Page 2 of The Princess Trap

Cherry held back a sigh. It took great effort, but she managed.

“Sorry, Cherry,” the tall one wheedled. “It’s just that Julie and I were talking, and she—”

Cherry held up a hand. “You don’t have to explain. Have I ruined the surprise?”

“A little bit,” Julie admitted. “I don’t knowhowyou missed the sign.”

“It’s a mystery for the ages,” murmured Rose. Cherry gave the older womanA Look.

“Well, anyway,” Julie said. She tried for a grin, but it looked more like a wince. “Surprise!” The pair sprang apart like show girls, waving their hands towards Cherry’s desk. Or rather, towards the monstrous mess they’d made of it.

Her neat and tidy workspace was covered in glitter and confetti. In the centre of the desk sat a huge, ceramic number '30' in a screaming shade of pink. As if she didn’t know precisely how old she was.

God, Cherry hated birthdays. They were so… unnecessary. All that attention, and none of it under her control.

“Oh, you two,” she said, pasting a coy smile onto her face. “You shouldn’t have.”

“Really,” Rose echoed. “You shouldn’t have.”

The woman was a bloody nuisance. A brilliant bloody nuisance, but a nuisance all the same.

Julie’s hopeful face fell. “I know you hate a fuss, but—”

“No!” Cherry said firmly. “This is lovely. I very much appreciate it. I—” she broke off as she caught sight of a little box beside the ornament. “Is thatHotel Chocolat?”

“Yes!” Julie said proudly.

Rose sat up straight in her chair. “Where?” she demanded, squinting across the room.

“Never you mind.” Cherry stepped forward and swept up the box with a smile. “Really, ladies, thank you so much. What a lucky girl I am.”

The admin staff persisted in sucking up to her purely because Rose, the Head of HR and mistress of all she surveyed, was impossible to suck up to. Usually it was rather annoying, but in this case, Cherry couldn’t pretend to mind. As the girls left, looking rather pleased with themselves, she ripped open her box of chocolates.

“Don’t be greedy, love.” Rose stood and sauntered over, her fluid movements as deceptive as her plump, rosy cheeks. Rose McCall was, Cherry knew, sixty-seven. She appeared no older than fifty, despite her lavender-grey chignon.

“Says you,” Cherry mumbled, her mouth full. But she held out the box, and didn’t even complain when Rose took two truffles at once.

“Iamsorry,” Rose said conspiratorially. She perched herself on the edge of Cherry’s desk. “I had no idea they were going to surprise you. Truthfully, I didn’t realise anyone knew your birthday.”

“Facebook,” Cherry said glumly.

“Oh, yes.” Rose popped a truffle into her mouth. “Well, you know I don’t hold with that nonsense myself.”

“I don’t know,” Cherry mused. “It can be annoying. But there are a lot of cat videos.”

Before Rose could reply, the door to their office burst open.Again. Really, all this human contact was a bit much for one morning.

It was Louise, one of the receptionists, all pink-cheeked and wide-eyed. “Rose!” she gasped. “Cherry! Oh, you won’t believe what’s happened!”

“Calm down,” Rose frowned. “Are you alright?”

“No!” Louise shrieked. “I’m as likely to pass out as—” she broke off, her eyes narrowing. “Is thatHotel Chocolat?”

Cherry slapped the lid back onto the box. “All gone. Sorry.”

“Bugger. Anyway, listen to this!”

Cherry listened. Rose listened. Louise paused dramatically.