“Ever heard of knocking?” Oliver asked crossly as he stood up straight and fiddled with his tie. “Well? What do you want?” He wandered back to his chair opposite Cherry and sat down.
“A drink would be a good start.” Darius poured himself a glass of whisky from the decanter which stood on a cabinet near the window. “Drink anyone?”
“I think I’d better go. Leave you two alone.”
“No,” Oliver said brusquely, “you stay here. It’s your office too. I’m not having you turned out because my little brother’s got himself into yet another mess. At least I imagine that’s what’s happened as he appears to need some Dutch courage. It will be money or woman trouble. What is it Darius? Go on, break the bad news. We’ve work to do. We were working when you came in.”
“If that’s what you call work, I’ll give it a go.” Darius winked at Cherry who smiled back.
“Everything’s such a joke to you isn’t it? Do you think I got where I am today by lying in bed all morning and playing for the rest of the day.”
Darius smiled wryly. “No, you got where you are today through your inheritance.”
Oliver recoiled.
Darius continued, but was speaking to Cherry. “Our father made sure Oliver’s mother was all right by letting her have the hotel as part of their divorce settlement. I can see that was fair enough. But then, as Oliver well knows, the rest of Dad’s empire crumbled. It wasn’t a good time for him and when he died Mum and I were left with practically nothing.”
Oliver felt shamefaced. “I’m sorry, Darius, it’s just that you don’t seem to be making an effort. I want to help. I’ve given you a chance to work with me here, but you’re hardly accepting the challenge.” Oliver didn’t know what else to say. Although Darius’s attitude annoyed him, he still felt affection for the younger man.
“That’s because I want to do something for myself, not be given hand-outs by my big brother. You must be able to see that. You wouldn’t want that either, we’re similar to each other in some ways although you’re always telling me how different we are. I haven’t found my niche yet, but there’s more to me than you think. I do want to make something of myself. I have ambition too.” Darius gulped at his drink. “In fact, that’s why I’m here, I’ve got something to tell you.”
Oliver wished more than anything that there were no more surprises and that things would settle down so that he could spend some quiet time with Cherry. He felt as though he was ageing visibly. He was sure to have grey hair soon with all the worrying he’d been doing about those he loved. He was startled to think that Cherry was part of that group. Had he really fallen in love? He looked across at her to see an expression of concern on her face. But her eyes were on Darius, not him. He felt a sudden stab of jealousy.
“Don’t think I’m not grateful, but I’m going off to Spain with Seb tomorrow.” Darius raised his glass and took another gulp of the fiery liquid.
“Seb? Who the hell’s Seb?” Oliver could barely speak.
“I’ve told you about him before, he’s an old school friend. We’ve kept in touch. He’s into property development. He’s got this real money-making business going and wants me to have part of the action. He’s building apartments on the Costa del Sol, but they’re for the top end of the market. I’m going to be marketing executive so I’ll get trips back here, although we hope to sell to the expats already living there.” Darius was now sprawled in a chair cradling the glass which he’d just refilled.
“How long have you known about this?” Oliver’s voice was cracking, whether through disappointment or anger, he wasn’t sure.
“He rang this morning . . .”
Oliver practically exploded. “You’ve only just been told about this so called money-making scheme and you’ve decided to go, just like that. It took me weeks to make the decision to come here and run the hotel, and it takes you seconds to leave a good job and go off because of some crazy scheme.”
“We’re different in that way. The thing is I don’t want to work here in the hotel, I’m not ready to stagnate in this dump. It’s a great lifestyle out there for a young person, sea, sun . . . hmmm . . . what else begins with s?” He winked at Cherry again.
“Is it funny, Cherry?” Oliver asked, crossly.
“No, but Darius is. I disagree with him about this place being a dump, I think it’s idyllic here by the river and I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else, but as Darius says we are all different. The thing is, Oliver, he’s got to do things for himself, not be given hand-outs by you. Don’t you see that he has to make his own way, even if some of the things he does are mistakes.”
