Hibiscus

by Sarah Pond

  'So, how are things between you?'

  'Better. We are going to keep in touch more. They've mellowed a bit.'

  'If that's what you want, I'm happy for you. You know I would never tell you what to do.'

  'I know. You and Sue are the most important people in my life. Sue was mortified when I told her what happened.'

  'Look, we've both messed up in the past. How about a clean slate, starting now?'

  'Sounds good to me.'

  'Would you like a drink, or shall we go?'

  'Let's go. Will Tom and Jeremy be in?'

  'Not until late. It's only nine o'clock now.'

  As they walked along the road, Lea took Rachel's hand, and they headed back to Tom's place. As soon as Rachel had closed the bedroom door behind herself and Lea, their lips connected, and the passion between them was set alight like fireworks. With Rachel's back against the door, Lea ran her hands down either side of her body. Then, after kissing her neck, she pulled Rachel's top off and undid her bra. 'I've missed you so much, Rach.'

  Lea kissed each of Rachel's breasts in turn, sucking on each nipple first. Rachel was going mad with all of the sensations, as Lea stimulated her with her fingers, whilst running her tongue gently along her body. Then Lea dropped to her knees, and Rachel felt her tongue expertly lapping and licking her, until she was crying out to come. Lea took her over the edge, and Rachel felt as though she was free falling, as her legs weakened beneath her. 'Oh, fuuuuccckkk, oh my god.' Lea caught her, and they moved onto the bed.

  Now Rachel rolled over, so she was on top of Lea. As Rachel looked into Lea's eyes, Lea saw a tear run down her face. 'Hey babe, what's wrong?' She wiped the tear away with her thumb.

  'I didn't think I'd get to look into your eyes again. I didn't think I would get to touch you.'

  'You can touch anything you like, starting here.' Lea took Rachel's hand, and trailed it down between her legs. 'I want you, desperately, now.'

  In the morning, Rachel and Lea walked into the kitchen, to see Jeremy and Tom eating breakfast. 'Morning, you two. Good night, I take it!'

  Rachel and Lea looked at one another and both smiled, a rather cheeky smile.

  Tom said, 'Yep, that's an I got well and truly shagged last night smile! I'm so glad you two sorted it out.'

  'Us, too. Tom, thank you so much for everything. I'm going to go home with Lea tomorrow. We'll come into the gallery today, so I can sort out a couple of things and say goodbye to Lisa and Eric.'

  Rachel's phone rang while they were walking to the gallery. 'Hello? Yes, that's right. Um, no. Yes, I was looking into it, but I've decided against it. Okay. Thank you. Thanks for your help. Bye.'

  Lea looked at Rachel quizzically, and Rachel looked awkward. 'Everything all right?'

  'Yes, fine.' She paused, then continued, 'That was the estate agent. I told them I'm not selling the Mermaid Gallery.'

  Lea looked shocked. 'You really were going to sell up?'

  'At the time, yes. What else was I going to do? I would have had nowhere to live.'

  'Oh Rach, I'm so sorry.'

  Rachel stopped, and turned to look at Lea. 'Look, we've talked about this. We're moving on, remember.'

  'I'm going to plead temporary insanity. I don't know how I thought I'd ever live without you.'

  They kissed, then carried on to work.

  When Rachel arrived at the gallery, holding hands with Lea, Lisa rushed over to them. She hugged them both. 'I'm so happy you've sorted it out.'

  'So are we. Okay, we're off back home tomorrow. Lisa, can we go through a few things, then I can leave you to it.'

  That evening, Rachel and Lea invited Katy to dinner to thank her for her support. When their drinks arrived, Rachel raised her glass. 'To Katy, meddler extraordinaire!'

  They all raised their glasses. Katy said, 'I usually wouldn't get involved, but you two were really letting things get too far. It certainly isn't worth losing a great relationship over a matter of pride or misunderstanding.'

  Lea said, 'Rachel is lucky to have you for a sister.'

  Katy beamed, 'Thank you, that's so sweet.'

  Lea said, 'You know that you and Christopher are welcome to come and stay with us any time.'

