Cherry Blossoms by Patricia Keyson Page B

and more upset. For the first time since her split from Alan she’d met a man she really cared for. But just what were her feelings for Oliver? He made her heart beat fast, made her emotions dance . . . The truth was she’d fallen in love with him. And now he was going to let her down. Well, she’d steer clear of men for the rest of her life. Banging the lid back on to her sandwich box she prepared to get back to work, but just at that moment Emma floated in bringing a hint of jasmine with her. She had a dreamy look and Cherry wondered whether she should throw a glass of cold water over her to bring her back to reality.
    “ Do you believe in love at first sight?” Emma asked languorously.
    Cherry wasn’t sure she believed in love at all anymore and said nothing.
    “ The first time I saw André I was smitten. It was the same for him, too. Can you believe it? Have you ever been really in love?”
    Cherry didn’t answer immediately. She’d thought she’d loved Alan, and she didn’t want to delve into her feelings for Oliver. “I’ve been married,” she said, dodging the question.
    “ We’re going to get married. As soon as we’ve told our families and arranged things. How long will that take? I can’t wait. Do you think Oliver will give us a reduction if we hold the wedding here?” Emma’s eyes sparkled.
    “ Who’ll do the cooking? André?”
    Emma laughed. “You’re really funny. It’s no wonder Oliver fancies you.”
    Cherry hadn’t meant to be funny, she was too upset to be humorous, but Emma’s comment intrigued her. “What d’you mean about Oliver fancying me?”
    “ Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed. We’re always laughing about it. In a nice way, we think he’s cute. He’s always gazing at you with a soppy look. Wandering round the hotel when you’re cleaning, hoping he’ll bump into you. All the staff know he’s crazy about you. We thought you were getting quite friendly with each other.”
    For an instant Cherry glowed, but then she remembered the secret phone call and the woman who called him Olly. “I think you must all have it wrong,” she said.
    Emma shrugged and gaz ed dreamily into space.
    * * *
    Cherry felt strongly that she ought to go to the office for the afternoon, but once again wondered whether or not she was doing the right thing working so closely with someone she had such strong feelings for. She really didn’t want to be near Oliver right now so she decided to take the camera and get some more pictures. That could be called working, surely, not that it mattered anymore.
    Having walked in the woods, taken pictures of everything that appealed to her, including the intricate patterns in the bark of some of the trees, she headed back to the river. The sky was darkening and she hoped for some dramatic shots. Lying on the ground, trying to catch a last shaft of sunlight piercing the foliage of a tree, she suddenly understood how exciting the new job would have been. She’d have to resign even though it was just the sort of work she needed both mentally and financially. She closed her eyes and wondered why things never quite worked out for her. Suddenly she felt huge drops of rain falling on her face. She rushed to stand up and shelter under the tree, but the rain was torrential and soon even the cover of the leaves wasn’t enough to protect her and she was soaked. Her blouse clung to her and looking down she saw it was now pretty much see-through. Checking her watch she realised Jay would be back from school. She’d have to nip back to the hotel hoping not to be spotted, change into her overalls and meet Jay. She didn’t intend working anymore today and she’d have to give her future some serious thought.
    As she entered the hotel car park Oliver was escorting the woman to her car, his huge black umbrella sheltering h er completely from the rain. Cherry couldn’t possibly let them see her now, so she hid behind the nearest car. Peering over the bonnet, she could