“Thanks, Cherry, I might have known you’d understand. You could come too, bring Jay, we could live in a hut on the beach. I can see you barefoot in the sand.”
Oliver could tell Darius was enjoying annoying the hell out of him. He knew his brother was joking, but felt a pang of jealousy at the easy manner Cherry and Darius had with each other. He wished he wasn’t quite so stiff and formal. He knew it all went back to his childhood and being told by his mother he’d just have to get on with things when his father had left. He’d been heartbroken at the loss of his father, but he’d hidden his feelings just as his mother had wanted. Since then he’d found it hard to show his true emotions. He wished he had that easy way with people that Darius had, and that his father had possessed. He tried to see things from Darius’s point of view. He had to admit that he too had been having doubts and was thinking of packing the whole hotel thing in until he’d met Cherry. Now he was sure his life was here . . . with her. And like her, he found the setting of the hotel idyllic.
“Your mind’s made up, but I do think you should do a bit of research before you pack your bags.” Oliver was being practical as usual. He wished he could be a bit more spontaneous.
“Course,” Darius said.
Here goes, he thought. “Any chance of a short break with you? What do you say, Cherry, shall we all go to Spain for a holiday?” The idea of a holiday with Cherry and Jay made him feel light hearted. It was possible for him now to imagine the three of them as a family unit.
“Wait until I’ve got somewhere to live and have learnt a few Spanish card games for Jay, and you’ll be welcome. What do you think, Cherry?” The two men were looking at Cherry expectantly, waiting for her answer.
“I don’t know what to say or think, except that you’ve been very good to us, Darius. Jay especially will miss you.”
“I’ll miss him too, you must be very proud of him. I think once Oliver gets to know Jay he’ll be a good replacement. In spite of what you might think, he’s been a very good brother to me.”
Chapter Thirteen
A holiday would be nice, thought Cherry as she manoeuvred the vacuum cleaner around the hallways. If Alan hadn’t been so henpecked, Jay would be on holiday with him now. She reflected what it might be like to be alone in her little cottage. Well, perhaps not totally alone. A nice candlelit dinner for two with Oliver, soft music, the river lapping the bank, the moonlight . . . Idiot, she told herself, laughing out loud. Hastily, she finished the hall carpets and then put the cleaning materials away. Her watch told her she had time for a quick break before donning her hat as chief adviser to the management. Although she’d definitely accomplished a lot in the last few days, she wasn’t sure they were things that Oliver really wanted for the hotel. He hadn’t been very forthcoming, just nodded and stroked his chin. Cherry fancied Oliver was a bit jealous of Darius, but she wasn’t sure why. They were both good-looking, easy to get on with, popular with the staff, as far as she could tell, and the guests always had a word for them when they were around. Oliver, however, was a bit buttoned up. Here Cherry had to shake herself out of her daydream as she imagined herself undoing those buttons . . . Perhaps now that Darius had gone to Spain, Oliver would relax a bit more.
* * *
Very early that morning, Darius had seemed cheerful when he’d knocked on the cottage door. Jay must have been expecting him, bec
ause he was awake and ran to let him in.
“I’ll miss you, Darius,” Jay had said. “Tell me your address and I’ll write to you.” Cherry had watched as Jay carefully wrote down what Darius dictated to him. Poor Jay, another person leaving him behind.
“Now don’t forget,” said Darius, bending down to look Jay in the eye, “your school work’s just as important as twenty-one. When I come back, I shall want to see your school reports.” He waggled his eyebrows and Jay giggled. Standing up straight again, Darius held out his hand to Jay and the friends shook hands. Then Darius kissed Cherry lightly on the cheek and hurried away. The TVR had roared off down the drive sounding like a dragon possessed.
Later, after a sandwich and pot of coffee, Cherry positioned herself at the desk in the office in front of the computer. Although she could type a letter, write an email and basic things like that, she was very aware that she was a bit computer illiterate. Perhaps Oliver would send her on a course. No, she didn’t really fancy going away to learn about computers. There was no likelihood of Oliver and her going to the next conference together either as she’d feel awkward asking Pat’s help to look after Jay. Pat and Maurice had already done so much, and Darius wasn’t there.