  Rachel and Lea hadn't been home long when Sue popped round to see them. She hugged Rachel, saying, 'I'm so glad you're home. I thought Lea had lost her marbles when she told me what had happened.'

  Lea pretended to look offended, 'Hey! You didn't say that to me at the time.'

  'I knew that you would come to your senses. If you hadn't, I might have had a few words to say!'

  Sue took Rachel's hands, 'You already know that Lea is like a daughter to me, and I've come to regard you in the same way.'

  'That means a lot to me, thank you.' Rachel hugged Sue. 'You mean a lot to me, too.'

  'Let's celebrate. How about I take you girls out for dinner this evening? Lea, I haven't heard about your exhibition in Italy yet. If I pick you up at seven this evening, that will give you a few hours to get ready.' She winked at Lea and Rachel, and they laughed. 'See you later.'

  Rachel looked at Lea, that oh, so familiar look in her eyes. Rachel was so glad to be home.

  THE END

  Thank you for reading my book, I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!

  About Sarah Pond

  Hibiscus is Sarah's second novel. Sarah is often to be found writing in coffee shops.

  When not writing she loves to read and to do fitness classes, particularly zumba (this helps to work off the hot chocolates and milkshakes that she drinks whilst writing!)

  Connect with Sarah

  Sarah's website

  Sarah's blog

  twitter @palmtreesarah

  Smashwords Author Profile

  Other books by Sarah

  Citrus Blossom

  When Olivia moves from Cornwall to London to begin a new career, and meets her new boss, Jasmine, she has no idea how it's going to turn her world upside down. She had longed for the excitement of London, but what she hadn't expected was the passion and heartache when everything that she thought she knew about herself is questioned.

  In a world of expectation, including your own, following your heart can sometimes be the hardest thing to do.

  If you would like a taste of Citrus Blossom, please read on for the first four chapters…

  PROLOGUE

  She didn't know when it started, when things had changed. Had there been signs, and she had been too caught up in other things to see them... Maybe it was just a phase, or was she starting to lose it? Or maybe she was beginning to find herself. Perhaps she could just give in to it, let herself go...

  CHAPTER ONE

  Not so long ago things were different, they seemed more straightforward. As a child, Olivia loved to read. Her parents would often find her curled up on her bed or the sofa, with her nose in a book. Her green eyes would occasionally look over the top, she would smile at them, then carry on reading, her long brown hair falling over her face. She loved to get lost in stories of other people and far away places, and the adventures that they would have. Olivia had been a good student, and did well at school and college. She decided not to go to university in favour of getting into the 'real world' of work and earning a living. She had been working in her friend Becky's art gallery in St Ives, Cornwall for nearly four years. Olivia had loved working there, but now she was ready to spread her wings. She had always had a yearning to go to London. Olivia and her boyfriend Liam had broken up a few months ago, mutually deciding that although they really cared about each other, that something extra wasn't there anymore. Olivia would often talk about moving to London. Liam thought that it was quite amusing, usually you would hear about people wanting to do it the other way around, like her parents had done, moving away from London for a quieter life.

  Olivia had applied for three jobs, and the one that really attracted her was at the small publishing company in Cavendish Square, not far from Oxford Circus. She didn't
want to work for a big faceless company, but somewhere smaller where things were more hands on. The company were looking for an assistant for one of the partners. If Olivia got the job, she would begin by doing general office duties, taking on more responsibility as she gained experience.

  At twenty two years old, Olivia was really ready to begin living a more independent life. She knew that moving to London from Cornwall would be a real change of culture, and although it was rather daunting, it was also one of the things that excited her about it. When Olivia was a child, she used to dream of working in London, the buzz and excitement. Her family had originally lived in Middlesex, and her Dad had worked in central London, travelling by tube from Pinner every day. Once she and her brother Ben were born, her parents had wanted a change of pace, and moved the family down to Cornwall when she was two years old, and her brother was four. Olivia had very fond memories of growing up in Cornwall, with what seemed like endless summers on the beach. Living in St Ives, Olivia and Ben had grown up with a familiar community of people around them, and it seemed that everyone knew everyone else.

