pat O’Brien. You’ll be bursting out of your uniform.”

Pat giggled.
“All right, I’ll give up asking.” Her face grew serious as she said, “It’s difficult, I know, but I don’t want to see you and Jay homeless or jobless, or worse.”

Cherry wondered what could be worse
. Then the full force of her dilemma hit her. When Oliver found out about her staying in the chalet he might not only sack her for being deceitful, but she’d never see him again. If it was up to her, she could easily pack her bags and get a room somewhere, but that was impossible because of Jay. It was a circle that couldn’t be squared. Cherry’s instinct for flight was very strong, but she knew it would solve nothing. She had to make a plan.

“
If I have to leave the chalet, I’ll have nowhere to live,” she said, slowly.

“
Yes, love, I know. We’ve been over that. You’ve got to live somewhere.”

“
So, let’s see what we’ve got,” said Cherry decisively. She counted off on her fingers, “One, I confess to Oliver that Jay and I are living in one of his chalets without permission. Two, he tells me to move out. Three, I can’t continue to work here as I’ll have nowhere to live. Four, he sacks me as well for being dishonest. Five, I’ll . . .”

“
It’s depressing, isn’t it? So why go there?” asked Pat. She gently shook Cherry’s arm. “Honestly, Cherry, I think you should reconsider this honesty plan of yours. We keep coming back to the fact that it’s not just you who’s going to suffer.” Cherry knew Pat wouldn’t speak like that if she wasn’t anxious for her and Jay’s future. Everything she lived for was at stake now.

The fact that Jay could be taken away from Cherry lay be
fore them like an abyss. Also, Cherry couldn’t quite face up to the fact that she may never see Oliver again. However, she’d brought Jay up to be honest. It seemed that one way or another she was destined to let him down.