Abandoning the notebook she’d pulled towards her, she opened a new document on the computer, called it ‘Cherry’s notes’, and started typing in her ideas and accomplishments so far. In fact it was an impressive list, but there was still a way to go. Her thoughts turned to Jay who was with Pat, having lunch. Later he would join her in the office and read or draw. Not much of a holiday for him, poor love. That gave her an idea. She started typing a list of activities for kids which they might be able to implement at the hotel. Quite pleased with her list, she saved it in her file and decided to let Jay help her when he came in later.
When the door opened quietly, Cherry assumed it was Jay. “Come and sit by me, sweetheart. It’ll be nice to have your company.”
“Thank you, darling, but I think I’ll sit at my own desk, if you don’t mind.”
It was Oliver of course and Cherry had never been so embarrassed. He always seemed to catch her out and make her blush. “Sorry, I thought you were Jay.” She looked at Oliver and saw a grin tugging at his mouth. Laughing, she said, “I was so engrossed in my work I didn’t look to see who it was.” Wanting desperately to change the subject, Cherry asked, “Do you want to see the lists I’ve made for improvements?”
“You seem to have so many lists of improvements, Cherry, that I wonder what sort of a place this was before! Quite a boring hotel, I suppose.” He turned away as his phone rang.
After he’d replaced the handset, he said, “Bit of a panic in the kitchens. André wants some help. I don’t suppose . . .”
“I’d love to go. He’s expecting you to inspect the kitchens, you know and he’s a bit nervous.”
“But he runs everything so smoothly. I didn’t think there was a need for me to go interfering.” Oliver picked up a pencil from a pile on his desk and fiddled with it. “You seem so good with people, Cherry. They like you and confide in you. I wish I was more like that.”
For once in her life, Cherry was speechless and fled from the office for a bit of relaxation with André. Why did Oliver have to be so heavy? She didn’t know how to answer him.
* * *
As soon as she’d gone, Oliver could have kicked himself. He’d tried to open up to her, but had failed. He’d only caused friction. A quiet knock at the door brought him back to the present. “Come in,” he called.
Jay opened the door and walked slowly into the room. “Is Mum here?” he whispered.
“She’s just gone down to the kitchens. Shouldn’t be long. Come on in.” Oliver’s heart sank. He was about to suggest that Jay go and join Cherry and André, when he wondered why it was that he felt uncomfortable with the lad. He was well-behaved, polite, and articulate; if he’d been an adult, they’d have got on well. Deciding to give it his best shot, he said, “What do you know about computers, Jay?”
“Well, we’ve got them at school and some of my friends have got them at home as well. I can write a story on them and print it out, but I like drawing best.”
“There are other things you can do, besides work, on computers,” grinned Oliver.
* * *
“It’s so nice to be down here with you again, André,” sighed Cherry.
“What do you make of the boss? He hasn’t been down here for the inspection yet.”
“That’s because you’re very well organised as usual.” Cherry leant against the table. “You’re not worried, are you?”
“A bit,” confessed André.
“There’s absolutely no need. Oliver’s just very busy at the moment. He wants to improve the hotel and as the kitchens are running exceptionally well, he’s leaving you to it.”
“Do you mean that?” André blew out his cheeks. “Oh thank you, Cherry, I was really nervous that he was putting off giving me the sack. Perhaps I’ll pluck up the courage to ask for a pay rise.”
Hurrying back upstairs, Cherry remembered that Jay was due to join her in the office. She expected to find him skulking about in the corridor waiting for her. But he wasn’t there. She’d just let Oliver know she was back from the kitchens, and that a PR visit from him would do André good, and then she’d look for Jay. Pushing open the office door, she was surprised to hear Jay chuckling. He was sitting at her computer with Oliver next to him. Oliver let out a roar of laughter which he didn’t try to hide when he saw Cherry.