  Olivia turned up ten minutes before her interview with Jason Albright and Jasmine Carter, who ran JJ Publishing. She had decided to wear a black trouser suit for her interview, hoping that she looked smart and professional enough. Olivia was welcomed in by a lady who introduced herself as Laura, Jason's assistant. Olivia thought that she was probably in her early thirties at a guess. Laura had short, dark brown hair, and grey eyes. She seemed very friendly, and Olivia found herself wondering how long she had worked there. Laura asked, 'Would you like a drink? We have tea, coffee, water or juice.'

  'No thank you, I'm fine.'

  Olivia had remembered some advice that she was given when she was at college. If you accept a drink, with a bag or case in one hand, and holding a drink in the other, you wouldn't be able to shake hands with anyone. Also, she was still feeling nervous, and she couldn't trust her hands not to shake whilst she tried to drink it. She would treat herself to a coffee at this lovely cafe she had recently found, just around the corner from the office, if the interview went well. Or if it didn't.

  Olivia had tied her hair back in a ponytail, and when some loose strands slipped down, she nervously tucked them behind her ear. Laura offered her a seat, and she sat down and waited in the reception area, taking in her surroundings. The office was a large open plan area, with a blue sofa, the one that she was sitting on, in front of which was a large wooden coffee table, with magazines strewn across it. There were bookcases on the opposite wall, crammed full. Then there was Laura's desk, and next to it, an empty desk, which would hopefully be hers if all went well. Opposite the desks were two offices, presumably one for each of the partners. Laura chatted to Olivia, asking about her journey, and how far she had travelled. Olivia liked Laura, and immediately felt comfortable with her.

  The door to the office on the left opened, and a friendly face appeared. The man was probably in his late twenties, and clean-shaven. He was slim, and wearing jeans, with a blue open neck shirt and a tweed jacket. He had soft wavy light auburn hair, and a twinkle in his pale blue eyes. Olivia liked him immediately. He walked over to the sofa, hand outstretched towards Olivia, and she stood up. 'Hi, you must be Olivia. I'm Jason, thank you for coming, and being so prompt. Come through to my office.'

  Olivia rose, and shook his hand, thinking that she was glad she hadn't accepted a drink. 'Yes, thank you,' and followed Jason into the office.

  'Do take a seat.' Jason gestured to the comfy looking chair opposite his desk. His office had a cosy feel about it, with books and papers everywhere. It was lived-in rather than untidy, and had an old-book smell to it, reminding Olivia of a second hand book shop. 'Jasmine will be here in a moment, we're joint business partners, as I think you already know. Laura has been working for both of us, and we have had temporary help in as and when we needed to. We really need someone full time now to work with Jasmine, although we all muck in together when we have a lot of work on.'

  'I like the fact that it's a small office. I've been used to just two of us working at the gallery,' Olivia said as she sat down.

  The chair was very comfortable, and Olivia was beginning to relax a little. She became aware of a movement behind her, and Olivia turned to see a striking woman walking into the office. She was quite tall and slim, with long dark wavy hair and dark brown eyes. Her skin had a sun kissed glow about it. She wore a tailored navy trouser suit, and a white blouse. She exuded class and beauty as she walked gracefully across the office. She was probably a similar age to Jason, maybe a bit older. Olivia began to feel nervous again, and stood up as the woman walked towards her.

  'Hello, I'm Jasmine, you must be Olivia.' As she shook Olivia's hand, Olivia was aware of Jasmine's hand feeling soft and warm, and she flushed, aware that her hands were sweaty from nerves. 'Please, do sit down again. Sorry I'm a bit late, I got caught up reading a manuscript.' She smiled warmly, and Olivia began to relax again.

  They asked Olivia about college, working at the art gallery in Cornwall, and why she wanted to move to London. Jason asked why she particularly wanted to work for JJ Publishing.

  Olivia explained that as much as she loved Cornwall, she was ready for some new experiences, and how as a child she had wanted to come to London. She talked about how she loved working with her friend Becky, and how much experience she had gained working there. She got to meet artists, and help them promote their work. For some time now, though, she had had a calling to move away, and it was London that she was drawn to. Voicing this dream, Olivia hoped that Jason and Jasmine wouldn't think that she was chasing a childish dream. On the contrary, they saw her determination and dedication, and appreciated her honesty. Jasmine noticed that Olivia was nervous, her hands fidgeting in her lap, until she talked about her friend, and moving to London. Then, the nervousness gave way to passion about her ambitions, and she emanated a different kind of energy, her face lighting up as she spoke.

  Olivia went on to explain that she would love to work with a publisher, as she loved books. 'I love the idea of creating something that starts out as an author's idea, and develops into a book, which can be read and shared by an infinite amount of people.' She paused for a moment, before continuing, her eyes shining, 'It's a bit like artists bringing their work into the gallery. Something that started out as a thought in the artist's mind, taking a physical form that can be appreciated by others. '

  As Olivia spoke, Jason and Jasmine exchanged a look, and smiled. Olivia noticed their exchanged glance, and guessed that they were good friends. The whole office had a comfortable feel about it. This is somewhere I'd really love to work, thought Olivia.

  When the interview came to an end, they all stood, and Jason shook her hand, thanking her for coming along. Then Jasmine shook Olivia's hand, and with her left hand touched Olivia's arm, saying, 'It was such a pleasure to meet you. We'll have a chat and let you know very soon. Thank you.'

  Laura showed Olivia to the door, and she stepped outside into the fresh air. The June sunshine felt warm on her face, and was perfectly offset by a gentle breeze. Looking at her watch, Olivia was delighted to see that well over an hour had gone by, although it hadn't felt like it. She knew this to be a good sign, unlike a previous interview which had finished after just over twenty minutes. She knew that she wasn't going to get that job.

  After Olivia had left, Jasmine sat back in her chair. She knew immediately that Olivia was the person for the job. She was so passionate, so fresh. The way that she had spoken about books and paintings starting as a thought had really touched her. Jason called Laura into the office so that they could all have a chat. Jasmine asked Laura what she thought of Olivia. Laura said that she liked her, and thought that she would fit in well. Jason agreed, Olivia was by far the best person who had applied for the job. There had been a couple of people with experience in publishing, but they didn't have the passion that Olivia had. So it was decided, they all agreed that Olivia would be offered the job.
/>
  As she had promised herself, Olivia walked along the road and headed towards Joe's Cafe. In addition to a large latte, Olivia thought a chocolate brownie would be a lovely treat. Having collected her coffee, she found a little table where she could sit and go over the interview. On the whole, she thought it had gone well, although she had been rather nervous. She was sure that they would take that into consideration, though. She really liked everyone there, which was obviously a big bonus. As this was the third and final interview for the time being, she was going to be going back home in a couple of days. This week she had been staying at her friend's flat. Emma had a great place, not far from Bond Street tube station. Emma's last roommate was a journalist who had moved out to go travelling, which was perfect timing. It had been fun catching up with Emma. Having moved to London straight from college, Emma said that if Olivia got a job here, she would be able to help her settle in.

  Emma and Olivia had met at college. They had become firm friends when they both realised that they loved the same kind of music, particularly Pink. They would play her albums at full blast, singing along at the top of their voices, then roll around in fits of giggles. At college, Emma had a succession of boyfriends, and Olivia found it hard to keep up with her and who she was dating. As soon as Emma had left college, she had applied for jobs in London. Then she got a job at an advertising agency, just as she'd always said she that she would. In the four years that she had been there, she had progressed swiftly. She was intelligent, full of great ideas and very outgoing. She was popular with her colleagues and worked hard. Emma found her job fun, but it could also be quite pressured, and she found physical exercise a great way of letting off steam, which kept her fit as well. The gym was good for meeting people too, and there were plenty of guys who liked to keep in good shape. With her blond wavy hair, beautiful blue eyes and lovely figure, not to mention her outgoing personality, she was always getting attention from guys. Her current boyfriend was a really nice guy called Matt. Emma had met him at the gym a few weeks ago.