“Oliver’s showing me some funny things on the computer, Mum. And I can draw things, too. Look what I’ve done.”
Cherry came round behind Jay and looked at the screen. Her throat tensed as she saw what he’d drawn. In an unsteady voice, she said, “The boat. It’s our boat, Jay.”
Jay nodded. “I’m going to print it off later. I’ve saved it in my file,” he said, proudly.
“I think you’d better let me sit there now, love. I’ve got work to do.” She didn’t want Oliver getting cross with Jay. She knew he found it difficult to relate to him.
“Now just a minute,” Oliver burst out, “we haven’t finished our game yet.”
“Oliver’s teaching me Mahjong. It’s wicked, Mum. If we had a computer, I’d play it all day long.”
The two heads were pressed together and from the look of them, Cherry wouldn’t have access to her computer for a long while yet.
“I’ll get some tea,” she smiled.
When she’d left the office, Oliver sat back in his chair. He’d been pleased with how well things had gone with Jay. He remembered that Darius had said he’d make a good replacement as a friend to Jay. He also remembered that Darius had said that he’d been a very good brother to him. Guilt flooded through him as he wondered if Darius was going to Spain to get out of his way – as if he sensed that Oliver was fed up with him. They had different mothers and had been brought up differently. That’s what made them like chalk and cheese. Looking at Jay, Oliver saw how he’d been nurtured with love and affection and been instilled with confidence. Now Oliver realised he had a chip on his shoulder and at thirty-eight, it was time to get rid of it. Whatever he felt he’d missed out on by being sent to boarding school, he had to give credit where it was due. His parents had decided that he’d have a better education and he’d gain independence by being away from home. Thinking back to something else that Darius had said, Oliver knew that he’d been right. He had got where he was today because of his inheritance. It seemed that everything about him boiled down to having money.
Watching the intense expression on Jay’s face as he searched the screen for matching symbols, reminded Oliver so much of Cherry. Perhaps now he should pursue her with greater intent. But what if she turned him down? Just when they seemed to be getting on well, it seemed that he’d misjudged the situation. She’d been quite off-hand with him on a couple of occasions when he thought he was in a position to ask her out. All their outings so far had been business-ba
sed. He’d also been a little afraid of how Jay would react to him going out with his mother. But the lad seemed relaxed in his company, and Oliver was pleased about that.
“Look, two south winds, Jay. Quick, see if you can beat your own record.”
Jay zapped the matches and punched the air as another win flashed on the screen.
Chapter Fourteen
It was fast approaching the end of Jay’s school holiday and Cherry wanted to do something really special for him. He’d been as good as gold and hadn’t appeared to mind being restricted to the hotel during the day. However, Cherry wasn’t working at the weekend. She was torn between the cinema and a burger meal afterwards or going to the bowling alley and then on to the Italian restaurant next door to it. Deciding that being cooped up in the cinema wouldn’t be that much fun, she settled on the bowling plan. Just the two of them would be nice. It had been an exhausting week, now she came to think of it, but things hadn’t worked out too badly.
Today, Jay was going to go home with Pat when she finished at lunch-time and he’d have fun with her and Maurice until Cherry collected him at tea-time. Determined to complete her lists before the weekend, she hurried to finish the cleaning and took a tray of coffee and biscuits into the office. Oliver was having a meeting with André in the kitchens, so he wouldn’t be there to notice if she dropped crumbs into the keyboard. Opening her file, she continued with her plans.
When she heard the office door opening, she took the precaution this time of looking up to see who it was. Oliver stood there looking so handsome and gorgeous, she had to hold onto her chair to stop herself running to him. But he came over to her and, pulling her to her feet, kissed her none too gently on the lips. Briefly questioning this move, she surrendered herself and made the most of it. But he let her go as quickly as he’d taken hold of her, and Cherry was again in turmoil. She studied his face, but there were no clues there. As he sat at his desk and got on with his work, Cherry asked, “What was that about, Oliver?”
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